Measuring the Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol Concentrations of Weightlifters Using an Enzyme-Immunoassay Kit

Abstract

This study assessed an enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) kit for measuring the salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) concentrations of weightlifters. Saliva samples (n=64) were collected from male and female weightlifters during normal training procedures and analysed for T and C using a commercial EIA kit and a criterion radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. Significant correlations were demonstrated between the EIA and RIA measurements of salivary T (r=0.96) and C (r=0.72) concentrations (P<0.001). Further examination by sample and gender revealed similar relationships. The EIA concentrations of salivary T and C were found to be slightly greater (10–13%) than the RIA values. Similar discrepancies were noted when gender comparisons were made, although the relative information on T (males > females) and C (males=females) were consistent for both assay methods. In conclusion, a commercially available EIA kit provided valid measures of the salivary T and C concentrations of male and female weightlifters. Factors to consider when using an EIA kit include the hormone(s) of interest, the magnitude of the correlations, as well as the descriptive information gained (e. g. absolute, relative) and its uses within sport.

Key words

steroids - saliva - validation - athletes

References

• 1 Ahtiainen JP, Pakarinen A, Kraemer WJ, Häkkinen K. Acute hormonal responses to heavy resistance exercise in strength athletes versus nonathletes.  Can J Appl Physiol. 2004;  29 527-543
• 2 Arce JC, De Souza MJ, Pescatello LS, Luciano AA. Subclinical alterations in hormone and semen profiles in athletes.  Fertil Steril. 1993;  59 398-404
• 3 Arregger AL, Contreras LN, Tumilasci OR, Aquilano DR, Cardoso EML. Salivary testosterone: a reliable approach to the diagnosis of male hypogonadism.  Clin Endocrinol. 2007;  67 656-662
• 4 Blom T, Ojanotko-Harri A, Laine M, Huhtaniemi I. Metabolism of progesterone and testosterone in human parotid and submandibular salivary glands in vitro.  J Steroid Biochem. 1993;  44 69-76
• 5 Chiu SK, Collier CP, Clark AF, Wynn-Edwards KE. Salivary cortisol on ROCHE Elecsys immunoassay system: pilot biological variation studies.  Clin Biochem. 2003;  36 211-214
• 6 Crewther B, Cronin J, Keogh J, Cook C. The salivary testosterone and cortisol response to three loading schemes.  J Strength Cond Res. 2008;  22 250-255
• 7 Crewther BT, Lowe T, Weatherby RP, Gill N. Prior sprint cycling did not enhance training adaptation, but resting salivary hormones were related to workout power and strength.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009;  105 919-927
• 8 Edwards DA, Wetzel K, Wyner DR. Intercollegiate soccer: Saliva cortisol and testosterone are elevated during competition, and testosterone is related to status and social connectedness with teammates.  Physiol Behav. 2006;  87 135-143
• 9 Filaire E, Duché P, Lac G. Effects of training for two ball games on the saliva response of adrenocortical hormones to exercise in elite sportswomen.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 1998;  77 452-456
• 10 Gozansky WS, Lynn JS, Laudenslager ML, Kohrt WM. Salivary cortisol determined by enzyme immunoassay is preferable to serum total cortisol for assessment of dynamic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity.  Clin Endocrinol. 2005;  63 336-341
• 11 Granger DA, Schwartz EB, Booth A, Arentz M. Salivary testosterone determination in studies of child health and development.  Horm Behav. 1999;  35 18-27
• 12 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. International Journal of Sports Medicine – Ethical Standards in Sport and Exercise Science Research.  Int J Sports Med. 2009;  30 701-702
• 13 Kadi F, Bonnerud P, Eriksson A, Thornell L-E. The expression of androgen receptors in human neck and limb muscles: effects of training and self-administration of androgenic-anabolic steroids.  Histochem Cell Biol. 2000;  113 25-29
• 14 Kivlighan KT, Granger DA, Booth A. Gender differences in testosterone and cortisol response to competition.  Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2005;  30 58-71
• 15 Lewis JG. Steroid analysis in saliva: An overview.  Clin Biochem Rev. 2006;  27 139-146
• 16 Meulenberg PMM, Hofman JA. Differences between concentrations of salivary cortisol and cortisone and of free cortisol and cortisone in plasma during pregnancy and postpartum.  Clin Chem. 1990;  36 70-75
• 17 Morelius E, Nelson N, Theodorsson E. Salivary cortisol and administration of concentrated oral glucose in newborn infants: improved detection limit and smaller sample volumes without glucose interference.  Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 2004;  64 113-118
• 18 Passelergue P, Robert A, Lac G. Salivary cortisol and testosterone variations during an official and a simulated weight-lifting competition.  Int J Sports Med. 1995;  16 298-303
• 19 Raff H, Homar PJ, Burns EA. Comparison of two methods for measuring salivary cortisol.  Clin Chem. 2002;  48 207-208
• 20 Raff H, Homar PJ, Skoner DP. New enzyme immunoassay for salivary cortisol.  Clin Chem. 2003;  49 203-204
• 21 Shirtcliff EA, Granger DA, Likos A. Gender differences in the validity of testosterone measured in saliva by immunoassay.  Horm Behav. 2002;  42 62-69
• 22 Tremblay MS, Chu SY, Mureika R. Methodological and statistical considerations for exercise-related hormone evaluations.  Sports Med. 1995;  20 90-108
• 23 Turkes AO, Turkes A, Joyce BG, Riad-Fahmy D. A sensitive enzymeimmunoassay with a fluorimetric end-point for the determination of testosterone in female plasma and saliva.  Steroids. 1980;  35 89-101
• 24 Vining RF, McGinley RA, Maksvytis JJ, Ho KY. Salivary cortisol: a better measure of adrenal cortical function than serum cortisol.  Annals Clin Biochem. 1983;  20 329-335
• 25 Vittek J, L’Hommedieu DG, Gordon GG, Rappaport SC, Southren AL. Direct radioimmunoassay (RIA) of salivary testosterone: correlation with free and total serum testosterone.  Life Sci. 1985;  37 711-716
• 26 Westermann J, Demir A, Herbst V. Determination of cortisol in saliva and serum by a luminescence-enhanced enzyme immunoassay.  Clin Lab. 2004;  50 11-24

Correspondence