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Abstract

Cortisol, a hormone released in stress situations, has a significant impact on athletic performance. High levels associated with physiological and psychological stress can impair performance during competitions. This study analyzes cortisol fluctuations in competitions and their link with sports results. A systematic search for articles between 2019 and 2023 using Pubmed, Web of Science and Scopus resulted in 5,807 articles, reduced to 3 after selection criteria. The results showed that the impact of cortisol differs according to the sports discipline practiced by the athlete in question. In combat sports, cortisol levels have a significant effect on athletes' performance. This is because high levels of cortisol before combat are linked to a low performance by the athlete and a higher risk of defeat in the fight. In contrast, in aerobic sports such as orientation, cortisol levels prior to competition show little variation; however, they experience a remarkable increase after the race. This increase shows the high levels of physiological and cognitive stress associated with cortisol in this context. Although this pattern is not constant, it can influence performance depending directly on the athlete's ability to tolerate stress.