Two reviewers (MS and AP) conducted a methodological quality assessment on each included article using the modified Downs and Black scale , which is appropriate for nonrandomized control trials (NRCTs) and case–control study designs. The potentially relevant studies were screened for eligibility by two reviewers (MS and AP) by examining the titles, abstracts and full texts. Hormonal measurements methods using blood, urine or saliva samples were included in the present study. Indeed, this could be explained by the inconsistent effect of competition on the mediating variables or by the psychological state of practitioners prior to the competition. This controversy may be due to differences in age, gender, and the nature of the competition. It is known as the regulator hormone of immune function and has a catabolic effect on tissue. Cortisol is also a steroid hormone, secreted by the adrenal cortex via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
This study showed a substantial increase in the blood adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, testosterone, and BDNF levels following combat sports competition, consistent with earlier studies. The karate fighters studied here had the highest levels of hormones related to aggressive behavior; in contrast, earlier data on Polish sportsmen indicated that karate athletes were the least aggressive group compared to boxers, ju-jitsu fighters, and nontraining subjects . The relatively short bout of exercise in combat sports evokes an enormous activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis manifested by a major increase of plasma catecholamine, cortisol, and testosterone levels. Why the noradrenaline and testosterone levels increase significantly less in taekwondo athletes than in the karate group is not obvious.
Underlying mechanisms of observed hormonal changes might be explained by changes in psychological state and alteration at both central and peripheral levels, which will be discussed in the following paragraphs. Coaches should consider holding the friendly competitions in the morning (between 10 a.m. and 12 noon) whenever they seek to decrease the stress response and to have specific training purposes. Typically, the steroid hormone responses to physical stress are influenced by numerous variables, e.g. (a) individual characteristics (i.e., genes, age, gender), (b) physiological (i.e., nutrition, body composition) or pathological (i.e., obesity factors), (c) psychological conditions, and (d) the nature of physical activity performed . For instance, age significantly affected the relationship between T levels and the competition situation.
It should be pointed out, however, that a similar hormonal response to that caused by physical activity is also evoked by stressful stimuli, including emotions. Baseline cortisol and BDNF levels did not differ among the groups and rose significantly in all the groups after the performance. The T-levels of losers dropped not only after the competition but at the start of the following match as well.
We did not observe a decrease in testosterone concentration resulting from dehydration before the official weigh-in (series III) as other authors have (Coswig, Fukuda & Del Vecchio, 2015). Myoblast fusion constitutes a key phase of muscle regeneration after physical effort (Husak & Irschick, 2009). Therefore, further research should focus on accelerating regeneration processes, which can largely contribute to reducing the risk of injury in athletes. However, the changes in cortisol concentration during the analyzed period proved to be statistically insignificant. No description of changes in this hormone during the preparation period was found in the literature, but the concentration measured after the 12-week preparation period was also high (250.86 ± 45.98 ng/ml). However, the results of many studies confirm that acute weight cutting is dangerous and harmful to an athlete’s health (Matthews & Nicholas, 2017).
The greatest increase of the bloodstream levels of noradrenaline concentration in karate could indicate a higher level of aggression in karate. Further studies can lead to practical conclusions regarding the psychological training of combat sport athletes. However, further studies are necessary to draw binding conclusions on the contribution of the emotional load of specific combat sport disciplines to the hormonal response. Another study showed that Polish wrestlers were more aggressive than karate fighters. On the other hand, the increase of the blood cortisol level following competition was similar in all groups analyzed. It seems likely that differences in the increase of noradrenaline level between the groups do not reflect the physical load of the exercise itself but rather the different emotional engagement/aggression levels in the respective disciplines.
This is a strong argument in favor of the discipline grouping used in the present study. The athletes are expected to perform a range of postures/poses and techniques attesting to their skills and versatility. The basic blood BDNF level was similar in all the groups and amounted to 217.1 ± 24.1 pg/ml (K group), 231.4 ± 23.6 pg/ml (T group) and 228.0 ± 31.5 pg/ml (JWS group).
The measurement of psychological and hormonal parameters offers a unique possibility to achieve a more comprehensive evaluation of the stress responses of the individual in competitive situations. In addition, the different variables studied, such as nature of the competition, age, gender, and time of day, in all the studies reviewed allowed this review to provide some basic data that will allow future studies to build on and improve the knowledge in this specific field. For instance, hormone analytical method (e.g., Elecsys assays, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA, radioimmunoassay RIA or multiplex) and intra/inter-assay coefficient of variation were different in all studies.
Therefore, heavyweights might see different effects from body fat reduction compared to their lighter counterparts. These supplements often contain natural ingredients believed to support the body’s testosterone production. This supports the notion that more demanding workouts, involving more sets, reps, and heavier weights, can significantly amplify testosterone release. For athletes, this can translate into decreased performance, slower recovery, and reduced muscle growth.

Gender: Female

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