The effect of training variations on the 24 h urinary cortisol/cortisone (C/Cn) ratio and the epinephrine/norepinephrine (E/NE) ratio in relation with mood (evaluated using the Brunel Mood Scale: BRUMS) and performance was investigated in seven trained young female tennis players (12.8 ± 1.7 years). Like the proposed model in adults, the monitoring of hormonal and mood parameters could be a useful index in training follow-up in young sportswomen. Assessment of nutritional intake, nitrogen excretion rate and nitrogen balance were also determined to measure the dietary practice of these athletes. Nitrogen balance was calculated from the mean daily protein intake and the urinary nitrogen excretion. Data were collected after a 1-month rest (September, T1), 3 months after T1 (after technical and endurance training: December, T2) and 7 months after T1 (after 4 months of increasing-volume/high-intensity training: March, T3). A significant increase in C/Cn ratio (+ 30 %, p < 0.05) were noted from T1 to T3. In the same time, urinary NE concentrations decreased significantly. The E/NE ratio increased from T1 to T2 and decreased at T3 (T1 vs. T3: - 30 %, p < 0.05). The BRUMS inventory at T3 reflected changes in specific mood states with a significant increase in fatigue and anger scores, while vigor scores decreased significantly compared to T1. This period also corresponded with the lowest percentage of matches won and with the highest training load. Energy intake was about 16 % lower than the French recommendations for girls of the same age. However, a positive nitrogen balance was observed from a mean intake of 1.0 g · kg-1 · day-1. Our results reveal that an increase of overnight urinary C/Cn ratio and a decrease of E/NE ratio are concomitant with alterations in mood state and performance, all these parameters being associated with physical and psychological stress.
Key words
Hormone - adolescent female - mood - training - tennis
References
1
Adlercreutz H, Härkönen M, Kuoppasalmi K, Näveri H, Huhtaniemi I, Tikkanen H, Remes K, Dessypris A, Karvonen J.
Effect of training on plasma anabolic and catabolic steroid hormones and their response during physical exercise.
Int J Sports Med.
1986;
7
27-28
2
Atlaoui D, Duclos M, Gouarne C, Lacoste L, Barale F, Chatard J C.
The 24 h urinary cortisol/cortisone ratio for monitoring training in elite training in elite swimmers.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
2004;
36
218-224
3
Atlaoui D, Duclos M, Gouarne C, Lacoste L, Barale F, Chatard J C.
The 24 h urinary catecholamine excretion, training and performance in elite swimmers.
Int J Sports Med.
2005;
4
Baron R R, Petschning N, Bachl G, Raberger G, Smekal G, Kastner P.
Catecholamine excretion and heart rate as factors of psychophysical stress in table tennis.
Int J Sports Med.
1992;
13
501-505
6
Boisseau N, Le Creff C, Loyens M, Poortmans J R.
Protein intake and nitrogen balance in male nonactive adolescents and soccer players.
Eur J Appl Physiol.
2002;
88
288-293
7
Bright G M.
Corticosteroid-binding globulin influences kinetic parameters of plasma cortisol transport and clearance.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
1995;
80
770-775
9 Chatard J C, Duclos M. Le suivi hormonal des sportifs. Lutter Contre le Dopage en Gérant la Récupération Physique. St. Etienne; Publications de l'Université de Saint Etienne 2003: 129-135
11
Duclos M, Corcuff J B, Arsac L, Moreau-Gaudry F, Rashedi M, Roger P, Tabarin A, Manier G.
Corticotroph axis sensitivity after exercise in endurance-trained athletes.
Clin Endocrinol.
1998;
48
493-501
12
Duclos M, Gouarne C, Bonnemaison D.
Acute and chronic effects of exercise on tissue sensitivity to glucocorticoids.
J Appl Physiol.
2003;
94
869-875
15
Filaire E, Duché P, Lac G.
Dehydroepiandrosterone/Cortisol ratio: is this index in females a possible equivalent of the free testosterone/cortisol ratio (FT/C) in males?.
J Sports Med Phys Fitness.
1998;
38
85-89
16
Gouarne C, Groussard C, Gratas-Delamarche A, Delamarche P, Duclos M.
