Hormones
Testosterone to cortisol ratio (T:C ratio)
T/C ratio
Included in Baseline and Complete.
Compare membershipsResearchers use this ratio to study training and recovery.
The testosterone to cortisol ratio is calculated from your total testosterone and cortisol results. Sports scientists use it to look at the balance between tissue-building and stress hormones, mostly in research and athlete monitoring.
Interesting to track, with limited clinical evidence.
A falling ratio has been studied as a sign of heavy training or poor recovery. A systematic review found the results inconsistent: the ratio dropped in only some of the overtraining studies reviewed, and it hasn't reliably predicted performance. There are no validated cut-offs.
Both hormones are highest in the morning and respond to stress, illness, and exercise. The ratio is most meaningful when your draws are taken at the same time of day under similar conditions.
This ratio is most useful compared with your own past results.
Questions
Should I change my training based on this ratio?
It's best treated as one data point at most. Research hasn't shown that the ratio reliably predicts performance or overtraining, so how you feel, sleep, and recover matters at least as much. A coach or clinician can help you weigh it alongside your training and other results.
Does this ratio apply to women?
Yes, though women's testosterone is much lower, so their ratios are lower too. The most useful comparison is with your own earlier results, drawn at the same time of day.