Resting and exercise ventilatory chemosensitivity across the menstrual cycle

2012 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 737-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meaghan J. MacNutt ◽  
Mary Jane De Souza ◽  
Simone E. Tomczak ◽  
Jenna L. Homer ◽  
A. William Sheel
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Recruitment Threshold ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Exercise Ventilation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
End Tidal

We hypothesized that resting and exercise ventilatory chemosensitivity would be augmented in women when estrogen and progesterone levels are highest during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Healthy, young females ( n = 10; age = 23 ± 5 yrs) were assessed across one complete cycle: during early follicular (EF), late follicular (LF), early luteal, and mid-luteal (ML) phases. We measured urinary conjugates of estrogen and progesterone daily. To compare values of ventilatory chemosensitivity and day-to-day variability of measures between sexes, males ( n = 10; age = 26 ± 7 yrs) were assessed on 5 nonconsecutive days during a 1-mo period. Resting ventilation was measured and hypoxic chemosensitivity assessed using an isocapnic hypoxic ventilatory response (iHVR) test. The hypercapnic ventilatory response was assessed using the Read rebreathing protocol and modified rebreathing tests. Participants completed submaximal cycle exercise in normoxia and hypoxia. We observed a significant effect of menstrual-cycle phase on resting minute ventilation, which was elevated in the ML phase relative to the EF and LF phases. Compared with males, resting end-tidal CO2was reduced in females during the EF and ML phases but not in the LF phase. We found that iHVR was unaffected by menstrual-cycle phase and was not different between males and females. The sensitivity to chemical stimuli was unaffected by menstrual-cycle phase, meaning that any hormone-mediated effect is of insufficient magnitude to exceed the inherent variation in these chemosensitivity measures. The ventilatory recruitment threshold for CO2was generally lower in women, which is suggestive of a hormonally related lowering of the ventilatory recruitment threshold. We detected no effect of menstrual-cycle phase on submaximal exercise ventilation and found that the ventilatory response to normoxic and hypoxic exercise was quantitatively similar between males and females. This suggests that feed-forward and feed-back influences during exercise over-ride the effects of naturally occurring changes in sex hormones.

Women at altitude: ventilatory acclimatization at 4,300 m

2001 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 1791-1799 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen R. Muza ◽  
Paul B. Rock ◽  
Charles S. Fulco ◽  
Stacy Zamudio ◽  
Barry Braun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Alveolar Ventilation ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Hypoxic Ventilatory Response ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Response Parameter ◽  
Effective Ventilation ◽  
End Tidal

Women living at low altitudes or acclimatized to high altitudes have greater effective ventilation in the luteal (L) compared with follicular (F) menstrual cycle phase and compared with men. We hypothesized that ventilatory acclimatization to high altitude would occur more quickly and to a greater degree in 1) women in their L compared with women in their F menstrual cycle phase, and 2) in women compared with men. Studies were conducted on 22 eumenorrheic, unacclimatized, sea-level (SL) residents. Indexes of ventilatory acclimatization [resting ventilatory parameters, hypoxic ventilatory response, hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR)] were measured in 14 women in the F phase and in 8 other women in the L phase of their menstrual cycle, both at SL and again during a 12-day residence at 4,300 m. At SL only, ventilatory studies were also completed in both menstrual cycle phases in 12 subjects (i.e., within-subject comparison). In these subjects, SL alveolar ventilation (expressed as end-tidal Pco 2) was greater in the L vs. F phase. Yet the comparison between L- and F-phase groups found similar levels of resting end-tidal Pco 2, hypoxic ventilatory response parameter A, HCVR slope, and HCVR parameter B, both at SL and 4,300 m. Moreover, these indexes of ventilatory acclimatization were not significantly different from those previously measured in men. Thus female lowlanders rapidly ascending to 4,300 m in either the L or F menstrual cycle phase have similar levels of alveolar ventilation and a time course for ventilatory acclimatization that is nearly identical to that reported in male lowlanders.

