Background: Athletes’ skin is exposed to increased microbial challenges due to rigorous physical activity, perspiration, constant “skin-to-skin” contact, frequent showering, use of hygiene products, and environmental factors present in training settings. This study aims to characterize the skin microbiome communities of young wrestlers and kickboxers in comparison with their non-athlete age-peers. Methods: A total of 56 combat sport athletes (30 males and 26 females, mean age ± SD = 18.2 ± 1.5 years) and 25 non-athlete youths (control group: 13 males and 12 females, mean age ± SD = 19.8 ± 1.2 years) voluntarily consented to participate in the study conducted by our research team in 2023 and 2024. The skin microbiome analysis involved standardized sampling, DNA isolation, molecular sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis, thus enabling detailed characterization and comparison of the skin microbial community in contact sports athletes and the control group. Results: Our results revealed notable sexual dimorphism in the skin microbiome composition of youth. Males showed a higher relative abundance of bacterial genera associated with nosocomial infections and respiratory diseases, while females had more skin inflammation- and infection-related genera (relative abundances in males vs. in females: Corynebacterium—12.0 vs. 7.2; Luteimonas—4.4. vs. 1.4; Paracoccus—8.8 vs. 5.0; Psychrobacter—6.3 vs. 4.4; Cutibacterium—6.4 vs. 11.4; Kocuria—1.6 vs. 3.9; Micrococcus—5.8 vs. 8.5; Pseudomonas—1.2 vs. 3.4; Streptococcus 3.3 vs. 6.2). We also found skin microbiome differences between athletes and non-athletes in both sexes: wrestlers, who experience frequent skin-to-skin contact and wear less covering sportswear, had microbiome profiles distinct from both kickboxers and non-athletes (relative abundances in athletes vs. in non-athletes: Psychrobacter—7.3 vs. 0.4; Staphylococcus 9.5 vs. 18.5; predominance of genera by sports type: relative abundance of Cutibacterium and Streptococcus was higher in kickboxers, and relative abundance of Acinetobacter, Enhydrobacter, Micrococcus, and Enhydrobacter was higher in wrestlers). Bacteria linked to skin infections (e.g., Aliterella, Arthrobacter, and Empedobacter) were present in around 30% of wrestlers and kickboxers but were absent in the control group. Conclusions: These results underscore the heightened risk of skin infections in contact sports and highlight the importance of regular microbiome monitoring and hygiene protocols among young athletes.

Purpose: The assessment of endocrine status in elite athletes is typically linked to training load and perceived stress; however, the relationship between hormonal parameters and psychosomatic and stress indicators remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to investigate the associations between endocrine status and stress, mood, and psychosomatic status indicators in elite handball players. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, salivary cortisol (with no strict control over wake-up time), testosterone, and—in female athletes—17-β-estradiol concentrations were assessed in 584 elite handball players aged 14–35 years using ELISA. Psychological variables were evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and the Health Behavior in School-aged Children Symptom Checklist (HBSC-SCL). Associations were examined using non-parametric tests and general linear models adjusted for age. Results: Hormonal and psychological variables demonstrated significant age-related trends. No significant associations were observed between hormonal parameters and perceived stress or mood disturbance (values for the general linear model (GLM) were all p > 0.05). In contrast, psychosomatic symptom severity was significantly associated with cortisol levels in male athletes (GLM, p < 0.001) and testosterone levels in female athletes (GLM, p = 0.009). Multivariate analyses confirmed the relevance of psychosomatic symptoms and indicated interaction effects between stress-related factors. Conclusion: Psychosomatic symptoms were more closely associated with endocrine status than with perceived stress or mood disturbance in elite handball players. However, these associations were characterized by relatively small effect sizes, indicating that psychosomatic symptoms explain only a limited proportion of the variance in hormonal parameters. These findings suggest that psychosomatic indicators may provide a more sensitive reflection of physiological strain and support the use of integrated monitoring approaches combining endocrine and psychosomatic measures in elite sport. In practical terms, routine monitoring of psychosomatic symptoms alongside hormonal measures may help practitioners to identify early signs of physiological strain and support timely adjustments in training load and recovery strategies.