Exogenous Cortisol Administration; Effects on Risk Taking Behavior, Exercise Performance, and Physiological and Neurophysiological Responses

Abstract

Rationale: Exogenous cortisol is a modulator of behavior related to increased motivated decision making (Putman et al., 2010), where risky choices yield potentially big reward. Making risk based judgments has been shown to be important to athletes in optimizing pacing during endurance events (Renfree et al., 2014; Micklewright et al., 2015).Objectives: Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the effect of 50 mg exogenous cortisol on neurophysiological responses and risk taking behavior in nine healthy men. Further to this, to examine the effect of exogenous cortisol on exercise performance.Methods: Using a double blind counterbalanced design, cyclists completed a placebo (PLA), and a cortisol (COR) trial (50 mg cortisol), with drug ingestion at 0 min. Each trial consisted of a rest period from 0 to 60 min, followed by a risk taking behavior task, a 30 min time trial (TT) with 5 × 30 s sprints at the following time intervals; 5, 11, 17, 23, and 29 min. Salivary cortisol (SaCOR), Electroencephalography (EEG) and Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRs) were measured at 15, 30, 45, and 60 min post-ingestion. Glucose and lactate samples were taken at 0 and 60 min post-ingestion. During exercise, power output (PO), heart rate (HR), EEG, and NIRS were measured. SaCOR was measured 10 min post-exercise.Results: Cortisol increased risk taking behavior from baseline testing. This was in line with significant neurophysiological changes at rest and during exercise. At rest, SaCOR levels were higher (P < 0.01) in COR compared to PLA (29.7 ± 22.7 and 3.27 ± 0.7 nmol/l, respectively). At 60 min alpha slow EEG response was higher in COR than PLA in the PFC (5.5 ± 6.4 vs. −0.02 ± 8.7% change; P < 0.01). During the TT there was no difference in total km, average power or average sprint power, although Peak power (PP) achieved was lower in COR than PLA (465.3 ± 83.4 and 499.8 ± 104.3; P < 0.05) and cerebral oxygenation was lower in COR (P < 0.05).Conclusion: This is the first study to examine the effect of exogenous cortisol on exercise performance. These results are in line with previous research showing altered risk taking behavior following exogenous cortisol, however the altered behavior did not translate into changes in exercise performance.

The Effect of Head-to-Head Competition on Behavioural Thermoregulation, Thermophysiological Strain and Performance During Exercise in the Heat

“…The release of norepinephrine and epinephrine is also consistent with a psychophysiological stress response, which is in keeping with the anticipatory heart-rate rise [ 45 ] in HotH2H, whereas cortisol, which is also released in stressful situations, modulates behaviour related to increased motivated decision making, where high-risk choices yield potentially big rewards [ 46 ]. Exogenous cortisol supplementation increases risk-taking behaviour [ 47 ], which is associated with a higher initial pace [ 22 ]. Although speculative, these responses could account for the faster early pace in HotH2H.…”

Effect of Glucocorticoids on Athletic Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…23,24 One study had a low RoB and investigated both short-term and long-term administration 23 The other study had a high RoB and investigated acute administration. 24…”

“…One study, which had a high RoB, found that POmax was lower in the group that received the acute administration of cortisol compared with placebo (P , 0.05). 24 Short-Term and Long-Term Administration…”

The role of the human hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical system in adaptation to physical exercise

“…Однократное введение АКТГ и глюкокортикоидов за 1-4 часа до начала упражнений не оказывало заметного влияния на физическую работоспособность, которая чаще всего оценивалась по времени отказа от работы при выполнении упражнений до изнеможения при беге или езде на велосипеде. Это было показано в работах с введением АКТГ 1-24 (Baume et al 2008;Soetens et al 1995), КЛ (Robertson et al 2016), гидрокортизона (Petrides et al 1997;Simunkova et al 2016), преднизолона (Arlettaz et al 2006;2008a), дексаметазона (Petrides et al 1994;.…”

“…Распространенное среди спортсменов мнение о положительном влиянии глюкокортикоидов на работоспособность, возможно, связано с изменением восприятия уровня нагрузки. Показано, что АКТГ 1-24 снимает чувство усталости при субмаксимальных нагрузках (Soetens et al 1995), а кортизол увеличивает рисковое поведение (Robertson et al 2016).…”