No change in oxytocin level before a human intergroup competition: study among Polish players before rugby and handball matches

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess the changes in urinary oxytocin concentration during the period between five days before, and on the day of match, among rugby and handball players. MethodsThe study used a repeated measures design with the relative oxytocin level as the outcome variable measured at two subsequent points of time, viz., on five days before as well as on the days of matches. Nine male rugby players with a mean age of 27.62 years (SD = 4.21) and 18 male handball players with a mean age of 17.03 years (SD = 0.57) participated. Urinary oxytocin level was measured by ELISA immunoassay as a ratio to the concentration of creatinine [mg/ml] measured through colorimetric detection. Differences in oxytocin level were assessed by ANOVA with repeated measurements. ResultsThe OT/CRE levels significantly differed between the type of player (rugby or handball) but not between times of measurements. Tukeys post-hoc tests revealed that significant differences were only between OT/CRE level in a day of match in rugby players and in 5 days before match in handball players (p<0.05). ConclusionThere was no change in oxytocin levels during the time periods between five days before and on the day of a match, in either of the two kinds of players. The change in oxytocin might be traceable during the match but not before a match and thus perhaps depends on a more subtle context of competition, but not on the assumption of competition.