This valuable new addition to the Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine series provides a comprehensive and logical look at the principles and mechanisms of endocrinology as related to sports and exercise. It looks at growth hormone factors involved in exercise and the endocrinology of sport competition. It considers various factors and stresses on the body that may alter sporting performance. It covers topics from the acute responses and chronic adaptations of the human endocrine system to the muscular activity involved in conditioning exercise, physical labor, and sport activities. This book is an essential reference for helping to plan better programs of physical fitness, to prepare for sports competitions, and to manage the medical care of athletes.