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Differences in the postexercise threshold for cutaneous active vasodilation between men and women.
Glen P Kenny1, Jane E Murrin, W Shane Journeay
1University of Ottawa, School of Human Kinetics, 125 University, Montpetit Hall, Rm. 367, PO Box 450 Station A, Ottawa, ON, Canada. gkenny@uottawa.ca
Summary
Women exhibit a higher postexercise cutaneous vasodilation threshold than men, indicating sex-based differences in thermoregulation and skin blood flow regulation following exercise. This suggests altered active vasodilation, not adrenergic vasoconstriction, is the key factor.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Postexercise recovery involves complex physiological adjustments, including the regulation of skin blood flow for thermoregulation.
- Understanding sex-based differences in these responses is crucial for optimizing exercise protocols and heat stress management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential differences in postexercise cutaneous vasodilatory responses between men and women.
- To determine if exercise intensity and recovery influence these sex-based differences in skin blood flow.
Main Methods:
- 14 healthy subjects (7 men, 7 women) underwent either resting or cycling exercise at 70% peak oxygen consumption.
- Cutaneous vascular conductance was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry at sites with and without alpha-adrenergic blockade (bretylium tosylate).
- Skin temperature was controlled and then increased to determine the threshold for cutaneous vasodilation postexercise.
Main Results:
- Women demonstrated a significantly higher threshold for cutaneous vasodilation compared to men after exercise (P < 0.05).
- Postexercise, women experienced a greater increase in heart rate and a larger decrease in mean arterial pressure than men (P < 0.05).
- No significant differences in core temperature, heart rate, or mean arterial pressure were observed in the no-exercise condition.
Conclusions:
- Women possess a greater postexercise onset threshold for cutaneous vasodilation than men.
- The observed sex differences in postexercise skin blood flow are primarily attributed to alterations in active vasodilation, rather than changes in adrenergic vasoconstrictor tone.