HORMONAL ANALYSIS IN ELITE BASKETBALL DURING A SEASON

In elite basketball, the high demands of competition and training require a detailed follow-up of the effects on the player's performance and health. Controlling these effects could improve the knowledge about the players' recovery process and allow a better design of their individual workloads. Aims: To describe the behavior of the total testosterone serum levels M, cortisol (C) and T/C ratio. Methodology 8 blood samples were collected during the whole season of an elite basketball team (n=8) of the First Spanish Division (ACB). The samples were taken every 4-6 weeks, at 8:00 AM, after 24-36 hours of post-game recovery. Results: T increases after 4 after 3.5 days of rest (6th vs. 1st, p=0.039; 6th vs. 5th, p=0.041) and decreases significantly, at the end of the season (8th vs. 7th, p=0.003). C does not show significant variation along the season. T/C ratio shows it significant decrease at the end of the season (8th vs. 1st, p=0.021; 8th vs. 7th, p=0.017) and in VarT/C (8th vs. 1st, p=0.005; 8th vs. 7th, p=0.036). Conclusions: Concentration values as well as percentages of variation are useful indicators to describe the studied parameters. T/C ratio and/or T could be used as recovery state indicators and could even induce, in conjunction with other indicators, necessary actions to optimize individual workloads. Future investigations should compare these variations to objective workload parameters and/or other hormonal modulators.