Salivary and Plasma Testosterone and Cortisol during Moderately Heavy Exercise

摘要

Saliva may provide a useful alternative to blood for measuring steroid hormones. total plasma and salivary concentrations of cortisol and testosterone were compared in samples taken twice at rest and twice during exercise to determine whether physical activity level affects the relationship between the two. Correlations were consistently high (r>.82) for cortisol, but relatively low for testosterone (r<.66). Exercise did not affect either correlation. Salivary cortisol is a reasonable alternative to plasma cortisol even during exercise. The testosterone results were equivocal as salivary testosterone could be highly correlated with free plasma testosterone despite the low correlation to total plasma testosterone. Closer examination of the free/total plasma hormone distinction was not possible in the present study, but should be an important focus for further research on salivary steroids.