6533b823fe1ef96bd127df4a

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Testosterone and cortisol responses to competitive fighting in human males: A pilot study

subject

description

Departamento de Psicologia Fisiologica (A.S., V.S., F.S.) and Laboratorio de MedicinaNuclear e Isotopos (L.L.), Hospital Clinico Universitario, Universitat de Valencia, Valencia,SpainSerum testosterone and cortisol levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 14young male judo competitors, in samples taken 10 minutes before and 45 minutes aftertwo different pr(Redures. The first involved physical exercise and the second competi-tive fighting. Both procedures were of 5 minutes duration and sessions took plate atthe same time (between 10:00 \.M. and 12:00 P.M. liR-al lime) but on different days.Comparing the two situations over all subjects revealed that testosterone increasedafter exercise and decreased slightly after competition. Between subject comparisonssuggested that contrary to previous claims, winning or losing did not significantlychange the testosterone and cortisol levels. Comparisons of subjects who were membersof the Regional Team with individuals who were not part of thai gronp confirmed thatmemhers increased their testosterone levels after competition, whereas the nonniem-bers showed a significant decrease. Moreover, success of the individuals, in theirsporting record, correlated positively and significantly with the changes of testosteroneohserved during the competition. These preliminary results suggest that previouspersonal experience of success can infiuence the pattern of the psychoend(KTine re-sponse to a contest situation.Key words: physical exercise, judo competition, victory, defeatINTRODUCTIONPhysiological responses to the experiences oi victory and defeat include the modi-fication of circulating levels of some hormones. Clinically, sporting competitions havebeen seen as suitable situations to study hormonal responses to winning and losing.Mazur and Lamb 11980] found that the pattern in changes of testosterone was differentin winners and losers of a tennis match. Winners generally showed increases andlosers decreases in titers of this steroid and significant differences were evident I to2 hours after the match. Hlias [1981] found that subjects winning a wrestling matchshowed significantly greater increases than losers when he compared percentagechanges between testosterone levels seen 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after thematch. Winners also showed significantly greater increases in cortisol than losers.