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Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

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Published on: March 2, 2011

Oral contraceptives decrease saliva testosterone but do not affect the rise in testosterone associated with athletic

David A Edwards¹, J Laurel O'Neal

¹Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. edwards@emory.edu

Hormones and Behavior

|May 28, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Oral contraceptive (OC) use in women athletes is linked to lower baseline testosterone levels. However, competition robustly increases testosterone in both OC users and non-users.

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Published on: February 10, 2016

Area of Science:

Sports Science
Endocrinology
Women's Health

Background:

Testosterone (T) influences athletic performance and behavior.
Oral contraceptives (OCs) are widely used by female athletes.
The impact of OCs on testosterone levels and exercise-induced changes in athletes is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between oral contraceptive use and salivary testosterone levels in women athletes.
To examine the effect of athletic competition on salivary testosterone in OC users versus non-users.

Main Methods:

Saliva samples were collected from women athletes (soccer, volleyball, softball, roller derby) before and after competition.
Salivary testosterone levels were measured and compared between oral contraceptive users (n=29) and non-users (n=51).

Main Results:

Women using OCs exhibited significantly lower mean salivary testosterone levels than non-users.
Athletic competition was associated with a significant increase in salivary testosterone for all participants.
Both OC users and non-users demonstrated comparable increases in testosterone following competition.

Conclusions:

Oral contraceptive use is a significant factor influencing baseline testosterone levels in women athletes.
Competition stimulates a similar testosterone increase in both OC users and non-users, independent of baseline differences.
Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms behind competition-induced testosterone increases and their implications for OC users.