Overnight urinary cortisol and cortisone add new insights into adaptation to training.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
2005;
37
1157-1167
17
Grasso G, Lodi L, Lupo C, Muscettola M.
Glucocorticoid receptors in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in relation to age and to sport activity.
Life Sci.
1997;
61
301-308
18
Grimble G K, Acuti A BC, Rees R G, Hunjan M K, Webster J D, Frost P G, Silk D B.
Assessment of an automated chemiluminescence nitrogen analyzer for routine use in clinical nutition.
J Parenter Enter Nutr.
1988;
12
100-106
19
Hansen A M, Garde A H, Skovgaard L T, Christensen J M.
Seasonal and biological variation of urinary epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol in healthy women.
Clin Chim Acta.
2001;
309
25-35
20
Hay M, Mormede P.
Improved determination of urinary cortisol and cortisone, or corticosterone and 11-dehydrocorticosterone by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance dtection.
J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl.
1997;
702
33-39
21
Hay M, Mormede P.
Determination of catecholamines and methoxycatecholamines excretion patterns in pig and rat urine by ion-exchange liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.
J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl.
1997;
703
15-23
23
Hooper S L, Mackinnon L T, Howard A.
Physiological and psychometric variables for monitoring recovery during tapering for major competition.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
1999;
31
1205-1210
24
Knöpfli B, Calvert R, Bar-Or O, Villiger B, Von Duvillard S P.
Competition performance and basal nocturnal catecholamine excretion in cross-country skiers.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
2001;
7
1228-1232
25
Kraemer R R, Acevedo E O, Synovitz L B, Hebert E P, Gimpel T, Castracane V D.
Leptin and steroid hormone responses to exercise in adolescent female runners over a 7-week season.
Eur J Appl Physiol.
2001;
86
85-91
26
Lehmann M, Jakob E, Roscher E, Tusch R, Keul J.
Ski-flying: related catecholamine excretion compared with cross-country skiing.
Int J Sports Med.
1988;
9
438-442
27
Lehmann M, Schnee W, Stockhausen M, Bachl N.
Decreased nocturnal catecholamine excretion: parameter for an overtraining syndrome in athletes.
Int J Sport Med.
1992;
13
236-242
30
Morgan W P, O'Connor P J, Sparling P B, Pate R R.
Psychological characterization of the elite female distance runner.
Int J Sports Med.
1987;
8
124-131
31
Quinkler M, Oelkers W, Diederich S.
Clinical implications of glucocorticoid metabolism by 11 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in target tissues.
Eur J Endocrinol.
2001;
144
87-97
33
Seckl J R, Walker B R.
Minireview: 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1-a tissue-specific amplifier of glucocorticoid action.
Endocrinol.
2001;
142
1371-1376
34
Slaughter M H, Lohmann T G, Boileau R A, Horsevill C A, Stillman R J, van Loan M D, Bemben D A.
Skinfold equations for estimations of body fatness in children and youth.
Hum Biol.
1988;
60
709-734
35
Therminarias A, Dansou P, Chirpaz-Oddou M F, Quirion A.
Effects of age on heart rate response during a strenuous match of tennis.
J Sports Med Phys Fitness.
1990;
30
389-396
36
Terry P, Coakley L, Karageorghis C.
Effects of intervention upon precompetition state anxiety in elite junior tennis players: the relevance of the matching hypothesis.
Percept Mot Skills.
1995;
81
287-296
39
Urhausen A, Gabriel H H, Kindermann W.
Impaired pituitary hormonal response to exhaustive exercise in overtrained athletes.
Med Sci Sport Exerc.
1998;
30
407-414
43
Walker B R, Best R, Noon J P, Watt G CM, Webb D J.
Seasonal variation in glucocorticoid activity in healthy men.
J Clinical Endocrinol Metabolism.
1997;
82
4015-4019
44
Weimann E, Witzel C, Schwidergall S, Böhles H J.
Peripubertal perturbations in elite gymnasts caused by sport specific training regimes and inadequate nutrition intake.
Int J Sports Med.
1999;
21
210-215
