In a group of 20 elite female handball or volleyball players, an evaluation was made of the response to a 4-month training period of cortisol, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone in the saliva. At the beginning of the training programme (W1) and at the 7th (W7) and 16th weeks (W16), hormone concentrations were measured on awakening (8 a.m.; resting samples), and also before (t0) and at the end (t120) of a 2-h exercise session (simulated match) which took place at 6 p.m. The training programme increased the concentrations of adrenal androgens in the saliva at rest (P < 0.05) for both groups of subjects, with no change being noted in cortisol concentrations. In contrast, amongst the volleyball players, stressful stimuli produced by an increase in the amount of training did not affect adrenocortical metabolism during exercise. Indeed, a simulated volleyball match resulted in a decrease in salivary cortisol (P < 0.05) and androgen concentrations (P < 0.05) without regard for the week chosen for the test investigations. In contrast, a simulated handball match caused an increase in cortisol concentrations at W1 only (P < 0.05), with no change in the adrenal androgens concentration in any week of the training programme. The regulators of these hormones during a period of exercise and during the course of a training programme would seem to be different.