Minahan, Clare and Melnikoff, Marina and Quinn, Karlee and Larsen, Brianna (2017) Response of women using oral contraception to exercise in the heat. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 117. pp. 1383-1391. ISSN 1439-6319
Abstract
Purpose
To compare the response of long-term oral contraceptive users (WomenOC; n = 8) to naturally menstruating women (WomenNM; n = 8) at rest and during exercise in temperate (TEMP; 22 °C) and hot (HEAT; 35 °C) conditions.
Methods
Participants performed a three-stage cycling trial in each condition at 90, 135, and 180% of lactate threshold 1 (total = 52.5 min). Heart rate (HR) and core temperature (T c) were recorded continuously, whereas blood pressure (BP), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), blood lactate [La−], and skin blood flow (BFsk) were recorded every 7.5 min.
Results
Baseline T c was higher in WomenOC (37.5 ± 0.2, 37.6 ± 0.3 °C) than WomenNM (37.2 ± 0.2, 37.0 ± 0.4 °C) before the TEMP (p = 0.03) and HEAT (p < 0.01) trials, respectively. This difference remained for 22.5 min into both trials (p ≤ 0.05), after which time no between-group differences were found (p > 0.05). BFsk measured in WomenNM plateaued from 7.5 min in the HEAT, whereas BFsk measured in WomenOC increased for 15.0 min (p = 0.02) before plateauing. There were no between-group differences in HR, BP, or blood [La−] before or throughout either trial (p > 0.05). WomenOC had higher (p ≤ 0.04) RPE values than WomenNM in the HEAT, reporting 8 ± 1 and 6 ± 2 at the end of Stage 3, respectively.
Conclusions
WomenOC concluded both trials with a comparable T c to WomenNM, but had a prolonged BFsk response and elevated RPE in the HEAT. Changes to BFsk and RPE observed in women using OC may have implications for exercise tolerance in hot conditions.
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| Item Type: | Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C) |
|---|---|
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Health and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2015 -) |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Current - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Health and Wellbeing (1 Jan 2015 -) |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Sep 2020 22:37 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Sep 2020 06:15 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Skin blood flow; Core temperature; Thermoregulation; Perceived exertion; Performance; Ovarian hormones |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1106 Human Movement and Sports Science > 110602 Exercise Physiology 11 Medical and Health Sciences > 1106 Human Movement and Sports Science > 110604 Sports Medicine |
| Socio-Economic Objectives (2008): | C Society > 92 Health > 9205 Specific Population Health (excl. Indigenous Health) > 920507 Women's Health |
| Identification Number or DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3628-7 |
| URI: | http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/39584 |
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