Sympathoadrenal Responses During Exercise at High Altitude in Women

1515 We have previously documented an enhanced sympathoadrenal response during exercise to high altitude in men. The purpose of this investigation was to determine 1) if women respond in a similar manner as found previously in men, and 2) the extent to which menstrual cycle phase influences this response. Sixteen eumenorrheic women (23.6±1.2 yrs, 56.2±4.3 kgs) were studied at sea level and after 10 days of high altitude exposure (4,300 m) either in their follicular (F, n=11) or luteal (L, n=5) phase. While at sea level, subjects performed two 45 minute submaximal steady-state exercise tests(on separate days) on a bicycle ergometer at intensities which elicited 50 2) was similar to that found previously in men and; 3) the relative exercise intensity is the primary factor responsible for the catecholamine response to exercise.