The Relationship between Salivary IgA and Cortisol Concentrations and Psychological Overtraining Symptoms in Elite Soccer Players

This study is to investigate the relationship between salivary IgA and cortisol concentration and the data elicited through the administration of French society of sports medicine questionnaire of psychological overtraining symptoms in elite soccer players. Accordingly, from among the Iranian premier league players, 30 participants with the mean and standard deviation of 24.1± 3.79 in years, 180± 7.29 centimeters in height, 75.2 ± 8.09 kg in weight, 22.97 ± 1.21 kg/ square height in meter in body mass index, and 53.26 ± 2.79 milliliter per kilogram body weight per minute in aerobic power were selected voluntarily and purposefully as the sample. In the rest day following the exercise (24 hours with no exercise), the psychological overtraining symptoms questionnaire, including 54 “Yes/No” question items, were administered to the players. On the same day, three specimens of every player’s saliva were taken at certain intervals (8:00 A.M., 11:00 A.M., and 5:00 P.M.). These specimens were used to measure the average concentration of cortisol during the day. In this sampling, IgA concentration was measured from the 11:00 A.M. specimen. Subsequently, the data was analyzed using the descriptive statistical methods and Spearman rank correlation coefficient formula, which suggested a significant, positive relationship between the questionnaire results as the psychological overtraining index and cortisol concentration at 8:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M., respectively (r=0.71; r=0.62; r=0.61; p<.01). However, there proved to remain a significant, negative correlation between the questionnaire results and IgA concentration (r= -0.51; p<.05).The findings of the study suggest that the psychological overtraining symptoms questionnaire can be a positive tool in determining and preventing the overtraining phenomenon.