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The University of Southampton
Growth Hormone 2004 Project

Longitudinal study

The aim of this study was to assess the variability in GH-biomarker concentrations in elite athletes at different times of the year and season. This study provided evidence on the need for changes in the reference ranges of bio-marker protein concentrations both in an out-of-competition.

Blood samples were taken at approximately 3 monthly intervals over 12 months during a training cycle. The samples were taken at times convenient to the athlete and the stage of training was noted at each time of sampling (i.e. high intensity training, low intensity training, pre-competition, post-competition). In conjunction with the sampling details, demographic information was collected on sport, age, sex, and ethnicity.

This study is now complete and the results have been published in Clinical Endocrinology in 2010 (1).

References

(1) Erotokritou-Mulligan I, Eryl BE, Cowan DA, Bartlett C, Milward P, Sartorio A, Sonksen PH, Holt RI. The use of growth hormone (GH)-dependent markers in the detection of GH abuse in sport: Physiological intra-individual variation of IGF-I, type 3 pro-collagen (P-III-P) and the GH-2000 detection score. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2010 April;72(4):520-6.

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