The Study
Growth hormone responses to treadmill sprinting in sprint- and endurance-trained athletes
This study shows that sprint athletes had higher growth hormone levels after a sprint than endurance athletes. It can tell us things are linked, but not that one thing caused the other.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at how a hard 30-second sprint affects growth hormone in athletes who usually sprint versus those who run long distances.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 543 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Higher GH may help build muscle and burn fat after intense sprints, especially in trained sprinters.
- 2Sprint athletes had 72.4 mU/L GH after sprinting, endurance athletes had 26.3 mU/L.
- 3Their power and lactate levels predicted 82% of the GH increase.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology
Year
2004
Authors
M. Nevill, D. Holmyard, G. Hall, P. Allsop, A. V. Oosterhout, J. Burrin, Alan M. Nevill
Related Content
Claims (4)
Doing really intense sprints gives your body a big, quick boost in growth hormone—up to 17 times more—which helps protect your muscles and burn fat.
Sprint athletes get a much bigger spike in their growth hormone after a hard 30-second sprint than endurance athletes do — their bodies react differently because of their training.
When athletes do their hardest sprints, how fast they go and how much lactic acid builds up in their blood can explain most of why their growth hormone spikes — it’s closely tied to how intensely their body is working.
After a super intense 30-second sprint, sprint athletes have higher levels of certain chemicals in their blood and more acidic blood than endurance athletes during recovery — which means their bodies go through a bigger metabolic shake-up.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.