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Objectives:Although cortisol (CORT) may suppress testosterone (T) production under stress, in many species males' T and CORT are co‐elevated during mate acquisition or conspecific competition. It is presently unknown how CORT co‐varies with T in relation to fatherhood/relationship status in men. Here we evaluate associations between waking (AM) and pre‐bed (PM) salivary CORT and T, and with plasma total T and luteinizing hormone. We also test whether co‐elevationor co‐downregulation of CORT and T are present in men who are mating‐oriented (non‐pairbonded, non‐fathers) and parenting‐oriented (pairbonded and/or fathers), respectively.Methods:Data come from 630 of young adult Filipino males (21–23 years) enrolled in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a population‐based birth cohort study in Cebu City, Philippines.Results:T and CORT were positively related in AM (r = 0.37) and PM (r = 0.30) saliva samples (both P < 0.001). The positive relationship between AM measures was strengthened as caloric intake improved (interaction P < 0.05). Mating‐oriented men were more likely to have co‐elevated PM CORT and T (P < 0.05), defined as being in the highest tertile for both hormones, while parenting‐oriented men were more likely to have co‐downregulated (lowest tertile for both hormones) AM (P < 0.05) and PM (P < 0.001) CORT and T.Conclusions:CORT and T are positively related upon waking and before bed and are more likely to be co‐elevated in mating‐oriented men and co‐downregulated in parenting‐oriented men. Our findings support the interpretation that CORT and T serve complementary roles in facilitating men's mating effort. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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