Changes of pituitary, adrenal and gonadal hormones during competition among female soccer players.
OBJECTIVE
This study was intended to investigate various hormones during competition among female athletes.


METHODS
Subjects were elite female soccer players (n=9). Blood samples and profiles of mood states (POMS) were obtained before (Pre), during 3 days of competition (Competition), and after competition (Post-3 days). Serum concentrations were determined for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), cortisol (C), prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).


RESULTS
Levels of C and PRL increased significantly during competition (2nd: P<0.05; 3rd: P<0.01) compared with Pre. Levels of LH increased significantly during competition (3rd day) compared with Pre (P<0.05). Levels of DHEAS changed significantly during competition, whereas levels of T, ACTH, and FSH were unchanged during competition. The fatigue score of POMS increased significantly during competition (2nd day) compared with Pre (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that competitive stress affected hormonal status in female athletes. These findings suggest that hormonal changes reflect physical and mental stress during competition.
Aizawa
K
K
University of Tsukuba Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan.
Nakahori
C
C
Akimoto
T
T
Kimura
F
F
Hayashi
K
K
Kono
I
I
Mesaki
N
N
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood; D005221:Fatigue / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000097:blood; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone