Competition is a more demanding situation than other strenuous exercise of equivalent duration; it results in stronger physiological changes. The object of this study was to get information on the duration of the recovery period by measuring changes of saliva cortisol [C], testosterone [T] and their ratio T/C in a group of international rugby players ( n=20) during the week following a rugby match (6 days). Using non-invasive saliva assays, we were able to take samples during the day of competition and the post-competitive days. Hormone levels were assayed with a routine in-house radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. Throughout the competition, C levels increased sharply (about 2.5-fold compared resting values) and returned to basal values within 4 h. Conversely, the T level decreased slightly. During the recovery period, C levels were lower and T levels were higher than basal values, resulting in a very high T/C ratio until the 5th day. This high post-competitive T/C ratio phase is probably required to restore the break-down of homeostasis induced by the very hard mental and physical strain associated with a rugby match. Thus, a period of 1 week recovery appears to be the minimal duration between two competitions.

This study was undertaken to compare salivary levels of cortisol (C), testosterone (T) and T/C ratio during an official and a simulated weight-lifting competition. Thirteen top-level weight-lifters (French team) including 7 national level athletes (NG) and 6 international level athletes (IG) entered the study. The performance levels corrected with the IWF index (an index which relates the performance to body weight) obtained during the competition were higher than those obtained during the simulation and were higher in IG than in NG. Salivary samples were collected for each session after weighing, snatch and clean-and-jerk. The mean T-levels of these athletes were the same as those obtained in the laboratory on sedentary adults; they did not vary throughout the competition, nor between the competition and the simulation. Conversely the C-levels were statistically higher in the competition than in the simulation (p < 0.05). These C-levels are correlated with the performance levels corrected with the IWF index obtained during the competition (r = 0.67; p < 0.05; n = 13). Moreover, C-levels noted at the time of the competition were higher in the international athletes than in the national ones. Therefore, we concluded that the cortisol level may be considered as a performance factor in weight-lifting.

Plasmatic and salivary levels of six steroid hormones in adult males and females are given and compared to the data of the literature. These steroids are: cortisol (F), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) and its sulphate (DHAS), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T) and 11 beta OH androstenedione (OHA). The salivary assay of the last compound is an original. The correlations between salivary and plasmatic values are presented and confirm that this method is a reliable alternative for hormonal investigations. From these data and from those of the literature, the salivary versus plasmatic ratio are calculated. From the fact that high concentrations of DHAS in saliva generally stem from blood contamination, we derive a method to estimate the amount of this contamination and its impact on other steroids measured on the same saliva sample.

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.

The relationship between anthropometric and bio-energetic data and timed performance over 50 to 400 m was studied in 25 young male swimmers [11.3 (SD 1) years]. Anthropometric measurements included height, body mass, body fat mass, body area, thoracic section area (Ats) thoracic circumferences, lengths of upper limb, bi-acromial and bi-iliac diameters. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max; direct method), maximal anaerobic power (W(an),max; force-velocity test) and mean power in 30 s sprint (W30 s; Wingate test) were also measured. Each of these bio-energetic variables was expressed in absolute terms, relating to body mass, body area and Ats. The stepwise regression method was used to determine contribution of the variables (anthropometric and/or bio-energetic) of the time achieved over the distance. The W30 s/Ats accounted for 46% of the time over 50 m (negative correlation). The VO2max/Ats and height were negatively correlated with the times of performances over 100 m, 200 m and 400 m, these two variables accounted for 71% to 77% of the performance. These results would indicate that even in young boys, anthropometric and bio-energetic characteristics are both important in swimming performance, particularly the bio-energetic variables expressed per Ats.