Response of women using oral contraception to exercise in the heat

Article

Minahan, Clare, Melnikoff, Marina, 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. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3628-7
Article Title

Response of women using oral contraception to exercise in the heat

ERA Journal ID9750
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsMinahan, Clare (Author), Melnikoff, Marina (Author), Quinn, Karlee (Author) and Larsen, Brianna (Author)
Journal TitleEuropean Journal of Applied Physiology
Journal Citation117, pp. 1383-1391
Number of Pages11
Year2017
PublisherSpringer
Place of PublicationGermany
ISSN1439-6319
1439-6327
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3628-7
Web Address (URL)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-017-3628-7
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.

KeywordsSkin blood flow; Core temperature; Thermoregulation; Perceived exertion; Performance; Ovarian hormones
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020420702. Exercise physiology
320225. Sports medicine
Byline AffiliationsGriffith University
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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