Swansea University, Sports Science, Talbot Building, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK.
J Sports Sci. 2013;31(6):677-83. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2012.747690. Epub 2012 Dec 4.
There is evidence that the digit ratio (2D:4D) is a negative correlate of prenatal levels of testosterone, but there is no association between 2D:4D and the circulating levels of both total and free testosterone. Sports provide a physical challenge and participants often show increased levels of free testosterone immediately preceding and during competition. We tested this hypothesis of a link between 2D:4D and testosterone under challenge in 79 professional rugby players using the following procedures; (i) 25 players were physically challenged using a repeated sprint agility test, and saliva samples were assayed for testosterone immediately preceding the repeated sprint agility test (time 1) and 5 minutes (time 2) and 20 minutes after completion of the repeated sprint ability (time 3); (ii) 54 players were also tested for salivary testosterone in an unchallenged condition. We found that right-left 2D:4D was significantly and negatively related to testosterone concentrations at times 1, 2 and 3 following the repeated sprint agility test (P < 0.05) and there was no association between the 2D:4D and basal testosterone levels in the unchallenged group. We suggest that low right-left 2D:4D is a predictive marker of free testosterone responsiveness when trained men are physically challenged, and that this association is programmed by the action of prenatal testosterone.
有证据表明，手指长度比（2D:4D）与胎儿期睾丸激素水平呈负相关，但 2D:4D 与总睾酮和游离睾酮的循环水平之间没有关联。运动带来身体挑战，参与者在比赛前和比赛期间通常会表现出游离睾酮水平升高。我们在 79 名职业橄榄球运动员中测试了这种 2D:4D 与挑战下睾丸激素之间联系的假设，使用了以下程序；（i）25 名运动员使用重复冲刺敏捷测试进行身体挑战，在重复冲刺敏捷测试前（时间 1）、5 分钟（时间 2）和完成重复冲刺能力后 20 分钟（时间 3），对唾液样本进行睾酮分析；（ii）54 名运动员在未受挑战的情况下也接受了唾液睾酮测试。我们发现，右侧 2D:4D 与重复冲刺敏捷测试后时间 1、2 和 3 的睾酮浓度呈显著负相关（P < 0.05），并且在未受挑战的组中，2D:4D 与基础睾酮水平之间没有关联。我们认为，当训练有素的男性受到身体挑战时，较低的右-左 2D:4D 是游离睾酮反应性的预测标志物，这种关联是由胎儿期睾丸激素的作用编程的。
