Gender Specificity In Physiological Responses During, And Following Submaximal Exercise

Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of this investigation was to determine whether gender influenced physiological responses to exercise and/or during passive recovery from that stimulus. METHODS Ten healthy, but untrained men (20.7 ± 0.5 yrs, 178.4 ± 2.3 cm, 79.6 ± 4.8 kg: mean ± SE) and 10 healthy, untrained women (20.3 ± 0.3 yrs, 163.8 ± 2.2 cm, 59.5 ± 2.1 kg) served as subjects. The two groups reported similar levels of habitual exercise and physical activity. After determining peak VO2 with a graded exercise test on an electrically braked cycle ergometer, subjects returned to the laboratory several days later to cycle for 30 min at 60–65% of their peak aerobic power. Heart rate, blood pressure, and rectal temperature were measured before exercise, at the 15th and 30th min of exercise, as well as 5 and 15 min post-exercise. Blood samples were collected at those same intervals and plasma volume shifts were calculated. Metabolic data were collected continuously throughout exercise and recovery. RESULTS Heart rate responses during exercise and recovery were similar (P>0.05) between men and women. Additionally, there were no significant gender differences in temperature responses during or after exercise. Although no gender effect on mean arterial pressure was identified, systolic pressure was higher in men at 15 and 30 min of exercise (P<0.05). This difference contributed to the significantly (P<0.05) greater plasma volume shifts experienced by men while cycling. Relative oxygen uptake (% peak VO2) was not different between men and women either during, or following cycling. In contrast, respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was found to be significantly greater among men than women during exercise. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that, in general, men and women responded similarly to exercise of the same relative intensity, and displayed comparable post-exercise recovery rates. However, in selected physiological parameters gender differences were apparent, most notably in systolic blood pressure, plasma volume shifts, and RER.