The influence of light and heavy training weeks on the cortisol and testosterone awakening responses of elite male judokas: is skeletal muscle damage a mediating factor?

In sport, the awakening responses of cortisol (CAR) and testosterone (TAR) have been used as evaluative tools. Research findings are, however, inconsistent and the mechanisms involved are unclear. This study investigated the CAR and TAR in male athletes across light and heavy training weeks, focusing on skeletal muscle damage as a mediating factor.

The acute effect of respiratory muscle training on cortisol, testosterone, and testosterone-to-cortisol ratio in well-trained triathletes - exploratory study.

The study investigated acute changes in cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) associated with a popular RMT method, voluntary isocapnic hyperpnoea (VIH), in well-trained triathletes. 19 athletes (7 females, 12 males) performed a VIH training session with pre- and post- serum C and T measurements. Repeated measures ANOVA was employed to analyze hormone changes during VIH, with additional time-sex interaction.

Brain Punch: K-1 Fights Affect Brain Wave Activity in Professional Kickboxers.

Background: Kickboxing is a popular striking combat sport, and K-1 is a type of kickboxing. Direct head blows can cause significant long-term injury and affect brain wave activity.

Objectives: We aim to compare the changes in brain wave activities of fighters during a K-1 kickboxing contest to those in a control group, who were striking a punching bag and were not hit by another K-1 athlete.

The effect of physical exercise during competitions and in simulated conditions on hormonal-neurophysiological relationships in kickboxers.

K1-format kickboxing is a widely followed combat sport that requires intense physical exercise. However, research into the body's response to this type of combat is sparse. This study aims to assess the alterations in hormone levels and brain activity in elite kickboxers following an actual K1 bout and compare these changes with those observed in a control group engaged in a simulated fight exercise with a punchbag.

The phenomenon of anticipation in fencing. An applicability approach.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to determine the structure of muscular activity and ground reaction forces during the preparatory period and the execution of a fencing lunge at the opponent's torso. The analysis focused on the correlations between three phases of a fencing technical action in the context of factors of temporal anticipation.

Methods: Six female épée fencers from the Polish National Fencing Team participated in the study.

Associations between the Big Five personality traits, testosterone, and cortisol in adolescent male athletes.

Testosterone (T) has been conceptualized as a biomarker of individual differences, yet T associations with the Big Five personality traits are inconsistent. Athletes provide a suitable model for evaluation here, as T co-expresses traits related to male-to-male competition and fitness with cortisol (C) playing a moderating role. This study investigated associations between the Big Five traits, T, and C in adolescent male athletes.

Disentangling the dynamic interplay between muscle damage and energetics in male boxers during a short training block.

Boxing is a combat sport linked to muscle damage (e.g., soreness, rising creatine kinase [CK]) and energetic biomarkers (e.

Effect of High-Intensity Strength and Endurance Training in the Form of Small Circuits on Changes in Lipid Levels in Men Aged 35-40 Years.

Background: Blood lipid profiles consist of total cholesterol (TC) and its fractions, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL), and triglycerides (TG). For several decades, studies have examined the effects of various factors on lipid status and its association with the risk of developing arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. The beneficial effects of increased physical activity on cardiovascular health have been demonstrated by appropriate modulation of lipid profiles.

Stress Responses to One-Day Athletic Tournament in Sport Coaches: A Pilot Study.

Background: Watching athletic tournaments induces emotional and physiological responses in sports fans and coaches. The aim of the study was to investigate hormonal and cardiovascular responses in judo coaches observing the fights of their athletes during one-day, high-level tournaments.

Material And Methods: We studied the biological responses of a group of seventeen judo club coaches between the ages of 39 and 57 years to a one-day judo tournament attended by the adult male and/or female athletes that they coached.

Acid-Base Balance, Blood Gases Saturation, and Technical Tactical Skills in Kickboxing Bouts According to K1 Rules.

Background: Acid-base balance (ABB) is a major component of homeostasis, which is determined by the efficient functioning of many organs, including the lungs, kidneys, and liver, and the proper water and electrolyte exchange between these components. The efforts made during competitions by combat sports athletes such as kickboxers require a very good anaerobic capacity, which, as research has shown, can be improved by administering sodium bicarbonate. Combat sports are also characterized by an open task structure, which means that cognitive and executive functions must be maintained at an appropriate level during a fight.

Evaluation of the Body Composition and Selected Physiological Variables of the Skin Surface Depending on Technical and Tactical Skills of Kickboxing Athletes in K1 Style.

Background: Kickboxing is a combat sport with high demands on fitness and coordination skills. Scientific research shows that kickboxing fights induce substantial physiological stress. Therefore, it is important to determine the body composition of athletes before competitions and to analyze the skin temperature and skin pH during the fight.

The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Periods on Morning Serum Testosterone and Cortisol Levels and Physical Fitness in Men Aged 35-40 Years.

Background: Intensive physical activity largely modulates resting concentrations of blood cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) and their molar ratio, which is defined as the anabolic-catabolic index and expressed as T/C × 10. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of the author's high-intensity training program on T, C, T/C × 10, and selected physical fitness indices in men between 35 and 40 years of age.

Methods: The experiment was conducted on a group of 30 healthy men, divided into control and experimental groups.

The Impact of Reduced Training Activity of Elite Kickboxers on Physical Fitness, Body Build, and Performance during Competitions.

