E. Filaire

Biological, Hormonal, and Psychological Parameters in Professional Soccer Players Throughout a Competitive Season:

We examined changes in the haematological, metabolic, immunological, hormonal, and psychological fields using selected variables in 20 professional soccer players, over the course of a competitive season. The team performance was assessed by computing the winning percentage. A symptom checklist was used to assess the severity of upper respiratory tract infections. A high-intensity training programme induced a significant increase in cortisol and uric acid concentrations. Despite lower glutamine concentrations than the normal range throughout the study, infection occurred only in two of the soccer players. Moreover, the levels of immunological factors IgA, IgG, and IgM, and the haematological parameters were unaltered. Subsequent decreased performance coincided with changes in specific mood states of the team. Our results show some alterations on the metabolic, hormonal, and psychological variables over the five fields studied, suggesting that combined psychological and physiological changes during training are of primary interest to monitor the training stress in relation to performance in team sport.

Saliva cortisol, physical exercise and training: influences of swimming and handball on cortisol concentrations in women

The aim of this study was to observe the influence of physical exercise and training on saliva cortisol concentrations in women. Three groups of adult women were studied: one group of sedentary controls (n = 7) and two groups of sportswomen who competed in either handball (n = 14) or swimming (n = 10) at a national level. These sportswomen gave six saliva samples during a day that included exercise which was part of their annual training programme. We noticed a significant increase in saliva cortisol concentration after exercise in the handball players (6 p.m. vs 7.30 p.m. P < 0.05) which did not appear in the swimmers or the sedentary group. There was no difference between the sedentary group and the swimmers for each sample of the day. These results showed that the type of sport played seemed to influence the concentration of saliva cortisol, the type of stress involved, the respective haemodynamic conditions of swimming and running and thermal stress also playing a part. Moreover, it seemed that the level of performance influenced the secretion of cortisol in the saliva.

Effects of amount of training on the saliva concentrations of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone and on the dehydroepiandrosterone: cortisol concentration ratio in women over 16 weeks of training

This study was designed to investigate in the saliva the influence in female athletes of handball or volleyball training on concentrations of cortisol [C], dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], and on the [DHEA]:[C] ratio over 16 weeks of training. Data were compared to those of sedentary women. Saliva samples were collected upon waking after an overnight fast during the 1st week (W1) of the training programme and in the 16th week (W16). The training programme increased the resting concentrations of saliva [DHEA] in all the sportswomen. In contrast, a decrease of [DHEA] was noted in the sedentary group (W16 < W1; P < 0.05). In none of the women did the [C] at rest change significantly during the study. Between W1 and W16, the [DHEA]:[C] ratio increased by more than 30% in all the sportswomen. In addition, the athletes with the highest performance levels and greatest amount of training had the lowest [DHEA]:[C] ratio. Negative linear relationships between the amount of training and the [DHEA]:[C] ratio were found both at W1 (r = −0.53 P < 0.001), and W16 (r=−0.73 P < 0.001), suggesting that the latter could be used as an indicator of the training status of sportswomen.

Relationships between Physiological and Psychological Stress and Salivary Immunoglobulin a among Young Female Gymnasts

We investigated whether psychological and physical stress induced by training or competition influence the secretory immune system among 12 highly trained young female gymnasts. Salivary levels of secretory IgA and cortisol responses to gymnastic training session or competition were assessed a total of 10 times, immediately before and after two training sessions which had different intensities and just before and after a major competition. These parameters were also measured on two non-training days. The Brunel Mood Scale was also used to assess the gymnastss overall mood on each test day. IgA:Protein ratio was calculated. Significant decreases in this ratio were found after each exercise session, related to the physiological and psychological stress induced by exercise. Over the 5-mo. training period the presession IgA:Protein ratios were unchanged. Gymnasts registered any episodes of upper respiratory tract infection. Bouts of exercise induce transitory effects on the immune system in relation to the workload and the stress induced by the exercise without any relation to increased susceptibility to illness in children.

Training of elite cyclists: effects on mood state and selected hormonal responses.

The psychobiological status of cyclists over a period of 8 months of training was assessed by measuring the sympatho-adrenal level, the central noradrenergic activity, and the cortisol - testosterone ratio status non-invasively. Alteration of these indices after a large increase in training load lasting 4 days ( + 187%) was also examined. Urinary excretion of methoxyamines (metanephrine, normetanephrine) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulphate (MHPG-S), and salivary concentrations of cortisol and testosterone, were measured in 12 national cyclists after a non-specific training period and 48 h before 4 days of increased training (T1), after these 4 days (T2) and at the end of 4 months of specific training (T3). Urinary and salivary samples were also collected during a rest period (T0). At each of these times, mood states and ratings of perceived muscle soreness were assessed, and a questionnaire of early clinical symptoms of the overtraining syndrome (Profile of Mood States) was administered. A significant increase in normetanephrine (P  < 0.05) and a decrease in the testosterone - cortisol ratio (P  < 0.05) were observed at T2, while MHPG-S excretion remained unchanged. Over the same periods, increased training loads did not induce mood disturbances. Eight months of training were associated with significant alterations in metanephrine (P < 0.05) and MHPG-S (P < 0.05). These results suggest a dissociation between the neural and endocrine catecholaminergic components systems. Opposite responses between MHPG-S and Profile of Mood States scores show that further investigations are needed to understand the relationship between central noradrenergic function, which is recognized as a regulatory factor of mood, and psychological tests measuring mood.

Effects of training for two ball games on the saliva response of adrenocortical hormones to exercise in elite sportswomen

Abstract In a group of 20 elite female handball or volleyball players, an evaluation was made of the response to a 4-month training period of cortisol, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone in the saliva. At the beginning of the training programme (W1) and at the 7th (W7) and 16th weeks (W16), hormone concentrations were measured on awakening (8 a.m.; resting samples), and also before (t0) and at the end (t120) of a 2-h exercise session (simulated match) which took place at 6 p.m. The training programme increased the concentrations of adrenal androgens in the saliva at rest (P<0.05) for both groups of subjects, with no change being noted in cortisol concentrations. In contrast, amongst the volleyball players, stressful stimuli produced by an increase in the amount of training did not affect adrenocortical metabolism during exercise. Indeed, a simulated volleyball match resulted in a decrease in salivary cortisol (P<0.05) and androgen concentrations (P<0.05) without regard for the week chosen for the test investigations. In contrast, a simulated handball match caused an increase in cortisol concentrations at W1 only (P<0.05), with no change in the adrenal androgens concentration in any week of the training programme. The regulators of these hormones during a period of exercise and during the course of a training programme would seem to be different.