Effect of menstrual cycle phase on the ventilatory response to rising body temperature during exercise

2012 ◽  
Vol 113 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keiji Hayashi ◽  
Takayo Kawashima ◽  
Yuichi Suzuki
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Body Temperature ◽  
Luteal Phase ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Follicular Phase ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Mean Body Temperature ◽  
Vasodilatory Response

To examine the effect of menstrual cycle on the ventilatory sensitivity to rising body temperature, ten healthy women exercised for ∼60 min on a cycle ergometer at 50% of peak oxygen uptake during the follicular and luteal phases of their cycle. Esophageal temperature, mean skin temperature, mean body temperature, minute ventilation, and tidal volume were all significantly higher at baseline and during exercise in the luteal phase than the follicular phase. On the other hand, end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide was significantly lower during exercise in the luteal phase than the follicular phase. Plotting ventilatory parameters against esophageal temperature revealed there to be no significant menstrual cycle-related differences in the slopes or intercepts of the regression lines, although minute ventilation and tidal volume did significantly differ during exercise with mild hyperthermia. To evaluate the cutaneous vasodilatory response, relative laser-Doppler flowmetry values were plotted against mean body temperature, which revealed that the mean body temperature threshold for cutaneous vasodilation was significantly higher in the luteal phase than the follicular phase, but there were no significant differences in the sensitivity or peak values. These results suggest that the menstrual cycle phase influences the cutaneous vasodilatory response during exercise and the ventilatory response at rest and during exercise with mild hyperthermia, but it does not influence ventilatory responses during exercise with moderate hyperthermia.

Effect of inspiratory resistive loading on control of ventilation during progressive exercise

1987 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. D'Urzo ◽  
K. R. Chapman ◽  
A. S. Rebuck
Keyword(s):  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Work Load ◽  
Cycle Ergometer ◽  
Resistive Load ◽  
Co2 Output ◽  
Exercise Ventilation ◽  
Resistive Loading ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
Arterial O2 Saturation

Eight healthy volunteers performed gradational tests to exhaustion on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, with and without the addition of an inspiratory resistive load. Mean slopes for linear ventilatory responses during loaded and unloaded exercise [change in minute ventilation per change in CO2 output (delta VE/delta VCO2)] measured below the anaerobic threshold were 24.1 +/- 1.3 (SE) = l/l of CO2 and 26.2 +/- 1.0 l/l of CO2, respectively (P greater than 0.10). During loaded exercise, decrements in VE, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, arterial O2 saturation, and increases in end-tidal CO2 tension were observed only when work loads exceeded 65% of the unloaded maximum. There was a significant correlation between the resting ventilatory response to hypercapnia delta VE/delta PCO2 and the ventilatory response to VCO2 during exercise (delta VE/delta VCO2; r = 0.88; P less than 0.05). The maximal inspiratory pressure generated during loading correlated with CO2 sensitivity at rest (r = 0.91; P less than 0.05) and with exercise ventilation (delta VE/delta VCO2; r = 0.83; P less than 0.05). Although resistive loading did not alter O2 uptake (VO2) or heart rate (HR) as a function of work load, maximal VO2, HR, and exercise tolerance were decreased to 90% of control values. We conclude that a modest inspiratory resistive load reduces maximum exercise capacity and that CO2 responsiveness may play a role in the control of breathing during exercise when airway resistance is artificially increased.

Exercise V˙e and physical performance at altitude are not affected by menstrual cycle phase

1999 ◽  
Vol 86 (5) ◽  
pp. 1519-1526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth A. Beidleman ◽  
Paul B. Rock ◽  
Stephen R. Muza ◽  
Charles S. Fulco ◽  
Vincent A. Forte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Exercise Performance ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Submaximal Exercise ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Time To Exhaustion ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Exercise Time ◽  
Midluteal Phase

We hypothesized that progesterone-mediated ventilatory stimulation during the midluteal phase of the menstrual cycle would increase exercise minute ventilation (V˙e; l/min) at sea level (SL) and with acute altitude (AA) exposure but would only increase arterial O2 saturation ([Formula: see text], %) with AA exposure. We further hypothesized that an increased exercise[Formula: see text] with AA exposure would enhance O2 transport and improve both peak O2 uptake (V˙o 2 peak; ml ⋅ kg−1 ⋅ min−1) and submaximal exercise time to exhaustion (Exh; min) in the midluteal phase. Eight female lowlanders [33 ± 3 (mean ± SD) yr, 58 ± 6 kg] completed aV˙o 2 peak and Exh test at 70% of their altitude-specificV˙o 2 peak at SL and with AA exposure to 4,300 m in a hypobaric chamber (446 mmHg) in their early follicular and midluteal phases. Progesterone levels increased ( P < 0.05) ∼20-fold from the early follicular to midluteal phase at SL and AA. PeakV˙e (101 ± 17) and submaximalV˙e (55 ± 9) were not affected by cycle phase or altitude. Submaximal[Formula: see text] did not differ between cycle phases at SL, but it was 3% higher during the midluteal phase with AA exposure. NeitherV˙o 2 peak nor Exh time was affected by cycle phase at SL or AA. We conclude that, despite significantly increased progesterone levels in the midluteal phase, exercise V˙e is not increased at SL or AA. Moreover, neither maximal nor submaximal exercise performance is affected by menstrual cycle phase at SL or AA.

