Hormonal contraceptive use diminishes salivary cortisol response to psychosocial stress and naltrexone in healthy women

Abstract

The use of hormonal contraception (HC) may affect salivary cortisol levels at rest and in response to a pharmacological or stress challenge. Therefore, the current study used a secondary data analysis to investigate the effect of HC on salivary cortisol levels in response to the mu-opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone and a psychosocial stressor, and also across the diurnal curve. Two hundred and nine women (n = 72 using hormonal contraception; HC+) completed a two-session stress response study that consisted of a stress day, in which they were exposed to public speaking and mental arithmetic, and a rest day, in which unstimulated cortisol levels were measured to assess the diurnal rhythm. A subset of seventy women (n = 24 HC+) also completed a second study in which they were administered oral naltrexone (50 mg) or placebo in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind fashion. Women who were HC+ had a significantly reduced salivary cortisol response to both the psychosocial stressor (p < 0.001) and naltrexone (p < 0.05) compared to HC− women. Additionally, HC+ women had a significantly altered morning diurnal cortisol rhythm (p < 0.01), with a delayed peak and higher overall levels. The results of the current study confirm that HC attenuates salivary cortisol response to a psychosocial stressor and mu-opioid receptor antagonism, and also alters the morning diurnal cortisol curve.

Noise Exposure Effects on Blood Glucose, Cortisol and Weight Changes in the Male Mice

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Cortisol Stress Response in Men and Women Modulated Differentially by the Mu-Opioid Receptor Gene Polymorphism OPRM1 A118G

“…Women show variations in cortisol stress reactivity as a function of the menstrual cycle (Kudielka et al, 2009) and use of hormonal contraceptives (Kirschbaum et al, 1999;Roche et al, 2013). Similarly, cortisol response to naltrexone is larger during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle relative to the follicular phase (Roche and King, 2015).…”

Effects of oral contraceptive use on the salivary testosterone and cortisol responses to training sessions and competitions in elite women athletes

“…Such a finding could be due to a concomitant rise in cortisol-binding 366 globulin (CBG) levels in blood [9,43], leading to more bound C (but 367 lower free C) when the HPA axis is activated during stress in OC users 368 [38]. Moreover, an increase in CBG levels could potentially decrease 369 free C availability through a negative feedback mechanism involving 370 the glucocorticoid receptors [38].…”

“…Moreover, an increase in CBG levels could potentially decrease 369 free C availability through a negative feedback mechanism involving 370 the glucocorticoid receptors [38].…”