Publication details
Anabolic/Catabolic Hormone Imbalance but Still Jumping Further? NegativeAssociation of Free Testosterone With Jumping Performance in Elite Handball PlayersFollowing a Preparatory Period
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Citation | |
| Web | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/02701367.2024.2353715?needAccess=true |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2024.2353715©2024TheAuthor(s).PublishedwithlicensebyTaylor&FrancisGroup,LLC.ThisisanOpenAccessarticledistributedunderthetermsoftheCreativeCommonsAttributionLicense(http://creativecommons.org/lice |
| Keywords | Athlete; biomarkers; freetestosterone to cortisol ratio;single leg hop test |
| Description | Purpose: The present study investigated the effects of a 10-week preparatory training period onbiomarkers and jumping performance and associations of changes in biomarkers, load, and jumpingperformance from the beginning (PRE) to the end of the preparatory period (POST) in elite handballplayers. Methods: Seventeen elite handball players competing in the first Slovenian men’s League wererecruited. Training, competition and academic loads were reported weekly, while biomarkers and jump-ing performance were assessed at PRE and POST. Results: At POST, decreased levels of free testosterone(large effect size [ES] = -1.69, p < .001) and free testosterone to cortisol ratio [FTCR] (large ES = -.95, p= .004) were observed; whereas, better performance on the single leg lateral hop test [SLLH] (large ES= .85, p = .007) and single leg triple hop test [SLTH] (large ES = 1.05, p = .002) were observed compared toPRE. Furthermore, changes in FTCR correlated with changes in cortisol (high r = -.751,p = .001), SLLH (moderate r = -.603, p = .022), and SLTH (moderate r = -.643, p = .013), while changes infree testosterone correlated with SLTH (moderate r = -.645, p = .013). Conclusions: High intensitytrainings with a saturated competition schedule can result in disturbed anabolic/catabolic hormoneratio observed through FTCR decrease, which could indicate either an optimal state or early exhaustive-ness. It seems that SLLH and SLTH are more sensitive to changes in biomarkers than a single leg hop test.Sport professionals may use the results for individualized monitoring of an athlete’s health and perfor-mance, specifically, as an aid for adjusting training loads accordingly to prevent performance declinesand potential injury/illness events. |