Baseline cortisol moderates testosterone reactivity to women's intercollegiate athletic competition

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Sports Science
• Psychophysiology

Background:

• Previous research indicated cortisol (C) moderates testosterone (T) reactivity in men under laboratory stress (Trier Social Stress Test).
• The moderating role of cortisol on testosterone reactivity in women and non-laboratory settings remained largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of pre-competition cortisol levels on testosterone reactivity in women athletes.
• To determine if cortisol moderates testosterone responses to the psychobiological stress of athletic competition.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of salivary cortisol and testosterone levels.
• Data collected from 97 intercollegiate women athletes across four sports (soccer, volleyball, softball, tennis) before and after competition.
• Statistical evaluation of the relationship between pre-competition cortisol and post-competition testosterone reactivity.

Main Results:

• Athletic competition induced significant increases in both salivary cortisol and testosterone in most athletes.
• Pre-competition cortisol levels significantly moderated testosterone reactivity.
• Women athletes with lower baseline cortisol exhibited greater increases in testosterone following competition compared to those with higher baseline cortisol.

Conclusions:

• Cortisol's moderating effect on testosterone reactivity is not confined to laboratory-induced social stress.
• This hormonal interplay is also evident in the context of competitive athletic events for women.
• Findings highlight the broader applicability of cortisol's modulatory role on the testosterone stress response.