The combined effect of alcohol and physical exercise on serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and cortisol in males

The combined effect of alcohol and physical exercise on the serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and cortisol was studied in healthy male volunteers by performing an exhaustive ergometer exercise (1) followed by alcohol intoxication (induced by 1.5 g of alcohol/kg body weight), (2) during alcohol intoxication (induced by 0.8 g of alcohol/kg body weight), and (3) during hangover (13 hr after a dose of 1.5 g of alcohol/kg body weight). Physical stress immediately before alcohol administration prolonged the depressant effect of alcohol on testosterone secretion. This seemed to be mainly a consequence of direct inhibition at the testicular level, even though the role of luteinizing hormone as a contributory regulatory factor cannot be totally ruled out. Cortisol response to exercise was not modified by alcohol under any of the experimental conditions.