Catecholamine and cortisol levels in Oxford college rowers.

Abstract

Urinary catecholamines and cortisol levels in two teams of Oxford college eights oarsmen were compared on three different day types: training days, racing days, and nonrowing days. Adrenaline and cortisol were raised on racing and training days compared to non-racing days. Noradrenaline was raised on training days, reflecting longer periods of physical exercise during training. There was evidence of a progressive lowering of adrenaline output over consecutive race days and that the outcome of the races had an effect on both adrenaline and cortisol. In addition to this there seemed to be differences in cortisol levels between the two teams of rowers on both racing days and nonrowing days.(Br ] Sports Med 1995; 29: 174-177) Keywords: adrenaline; cortisol; noradrenaline; rowing It is well known that the physical strain of sports activity is associated with increases in catecholamines and cortisol in the body and that these hormone elevations are positively related to the intensity of exercise.4 However, in addition to physical strain, the mental stress of competition and the emotions associated with winning or losing have an effect on the secretion of hormones. Mason' 6 believed that psychological factors were a major determinant of hormone levels during exercise. Cambell et al7 reported that cortisol elevation in wrestlers was greater than that found in athletes using bicycle ergometers. Hill et al8 found that rowers engaged in time trials and racing had higher cortisol than when they engaged in vigorous practice exercise.Unlike most investigations in published reports, this short study focuses on both the physical and psychological components of corporate sporting performance.It compares the effect of rowing competitions on two teams of eights oarsmen, where the performance of each team as a whole determines the differing outcomes of the races. It also examine the effect of repeated competitions over a short time span where the crew performance on one day directly affects the racing format and associated pressures for the following day. Methods Urine samples were collected from 16 young male rowers in Oxford. Their average age was 20.7 years (range 19.2-24.9 years). The rowers were the eight crew members of the first and second boats of an Oxford college. Samples from boat I were collected on three training days, four racing days, and two nonrowing days. Samples from boat 2 were collected on four racing days and two non-rowing days. The problems posed by field studies of volunteers meant that we were not able to collect samples on training days for boat 2 since, unlike the first boat, they trained at a different time of day to the races. In addition to this problem, no information was available about the activities of the rowers on non-rowing days.One rower, from boat 1, showed outstandingly high cortisol levels on the non-rowing days (mean value 2.56 gg * h-1 compared to the mean for the other rowers of 0.53 jg h-'). All his results for non-rowing days were excluded from the analysis.Total urine samples were ...

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