Change in time course of posthyperventilation hyperpnea during menstrual cycle

1988 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 2631-2635 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Takano
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Ventilatory Response ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Inverse Correlation ◽  
Decay Process ◽  
Slow Recovery ◽  
Voluntary Hyperventilation ◽  
End Tidal ◽  
The Brain

Ventilatory response after 1 min of voluntary hyperventilation (HV) was studied in 10 healthy women. Before, during, and after HV, end-tidal PCO2 (PETCO2) was maintained at a given level between resting and 60 Torr. After cessation of HV, hyperpnea was seen in 179 out of a total of 195 runs but in the remaining 16 runs in 3 subjects hypopnea occurred, both ventilatory changes being followed by slow recovery to the pre-HV level. The time constant (tau) of the decay process of post-HV hyperpnea was calculated and compared between the follicular (F) and luteal (L) phases of menstruation. For post-HV hypopnea, tau was assumed to be zero. There was an inverse correlation between tau and PETCO2 during the test, the relation being similar in F and L. With a phase change from F to L, tau value at resting PETCO2 increased from 17.7 to 23.7 s. Resting PETCO2 decreased from 40.8 to 37.7 Torr, and minute ventilation (VE) increased by 10%. The increased tau in L was ascribable to the decrease in resting PETCO2 but not to the increased ventilatory activity during the pre-HV period (corresponding to the resting VE) that was probably produced by ventilatory stimulation with progesterone in L. From these results, it is inferred that the ventilatory influence of progesterone might not be exerted on the brain stem, which has been implicated as a locus of the afterdischarge mechanism.

Menstrual cycle phase and time of day alter reference signal controlling arm blood flow and sweating

1985 ◽  
Vol 249 (2) ◽  
pp. R186-R191 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Stephenson ◽  
M. A. Kolka
Keyword(s):  
Blood Flow ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Water Vapor Pressure ◽  
Reference Signal ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Cutaneous Vasodilation ◽  
Effector Activity ◽  
Exercise Transients

The changes occurring in the esophageal temperature (Tes) thresholds for initiation of heat loss responses as affected by the circadian period and menstrual cycle were studied. Four women exercised at 60% peak Vo2 in 35 degrees C (ambient water vapor pressure 1.73 kPa) for 30 min at 0400 and 1600 during the follicular (F) and luteal (L) phase. Tes, arm sweating rate (msw), and forearm blood flow (FBF) were measured frequently. At rest, Tes averaged 0.3 degrees C higher during L than F at both 0400 and 1600 and approximately 0.4 degrees C higher at 1600 than at 0400 during both phases. During exercise transients, the slopes of the FBF:Tes and the msw:Tes relationships were not different among treatments. The thresholds for initiation of sweating and cutaneous vasodilation were higher at 1600 than 0400 during both phases. Thresholds during F at 0400 averaged 36.44 degrees C for msw and 36.80 degrees C for vasodilation. The thresholds during L at 1600 averaged 37.46 and 37.53 degrees C for sweating and vasodilation, respectively. Our data indicate that the thermoregulatory effector activity during exercise is a function of numerous inputs, and one of these may be hormonal or hormonal-like in action. Controlling time of day and menstrual cycle phase are as important as controlling for aerobic power, age, and fitness in studying female thermoregulatory responses during exercise.

The role of the menstrual cycle phase in pain perception before and after an isometric fatiguing contraction

2009 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie K. Hoeger Bement ◽  
Rebecca L. Rasiarmos ◽  
John M. DiCapo ◽  
Audrey Lewis ◽  
Manda L. Keller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Before And After
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