Katerina Kubikova, Aneta Bohacova, Isabella Pavelkova Salivary testosterone and cortisol in professional athletes: correlation with behavior in specific achievement situations

Abstrakt

Aim: This study is focused on the monitoring and subsequent evaluation of changes in selected hormone parameters (cortisol, testosterone, testosterone/cortisol ratio (T/C)) in professional athletes during top level national league play-offs.

Methods: Testosterone and cortisol levels were measured and their relative production was evaluated in specific match situations: before the pre-match meeting, after the pre-match meeting, before the match, during breaks, during the match (team winning), during the match (team losing), and after the match. The relationship between the two hormones was examined using Pearson’s correlation analysis and hormone levels were compared as paired values using parametric assays.

Results: The findings suggest it is not always possible to consider testosterone and cortisol as hormones whose production is mutually exclusive or that their mutual psychophysiological effect is inhibited.

Conclusions: It seems that although the level of one hormone is dominant, the production of the other hormone remains relatively high, not decreasing. This means that in situations associated with a threat to social evaluation (team meetings during breaks, losing a match) and when an uncontrolled situation without active management (break, interruption of the match) changes into a fully controlled situation (match), the levels of both hormones increase simultaneously - cortisol in response to the fear of defeat and testosterone as a stimulant of the fight response, which can manifest in aggressive behavior.

Key words: Hormone responses in exercise, Stress, athletes, nAchievement