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Published on: June 8, 2017
Gender differences in temperature and vascular characteristics during exercise recovery.
I Marchand1, D Johnson, D Montgomery
1University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.
Summary
Women exhibit prolonged lower core and skin temperatures post-exercise compared to men, indicating altered thermoregulation. Further research is needed to understand these sex-based differences in exercise recovery.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Thermoregulation
- Sex Differences in Physiology
Background:
- Understanding sex-based differences in physiological responses to exercise is crucial for tailored training and recovery strategies.
- Previous research suggests potential variations in thermoregulation between men and women during and after physical exertion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare temperature and vascular responses during exercise recovery in men and women of similar age and fitness levels.
- To identify potential sex-specific patterns in core body temperature, skin temperature, and forearm blood flow during post-exercise recovery.
Main Methods:
- Participants: Men and women with similar age and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).
- Protocol: 45-minute run at 75% VO2max, followed by 105 minutes of recovery.
- Measurements: Forearm blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography), rectal temperature (Trectal), and forearm skin temperature (Tskin) recorded at regular intervals.
Main Results:
- Women maintained lower rectal temperatures than men throughout the later stages of recovery (60-105 min).
- Forearm skin temperature was lower in women than men during the final 15 minutes of recovery.
- Recovery forearm blood flow was consistently higher in men than women, while forearm heat flux was higher in women.
Conclusions:
- Women exhibit a delayed return of core and skin temperatures to baseline levels post-exercise compared to men.
- Observed differences in forearm blood flow and heat flux suggest distinct vascular and thermoregulatory mechanisms between sexes during recovery.
- Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the underlying physiological mechanisms responsible for these sex-based thermoregulatory differences in post-exercise recovery.
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