The aim of this paper was to study red blood cell parameters and levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4) and cortisol, as well as their correlations in young male athletes and non-athletes, depending on their cardiorespiratory endurance. Materials and methods. The study involved 18 athletes (weightlifting, kickboxing) with the ranks ranging from First-Class Sportsman to Candidate for Master of Sport and 38 non-athletes. Hormone concentrations in the blood (cortisol, TSH, FT4) and blood parameters (haemoglobin, red blood cell count (RBC), their mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and haematocrit (НСТ)) were determined. The subjects’ physical endurance was assessed by calculating the cardiorespiratory index (heart rate divided by the respiratory rate). Results. In young men not involved in sports, no statistically significant differences between red blood cell parameters and hormonal status depending on the cardiorespiratory index were observed. At the same time, athletes with low exercise tolerance had statistically significantly lower MCV, MCHC, FT4, and TSH as well as elevated cortisol levels compared to endurance athletes. In young male non-athletes, we established an inverse correlation of TSH with RBC (r = –0.27) and HCT (r = –0.31) as well as of FT4 with RBC (r = –0.35), HCT (r = –0.28) and cardiorespiratory index at rest (r = 0.29). In athletes, cortisol correlated with exercise tolerance (r = 0.74), while FT4 correlated with cardiorespiratory index after exercise (r = 0.69). Thus, a decrease in thyroxine and an increase in cortisol blood levels in athletes correlate with lower cardiorespiratory endurance and exercise tolerance, while in non-athletes, with the activation of the erythropoietic function.