Overview
Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) is an enzyme produced by the salivary glands that responds rapidly to sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. Unlike cortisol (which reflects HPA axis activity with a 10–15 min latency), sAA responds almost immediately to acute stress, making it ideal for monitoring acute load and rapid stress responses.
Applications
- Acute stress monitoring in sport and exercise
- Complement to cortisol for full stress profiling
- Immune function monitoring
- Diurnal profiling when time-of-day control is difficult