Measurement of morning saliva cortisol in athletes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate feasibility and reliability of measuring saliva cortisol in athletes.


METHODS
Saliva cortisol was measured in 25 soccer players, and compared with serum cortisol measured with two commercial immunoassays.


RESULTS
A highly significant correlation was observed between saliva and serum cortisol. The percentage of saliva and serum values above the upper limit of the reference range was nearly identical.


CONCLUSIONS
Salivary measurement is a suitable approach for monitoring cortisol in athletes.
Lippi
Giuseppe
G
Sezione di Chimica Clinica, Dipartimento di Scienze Morfologico-Biomediche, Università degli Studi di Verona, Ospedale Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale Scuro, 10 37134-Verona, Italy. ulippi@tin.it
De Vita
Francesco
F
Salvagno
Gian Luca
GL
Gelati
Matteo
M
Montagnana
Martina
M
Guidi
Gian Cesare
GC
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007118:Immunoassay; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
D006854:Hydrocortisone