Effects of short-term corticoid ingestion on food intake and adipokines in healthy recreationally trained men

In order to test the hypothesis that short-term corticoid intake alters food intake, body composition and adipokines secretion in healthy volunteers with regular sport practice, nutrient intake was assessed in eight male athletes with and without prednisolone (PRED, 60 mg/day for 1 week) ingestion in a random, double blind, crossover design. Body weight, body composition, adipokines (i.e., leptin, adiponectin and TNF-α), insulin and blood glucose were determined before and at the end of each treatment. PRED did not induce any significant change in body weight, body composition or food intake. Insulin and TNF-α were not significantly altered with PRED compared to placebo but blood glucose, leptin and adiponectin concentrations at rest appear significantly increased after PRED treatment (P < 0.05). Our data show that 1 week glucocorticoid treatment does not promote obesity in recreationally trained men but further studies are necessary to understand its effects on the metabolically active hormones, leptin and adiponectin.