In recent years saliva has become more popular as a biological fluid for the detection of different biomarkers. Sample collection is non-invasive, quick, painless and very convenient. Collecting saliva samples is possible any time, day or night because of the overall convenience and can be accomplished under circumstances where blood collection is difficult or inadvisable.
Advantages Over Blood
- Non-invasive — no needles, no discomfort, no specialist training required
- Unstressed sampling — venepuncture itself causes a stress response that confounds cortisol measurements; saliva avoids this entirely
- Field-ready — samples can be collected at training venues, in competition, or at the bedside
- Flexible timing — multiple samples per session are practical, enabling diurnal profiling
- Stable samples — with the SOMA OFC II buffer, samples remain stable for months at room temperature
What Can We Measure?
The SOMA platform currently measures the following biomarkers from saliva:
- Cortisol — HPA axis activity, chronic stress, catabolic hormone
- Alpha-Amylase (sAA) — sympathetic nervous system activity, acute stress
- Secretory IgA — mucosal immune function, URTI risk
- IgG — systemic immune response
- Testosterone — anabolic hormone, recovery monitoring
Scientific Validation
The biological relationships between salivary biomarkers and their blood counterparts are well established in peer-reviewed literature. SOMA products have been independently validated against laboratory-standard assays, ensuring the data you collect is reliable and meaningful.