Kickboxing is a combat sport where athletes require constant supervision of a coach. The outbreak of the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a crisis in many sectors, including sport. Global efforts to limit the spread of the pathogen resulted in temporary lockdowns that limited sporting activity, thus deteriorating athletes' physical fitness.

Individual variation in the cortisol response to a simulated Olympic weightlifting competition is related to changes in future competitive performance.

The cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) responses to experimental stress have been linked to sport and health outcomes several days to years later. Here we examined the utility of these biomarkers, taken across a simulated Olympic weightlifting (OWL) competition, as predictors of future competitive performance in young athletes. Seventy junior athletes (46 males, 24 females) participated in a talent identification and development programme that replicated an OWL competition.

Serum cortisol as a moderator of the relationship between serum testosterone and Olympic weightlifting performance in real and simulated competitions.

Some equivocality exists regarding the effect of testosterone (T) on competitive performance with cortisol (C) implicated as a moderating factor. This study investigated whether C is moderating the T relationship with Olympic weightlifting (OWL) performance during real and simulated competitions. We monitored 105 male athletes (age 19.

Association between vitamin D status and testosterone and cortisol in ice hockey players.

The identification of the vitamin D receptor in tissues related to testosterone and cortisol production, in conjunction with the observed correlations between vitamin D levels and these hormones in the general population, suggest vitamin D may influence testosterone and cortisol concentrations in athletes. A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate the association between 25(OH)D and testosterone and cortisol concentrations in young male ice hockey players ( = 50). All athletes were recruited during October from the Sosnowiec area, Poland (50° N).

Short-Term d-Aspartic Acid Supplementation Does Not Affect Serum Biomarkers Associated With the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Male Climbers.

D-aspartic acid (DAA) is promoted as a testosterone (T) enhancing supplement by mechanisms involving the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Here, we investigated the short-term effects of DAA on serum biomarkers of the HPG-axis in male climbers. Using a single-blinded, placebo-controlled design, 16 climbers were randomly assigned to either a DAA (3 g/day) or placebo (3 g/day) supplement for 2 weeks.

The analysis and assessment of the effect of selected endo- and exogenous substances on prevention and treatment of selected conditions and injuries within the musculoskeletal system.

The aim of the presented report, prepared based on the results of the newest studies available in the reference sources, is the analysis and assessment of the important endo- and exogenous substances, whose role and significance in prevention and complex treatment of civilization-related diseases (including the pathological conditions and injuries of the musculoskeletal system) can be essential and significantly contribute to the improvement of the efficacy of the accepted treatment approach. Three substances, namely a-lipoic acid, y-linolenic acid and a-linoleic acid were subject to a detailed analysis and assessment.

The utility of salivary testosterone and cortisol concentration measures for assessing the stress responses of junior athletes during a sporting competition.

Background: This study examined the utility of salivary testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) concentration measures for assessing the acute stress responses of junior athletes during a sporting competition.

Methods: Paired capillary blood and saliva samples were taken from 71 junior athletes (45 males, 26 females) before and after a simulated Olympic weightlifting competition. The concentration measures of salivary T and C were referenced against blood total T (TT) and C (TC) concentrations.

The Concept of "Chair Massage" in the Workplace as Prevention of Musculoskeletal Overload and Pain.

Background: Accumulation of musculoskeletal overload experienced daily over a long period, for months or even years may lead to serious health problems. Simple, quick and easy-to-administer prophylactic and therapeutic interventions not involving complicated medical procedures can bring tangible benefits for sufferers. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and effects of a massage programme performed during breaks at work among persons exposed to long-term overload of the spinal column and areas around the spine.

The Effect of Steroid Hormones on the Physical Performance of Boys and Girls During an Olympic Weightlifting Competition.

Purpose: To examine the steroid hormone effect on the physical performance of young athletes during an Olympic weightlifting competition.

Methods: 26 boys and 26 girls were monitored across 2 weightlifting competitions. Pre- and post-competition testosterone (T), cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-s) were measured in blood, with pre-event free T (FT) and the free androgen index (FAI) calculated.

Relationships between personality traits, resting serum hormones and visuomotor ability in male judokas.

Introduction: The purpose of this research was to study the relationships between selected personality features, the speed and accuracy of visumotor ability and hormonal status in the blood of male judokas.

Materials And Method: Forty-five male judokas whose body mass ranged from 66-100 kg were included in the study. Each one was examined once during a single annual competitive season lasting from March-October.

Insights into Supplements with Tribulus Terrestris used by Athletes.

Herbal and nutritional supplements are more and more popular in the western population. One of them is an extract of an exotic plant, named Tribulus terrestris (TT). TT is a component of several supplements that are available over-the-counter and widely recommended, generally as enhancers of human vitality.

Changes in the free (unbound) fraction of testosterone in serum in vitro as affected by pH and temperature.

Concomitant effects of temperature and pH on changes in the magnitude of the free, unbound fraction of testosterone in human serum were studied. Free fraction was determined by equilibrium dialysis of undiluted serum against buffer in microchambers at temperatures ranging from 36 to 39 degrees C and pH ranging from 6.9 to 7.

Effect of acceleration stress on salivary cortisol and plasma cortisol and testosterone levels in cadet pilots.

The effects of acceleration (Gz) on changes in the levels of cortisol in saliva and of cortisol and testosterone in serum have been studied in 48 cadet pilots exposed to a linear acceleration gradient (0.2 G/s) until a loss of coordination when the mean G value was found to be 5.94 +/- 0.