Blood, Sweat, and Cortisol: How Organized Sports Modulate the Hormonal Response to Stress

Exercise is well established as a stress mitigator but it is unknown whether taking part in organized sports modulates this effect. An integral part of the body's stress response is cortisol, a steroid hormone and regulator of stress through the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. Cortisol regulates energy metabolism, raises blood pressure, and prepares the body to handle perceived threats. Frequent physical training has been demonstrated to downregulate cortisol secretion and the HPA axis response to psychological and physiological stressors. However, chronically high cortisol levels can pose health issues such as increasing cardiovascular risk, decreasing immune function and impairing mental health. We hypothesize that athletes may experience different responses to stress compared to physically active non-athletes due to the coaching environment in conjunction with competitive events alongside regimented exercise. To understand the link between exercise, athletic status, and cortisol levels, participants (n = 90) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to elucidate a stress response. Participants took surveys such as the Revised University Student Hassles scale (RUSHs) to gather psychological data. Salivary samples were taken throughout to be analyzed for cortisol using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A combination of psychological and biochemical data will be used to evaluate stress and cortisol levels across athletes, physically active non-athletes and sedentary individuals. These findings potentially hold significance in informing athletic training protocols and mental health strategies while highlighting the importance of exercise as a stress reducer.