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Table 2 Effects of bodybuilding and hormone abuses on metabolic markers

From: Metabolic Consequences of Anabolic Steroids, Insulin, and Growth Hormone Abuse in Recreational Bodybuilders: Implications for the World Anti-Doping Agency Passport

 

BBINS

(n = 15)

BBGH

(n = 12)

BBAAS

(n = 13)

BBNU

(n = 52)

CTRL

(n = 45)

One-way ANOVA

p (η2)

Effect Size*

INSULIN SENSITIVITY

  

Fasting glucose (mg/dL)

90 ± 2

87 ± 4

89 ± 2

93 ± 1

91 ± 1

0.15

-

Fasting insulin (µU/mol)

7.2 ± 1.1

11.0 ± 4.9

7.1 ± 1.0

6.3 ± 0.4

8.3 ± 0.9

0.22

-

HOMA index

1.61 ± 0.25

2.38 ± 1.03

1.59 ± 0.24

1.46 ± 0.11

1.90 ± 0.22

0.30

-

PLASMA LIPID PATTERN

  

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

168.6 ± 10.2b

139.7 ± 14.4a,c,d

179.3 ± 13.1b

173.7 ± 4.8b,e

157.2 ± 4.6d

0.02

0.1 (-0.4–0.6)

Triglycerides (mg/dL)

99.8 ± 18.8

79.2 ± 13.0

88.7 ± 16.9

101.5 ± 14.5

75.6 ± 6.3

0.52

-

HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

31.3 ± 3.7c,d,e

27.1 ± 3.3c,d,e

37.8 ± 2.5a,b,d

48.0 ± 1.5a,b,c,e

42.0 ± 1.2a,b,d

< 0.001

-0.9 (-1.5 - -0.4)

LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)

117.3 ± 9.5

96.8 ± 11.5

123.8 ± 13.8

105.4 ± 3.9

100.0 ± 3.6

0.08

0.4 (-0.1–0.9)

HDL-to-non-HDL cholesterol ratio

0.25 ± 0.04d,e

0.28 ± 0.04d,e

0.30 ± 0.04d

0.42 ± 0.02a,b,c

0.39 ± 0.03a,b

0.001

-0.8 (-1.3 - -0.2)

OTHER PLASMA MARKERS

  

CETP (µg/mL)

2.76 ± 0.10c

2.57 ± 0.25c,d,e

3.45 ± 0.22a,b

3.08 ± 0.11b

3.16 ± 0.10b

0.02

-0.4 (-1.0–0.09)

Leptin (ng/mL)

1.22 ± 0.46e

0.61 ± 0.18e

0.63 ± 0.18e

0.86 ± 0.12e

2.69 ± 0.51a,b,c,d

< 0.001

-0.1 (-0.7–0.4)

Leptin/kg of fat (ng/mL*kg)

0.09 ± 0.03e

0.06 ± 0.02e

0.05 ± 0.01e

0.08 ± 0.01e

0.18 ± 0.02a,b,c,d

< 0.001

-0.2 (-0.8–0.3)

Creatinine (mg/dL)

1.22 ± 0.04

1.14 ± 0.05

1.17 ± 0.04

1.17 ± 0.02

1.18 ± 0.02

0.70

-

ALT (I.U./L)

66.7 ± 10.0b,c,d,e

46.8 ± 7.1a,c,d,e

31.2 ± 3.3a,b,e

26.5 ± 1.7a,b,e

22.0 ± 1.3a,b,c,d

< 0.001

2.1 (1.5–2.7)

AST (I.U./L)

53.9 ± 11.0c,d,e

54.6 ± 10.0c,d,e

29.9 ± 3.9a,b

28.2 ± 1.4a,b,e

23.2 ± 1.2a,b,d

< 0.001

1.2 (0.6–1.8)

ALT/AST

1.41 ± 0.14b,c,d,e

0.96 ± 0.09a

1.10 ± 0.11a

0.97 ± 0.04a

0.97 ± 0.04a

0.001

1.2 (0.6–1.8)

CK (U./L.)

951 ± 343c,d,e

966 ± 257c,d,e

356 ± 91a,b,e

302 ± 40a,b,e

180 ± 31a,b,c,d

< 0.001

1.4 (0.6–2.1)

hs-CRP (mg/dL)

0.16 ± 0.06d,e

0.16 ± 0.07

0.14 ± 0.05d

0.07 ± 0.02a,c

0.08 ± 0.01a

0.01

0.5 (-0.03–1.0)

  1. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM. BBINS, bodybuilders abusing insulin alone (n = 1) or in association with anabolic androgenic steroids (n = 3) or with anabolic androgenic steroids and growth hormone (n = 11); BBGH, bodybuilders abusing growth hormone alone (n = 1) or in association with anabolic androgenic steroids (n = 11); BBAAS, bodybuilders abusing only anabolic androgenic steroids; BBNU, bodybuilders not using hormones; CTRL, non-bodybuilders
  2. Statistical analysis was performed using One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc analysis. a, significant difference from BBINS (P < 0.05). b, significant difference from BBGH (P < 0.05). c, significant difference from BBAAS (P < 0.05). d, significant difference from BBNU (P < 0.05). e, significant difference from CTRL (P < 0.05)
  3. *Effect size is calculated to quantify differences between BBINS group versus all the other groups. If post-hoc analysis showed a difference between BBINS and more than one group, both pooled average and standard deviation of these groups were considered to assess effect size. < 0.2 low probability; 0.2–0.8 medium probability; > 0.8 strong probability. Effect size is expressed as point estimate and confidence intervals (95%)
  4. HOMA-IR, homeostatic model assessment index of insulin resistance. CETP, Cholesteryl ester transfer protein. ALT, alanine transaminase. AST, aspartate transaminase. CK, creatine kinase hs-CRP, high-sensitive C-reactive protein
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