Hair cortisol concentration is associated with executive function in female college football players

Chronic stress in athletes can diminish brain functions and mental health which can potentially affect health and sports performance. However, its influences on mental health and executive function remain unknown. This study examined the effects of chronic stress change on mental health and executive function in college female football players by analyzing hair cortisol concentration (HCC) as a chronic stress indicator. Measurements were taken in August and December, just before the Japan college national tournament. The results indicated a positive correlation trend between HCC and self-reported training load, suggesting a potential HCC decrease in athletes with reduced training load before the December competition. A significant negative correlation existed between changes in HCC and spatial Stroop task reaction time, indicating that as HCC decreased, executive function also decreased. These findings suggest that an excessively reduced training load may decrease executive function during fatigue recovery before competitions. This study implies that HCC could serve as a physiological training plan evaluation index.