Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 10, 2025
07:26
Conducting Maximal and Submaximal Endurance Exercise Testing to Measure Physiological and Biological Responses to Acute Exercise in Humans
Published on: October 17, 2018
20.9K
Sex-Specific Autonomic Responses to Acute Resistance Exercise
Stacie M Humm1, Emily K Erb1, Emily C Tagesen1
1Cardiovascular Dynamics Laboratory, Exercise Science/Physiology, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242, USA.
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)
|April 3, 2021
Summary
Acute resistance exercise impacts autonomic modulation similarly in men and women. While resting complexity differs, heart rate variability and entropy measures show comparable changes post-exercise, suggesting similar physiological recovery between sexes.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Function
- Sex Differences in Physiology
Background:
- Acute resistance exercise (RE) can disrupt autonomic balance, potentially increasing arrhythmia risk.
- Limited research exists on sex-specific autonomic responses following acute RE.
- Understanding these sex differences is crucial for exercise prescription and cardiovascular health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-specific autonomic nervous system (ANS) modulation after acute resistance exercise.
- To compare autonomic responses between men and women following a standardized RE protocol.
- To identify potential sex-based differences in cardiovascular autonomic control post-exercise.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-one healthy, resistance-trained young adults (11 men, 10 women) participated.
- Autonomic modulation was assessed at rest and 15 and 30 minutes post-exercise (RE) or control (CON).
- Measures included heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) indices (lnRMSSD, lnTP, lnLF, lnHF), and complexity measures (SampEn, LZEn).
Main Results:
- Men exhibited higher resting sample entropy (SampEn) than women, indicating greater baseline complexity.
- Both sexes showed similar increases in HR and the lnLF/HF ratio post-RE.
- Both sexes experienced comparable decreases in lnRMSSD, lnTP, lnLF, lnHF, and LZEn post-RE compared to rest and CON.
- Sample entropy (SampEn) was attenuated post-RE at 15 minutes but not 30 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Despite higher resting complexity in men, autonomic responses to acute resistance exercise are largely similar between sexes.
- Both men and women exhibit comparable shifts in autonomic balance and complexity following resistance exercise.
- These findings suggest similar physiological recovery patterns in autonomic function between sexes after acute RE.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
3.3K
Exercise significantly impacts cardiovascular response, which is crucial for understanding patient health and designing effective treatment plans.
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
3.3K
01:16Sympathetic Activation
6.0K
The sympathetic division can influence tissues and organs by releasing norepinephrine at peripheral synapses and distributing epinephrine and norepinephrine through the bloodstream. In times of crisis or stress, sympathetic activation occurs, which is regulated by sympathetic centers in the hypothalamus. As a result, sympathetic activation prepares the body for physical exertion, rapid ATP production, and heightened alertness, allowing individuals to respond effectively to challenging or...
6.0K
01:17Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation
9.5K
Sexual stimulation can take various forms, such as physical touch and visual or auditory cues. When this happens, the parasympathetic reflex in the sacral portion of the spinal cord is activated. This reflex stimulates the release of nitric oxide (NO), which then dilates the arterioles in the penis, increasing blood flow to the erectile tissues - the corpora cavernosa and corpus spongiosum.
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
9.5K
01:27Exercise and Muscle Performance
2.0K
Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...
2.0K
01:25The Sympathetic Nervous System
100.5K
Overview
100.5K
01:26Exercise Stress Test
667
Introduction
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes
667