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Updated: May 29, 2026
08:38
Extraction and Analysis of Cortisol from Human and Monkey Hair
Published on: January 24, 2014
Elevated hair cortisol concentrations in endurance athletes
Nadine Skoluda1, Lucia Dettenborn, Tobias Stalder
1Department of Psychology, Technical University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|September 28, 2011
Summary
Endurance athletes show higher hair cortisol levels, indicating prolonged stress from training. This research uses hair analysis to measure long-term cortisol exposure in athletes, unlike traditional short-term methods.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Sports Science
- Biomedical Analysis
Background:
- Intensive aerobic exercise activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to elevated cortisol.
- Traditional cortisol assessment methods (saliva, blood, urine) offer only short-term insights.
- Long-term cortisol exposure in endurance athletes remains challenging to quantify.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cumulative cortisol secretion over several months in endurance athletes.
- To assess long-term cortisol exposure reflecting intensive training and competitive racing.
- To examine hair cortisol levels as a retrospective measure of chronic stress.
Main Methods:
- Hair samples were collected from 304 amateur endurance athletes (runners, triathletes, cyclists) and 70 controls.
- Cortisol concentrations were measured in the proximal 3-cm hair segments.
- Training volume was assessed using self-report measures.
Main Results:
- Endurance athletes displayed significantly higher hair cortisol levels across all three segments compared to controls (p<.001).
- Positive correlations were observed between first hair segment cortisol concentrations and training volume indicators (p<.01).
Conclusions:
- Intensive training and racing in endurance sports are linked to elevated long-term cortisol exposure.
- Hair cortisol analysis offers a viable method for assessing chronic stress in athletes.
- Further research is warranted to explore the health implications of prolonged cortisol exposure in athletes.
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