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Oral contraceptives (OCs) do not alter the body's physiological response to strength exercise in women. This finding is significant for female athletes, regardless of OC use, during testing phases with low hormone levels.

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Area of Science:

  • Exercise Physiology
  • Endocrinology
  • Sports Science

Background:

  • Oral contraceptive (OC) use is widespread among women of reproductive age.
  • Understanding the impact of OCs on physiological responses to exercise is crucial for female athletes.
  • Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding hormonal and metabolic changes during exercise in OC users.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the acute effects of strength exercise on steroid hormone concentrations and tryptophan (TRP) metabolites in combined OC users versus naturally cycling women.
  • To determine if OC use influences the physiological adaptations to a single bout of intense strength exercise.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty-one healthy women (8 OC users, 13 naturally cycling) completed an intense strength exercise protocol (4x10 back squats).
  • Blood samples were analyzed for cortisol, estradiol, testosterone, TRP, and kynurenine (KYN) at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and 24 hours post-exercise.
  • Testing was conducted during the pill-free interval for OC users and the follicular phase for naturally cycling women.

Main Results:

  • While baseline differences in cortisol, estradiol, and kynurenine were observed between groups, no significant interactions (group × time) were found for any measured hormone or TRP metabolite.
  • Both groups exhibited similar patterns of change in steroid hormones and TRP metabolites in response to strength exercise.
  • Acute strength exercise did not elicit different physiological responses between combined OC users and naturally cycling women.

Conclusions:

  • Oral contraceptive use does not appear to affect the acute physiological response to strength exercise in young women during specific low-hormone phases.
  • These findings suggest that practitioners can consider female athletes similarly, irrespective of combined OC use, when assessing exercise responses during these phases.
  • Further research may explore responses during different phases of the menstrual cycle or with different types of exercise.