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Changes in awakening Cortisol response and midnight salivary Cortisol are sensitive markers of strenuous training-induced fatigue

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of strenuous training on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Exercise tests and saliva collections for analysis of awakening cortisol response (ACR) and midnight cortisol were performed before and after a 7-day period of intensified training in a group of 15 soccer players. Intensified training resulted in a performancedecrement as shown by the pre-post-training changes in maximal values of counter movement jump (CMJ) height (p=0.008). Cortisol assessment during the first 30 min after awakening showed significant increases both before and after the 7-day period and post-training ACR higher than pre-training ACR (p<0.001). Midnight cortisol also significantly increased after training (mean±SD, before: 3.0±0.7 nmol/l vs after: 5.9±3.3 nmol/l; p=0.017). The analysis of individual data showed an important inter-individual variability in the pre-post-training changes: several subjects increased post-awakening peak of cortisol, rate of cortisol increase from awakening to peak, and area under the curve (AUC) values, whereas other subjects showed no training-related increases. Significant correlations were observed between pre-post-training change in CMJ and in the following variables: awakening cortisol (r=0.74), post-awakening peak of cortisol (r=0.81), rate of cortisol increase (r=0.75), and AUC (r=0.79). Briefly, the lower the performance decrease, the higher the training-associated ACR increase. These data could indicate that a dys-regulated adaptation to exercise occurred in athletes who experienced a higher performance decrease after training and lower (or absent) hormonal changes. Future studies are needed to elucidate the physiological determinants which underlie the exercise-elicited changes in ACR and in midnight cortisol levels and their value in predicting impaired adaptations to exercise.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126, Torino, Italy

    M. A. Minetto MD, F. Lanfranco, M. Baldi & E. Ghigo

  2. Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Department of Electronics, Polytechnic of Turin, Italy

    M. A. Minetto MD

  3. School of Motor Sciences, Italy

    A. Tibaudi

  4. Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

    A. Termine

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  1. M. A. Minetto MD
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  2. F. Lanfranco
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  3. A. Tibaudi
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  4. M. Baldi
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  5. A. Termine
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  6. E. Ghigo
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Correspondence to M. A. Minetto MD.

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Minetto, M.A., Lanfranco, F., Tibaudi, A. et al. Changes in awakening Cortisol response and midnight salivary Cortisol are sensitive markers of strenuous training-induced fatigue. J Endocrinol Invest 31, 16–24 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03345561

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