Effects of a 12-week endurance training program on the physiological response to psychosocial stress in men: a randomized controlled trial.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial
PubMed 24659155 · doi:10.1007/s10865-014-9562-9
What was done
149 healthy men were randomly assigned to a 12-week endurance exercise training, relaxation training, or waitlist control group. Physical fitness was measured before and after the intervention via lactate testing. Physiological responses to an acute laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test for Groups) were measured via salivary free cortisol, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV). The final analyzed sample was 96 subjects.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or effect sizes. Exercise training significantly improved fitness and reduced stress reactivity across all three parameters (cortisol, HR, and HRV), but improved stress recovery only for HR. Relaxation training reduced only cortisol reactivity, with no change in HR or HRV reactivity. The control group showed no changes.
Why it matters
This trial experimentally supports the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis, demonstrating that endurance exercise training attenuates both endocrine and autonomic cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress.
Limits
The study was restricted to healthy men, limiting generalizability to women or clinical populations. Attrition was substantial (149 randomized down to 96 analyzed). The abstract provides no exact numerical results, effect sizes, or follow-up beyond the intervention.
Cited by
- supports Cold water immersion (ice baths) and morning workouts raise a person's stress threshold, reducing adrenaline secretion in response to everyday stressors.