Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, sanandej, Iran
2 Department of Sport Science for Health and Performance, College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Halabja, Kurdistan region, Iraq.
Abstract
Purpose: Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) are critical for somatic development, linear bone growth, and metabolic homeostasis in children. Physical activity, especially endurance training, plays a significant role in modulating these hormones. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week endurance swimming training program on GH and IGF-1 levels in prepubertal children. Method: The study involved 30 healthy children aged 9–11 years, randomly assigned to either a swimming group (15 children) or a control group (15 children). The swimming group participated in a structured 8-week training program, three times per week, with each session lasting 60 minutes. GH and IGF-1 levels were measured before and 48 hours after the intervention using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis included two-way repeated-measures ANOVA to compare the effects of the training on hormone levels between the groups, with p-values set at 0.05. Results: The results revealed a significant increase in GH for the swimming group (from 17.4±0.9 to 22.9±1.1 ng/mL, p<0.001) compared to the control group (from 17.5±1.0 to 17.7±1.1 ng/mL, p=0.384). For IGF-1, the swimming group also showed a significant rise (from 212.3 ± 24.5 to 232.8±26.1 ng/mL, p=0.018), while the control group showed no significant change (p=0.413). Conclusion: The findings suggest that moderate-intensity endurance swimming can effectively stimulate the GH and IGF-1 axis in prepubertal children, independent of major anthropometric changes. These results support the inclusion of swimming as a safe and effective form of exercise to promote growth-related hormonal health in children.
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