Basketball hormone monitoring: saliva looks more consistent for cortisol
A systematic review found broadly aligned cortisol patterns in saliva and blood, while testosterone results varied and direct comparisons were missing.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Based on the abstract, saliva sampling captured cortisol responses to basketball matches, but findings were less consistent for testosterone. Because the review found no studies directly comparing the sampling methods in basketball, it cannot establish that saliva and blood tests are interchangeable or that hormone monitoring improves training or recovery.
Study methods differed enough to prevent a pooled analysis, and direct comparisons were absent. The abstract does not report participant totals, sampling schedules or hormone effect sizes.
The hormone matters
The review considered hormone measurements around training, competition and recovery. After matches, cortisol in saliva showed a consistent stress response, while salivary testosterone sometimes differed from blood testosterone, making the hormone being measured central to interpretation.
Practicality and validation
The authors describe saliva collection as practical for field use and call for standardized testosterone sampling protocols. Those practical advantages concern sample collection; the abstract does not test whether monitoring leads to better sporting outcomes.
The original publication
Plasma and salivary measures of testosterone and cortisol levels in basketball players under various games / training conditions, and nutritional strategies: an updated systematic review.
Brini S, Clark CCT, Ouergui I et al.
Front Physiol · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41624013
- Record checked
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