The association between androgens and competition in women has been understudied compared with men. The current study examined the link between testosterone (T) and competition in elite female athletes, using a sample of female wrestlers that included athletes competing at both the national and international level. In a repeated-measures design, saliva samples were collected before and after wrestling bouts, with comparable samples of wins and losses, and subsequently analyzed for T. Study results showed a 22% increase in circulating bioavailable T from pre- to postbout, F(1, 12) = 9.71, P = .009. There was no significant difference in T between win or loss outcomes. These findings-showing a link between individual head-to-head competition and T in women-demonstrate that women's androgenic responses to environmental contexts are dynamic and may be an important factor to address in research on competitive performance.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/84050/1/2009_Hamilton_van_Anders_et_al_IJSPP_wrestlers.pd
