ABSTRACT
Treadmill walking produced a prompt reduction in serum cortisol in 10 of 12 healthy military men. In contrast, two subjects, with pre-exercise tachycardia and apprehension, showed an increase in serum cortisol with treadmill exercise. In each group, the changes produced by exercise were still evident 30 and 60 minutes after the 30-minute treadmill walk. Urine collected before and after exercise contained similar amounts of 11-hydroxy- and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid material. These results may be explained by an increase in cortisol utilization during exercise and/or by a change in its distribution. The data indicate that in the absence of psychic factors, non-exhaustive exercise is not associated with pituitary adrenocortical activation.
