HORMONAL ANALYSIS IN ELITE BASKETBALL DURING A SEASON

espanolActualmente, en el baloncesto profesional, la alta exigencia de la competicion y del entrenamiento requiere de un seguimiento minucioso del efecto que produce en los jugadores. Controlar dicho impacto facilitara el conocimiento de los procesos de recuperacion de los deportistas y permitira un mejor diseno de la dinamica de cargas de forma individual.Objetivo: Describir el comportamiento de los niveles sericos de Testosterona total (T), Cortisol total (C) y Ratio T/C a lo largo de la temporada.Metodologia: Se tomaron 8 muestras de sangre durante una temporada en un equipo profesional de baloncesto (n=8) de la 1a division espanola (ACB). Realizandose cada 4-6 semanas, a las 8:00 AM, tras 24 o 36 horas de recuperacion post-partido.Resultados: La T aumenta despues de un descanso de 3.5 dias (6a vs. 1a, p=0.039; 6a vs. 5a, p=0.041) y al final de temporada disminuye muy significativamente (8a vs. 7a, p=0.003). El C no presenta variaciones significativas a lo largo de la temporada. En la Ratio T/C se observa una disminucion significativa al finalizar la temporada (8a vs. 1a, p=0.021; 8a vs. 7a, p=0.017) y en el VarT/C (8a vs. 1a, p=0.005; 8a vs. 7a, p=0.036). Conclusiones: Tanto los valores de concentracion como los de % de variacion son utiles para describir los parametros estudiados. La ratio T/C y/o la T pueden ser posibles indicadores del estado del jugador e incluso podrian justificar, junto con otros indicadores, intervenciones necesarias para optimizar las cargas de entrenamiento de forma individual. Futuras investigaciones deberan comparar estas variaciones con parametros objetivos de carga de entrenamiento y/u otros moduladores hormonales. EnglishIn 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. Aim: To describe the behavior of the total testosterone serum levels (T), 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 a 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.