Dynamics of salivary cortisol and testosterone during competition stress in alpine skiing in adults and children

• Published in: Cognition, brain, behavior : an interdisciplinary journal Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 29 - 41
• Main Authors: Toma, Vlad Alexandru, Bucălie, Eduard, Farcaș, Anca Daniela, Ciolpan, Paul, Roman, Ioana, Mureșan, Alexandru, Grosu, Emilia Florina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cluj-Napoca A.S.C.R. PRESS 14.03.2019
• Subjects: Adults; Boys; Brain research; Competition; Coping; Emotions; Exercise; Hormones; Males; Men; Perceptions; Physical fitness; Physiology; Saliva; Salivary cortisol; Sampling; Skiing; Stress; Stress management; Stress response; Testosterone
• ISSN: 2247-9228; 2601-226X; 2061-226X
• DOI: 10.24193/cbb.2019.23.02

Performance skiing is associated with competition stress and many neuropsychological coping mechanisms. 60 performance skiers, adult males and young boys, within alpine skiing competition with two descending states were engaged for saliva sampling in order to assess the testosterone and cortisol concentrations. Three sampling moments were used for the identification of the key moment when the competition stress was enhanced: before competition, (T1), after the first descending (T2) and after posting the results of all skiers (T3). Cortisol was the central stress regulation hormone in adults and children whereas testosterone played a complementary function only in adult males at(T2). The crucial moment of the competition stress was between first and second descending, in (T2), which became the central moment when the trainer had to implement his/her psychological methods of stress management.