Testosterone, Athletic Context, Oral Contraceptive Use, and Competitive Persistence in Women

Objectives The purpose of this study is to provide a descriptive account of salivary testosterone levels in women in relation to being an athlete, sporting level, competitive context, and oral contraceptive (OC) use and, to explore the relationship between testosterone levels and performance in a task of competitive persistence. Methods Saliva samples were collected from teams of women athletes at the recreational, collegiate varsity, and elite-international levels, and a university participant-pool sample of athletes and non-athletes ( N = 253). Among the elite athletes, additional saliva samples were collected before and after on- and off-field training sessions and competition. University participants competed in a timed weight-holding competition in the laboratory. Results Testosterone levels were highest in elite athletes compared to university students ( η 2 = .07) and were elevated in the context of competitive training (+13–51%) and formal competition (69%) contexts. OC users had significantly lower testosterone levels than non-users ( η 2 = .14). For university athletes, testosterone levels were positively correlated with performance in a task of competitive persistence ( R 2 = .23). OC use was associated with lower competitive persistence ( d = .42) – a relationship explained by OC users’ lower testosterone levels relative to non-users ( d = 1.32). Conclusions Results suggest that salivary testosterone levels in women may depend on sport participation and OC use, are malleable to competitive contexts, and among athletes, are positively related to competitive task persistence. Given the testosterone suppressing effects of OC use, this study provides insight on psychophysiological risks of OC use that could be relevant to sport performance.