title: Relationships between salivary free testosterone and the expression of force and power in elite athletes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined the predictive relationships between the salivary free testosterone (T) concentrations of elite athletes and the expression of force and power.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of elite male rugby players (N.=64) were assessed for peak force (PF), peak rate of force development (PRFD), force at 100 milliseconds (F100 ms) and 250 milliseconds (F250 ms) during an isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and/or peak power (PP) and height during a countermovement jump (CMJ). Saliva samples were collected before testing and assayed for free T. Relationships between individual T concentrations and performance were assessed as a pooled group and 4 sub-groups of equal size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As pooled data sets, none of the IMTP and CMJ performance variables were significantly correlated with free T in either the PF or PP groups (r=0.01-0.23). The PF and PP abilities of the 4 sub-groups were significantly different, so that PF1>PF2>PF3>PF4 (P<0.001) and PP1>PP2>PP3>PP4 (P<0.01). When the 4 sub-groups were analysed, the T concentrations of the PF4 group were significantly (P<0.05-0.01) correlated to PRFD (r=0.69) and F100 ms (r=0.55) during the IMTP, as was F100 ms in the PF1 group (r=0.66). In the PP1 group, free T also correlated to CMJ height (r=0.62).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key conclusion is that the expression of force and power in an elite athletic group may be dependent, to some extent, on individual variation in salivary free T concentrations and existing strength or power levels. The current results also confirm that the grouping of elite athletes of mixed strength or power ability may bias predictive results in a manner not reflective of sub-groups within this population.
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College, London, UK. bcrewthe@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Crewther
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kilduff
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bunce
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bracken
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gaviglio
mesh_terms: D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D005538:Football / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013848:Thigh
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone