Women can be as resilient as men by undertaking strenuous physical activity

Women who have undergone intense physical training and who have completed a trans-Antarctic expedition have not shown more negative health effects than men, according to a study presented at the Society's annual conference for Endocrinology in Glasgow. The study is the first to suggest that women are not more sensitive to the negative effects of physical exertion and that, with proper training and preparation, they can be as resistant as men when they undertake strenuous physical activity. .

It has been reported that the female reproductive system and stress responses are more sensitive to the negative effects of extreme physical activity. It has been shown that strenuous physical activity can suppress the normal activity of the reproductive hormone in women, impair bone strength and elevate the level of stress hormone in a woman. greater extent than in humans. However, the reasons underlying the reported gender differences in response to extreme endurance exercise remain poorly understood.

Dr. Robert Gifford and colleagues at the University of Edinburgh and the Royal Defense Center examined the effects of extreme physical exercise on hormone levels and the health of six women participating in the first all-female trans-Antarctic expedition. The researchers monitored several markers of their health before and after the success of the expedition. These included stress indicators, levels of reproductive and metabolic hormones, body weight and bone strength. The results indicated not only that the markers of reproductive function and bone strength were preserved, but that some markers showed signs of delayed, exercise-related benefits on their body. fitness two weeks after the expedition.

Dr. Gifford said, "Our findings contain data potentially destructive of myths about the impact of extreme physical activity on women." We have shown that with proper training and preparation, many previously reported negative health effects could be avoided. "

Although the Ice Maiden team is composed of only six women and it was not possible to take into account confounding factors such as age or ethnicity, these results suggest that respect for a complete training schedule could have mitigated the negative health effects. The team now plans to examine in more detail how different types of activities can contribute to negative effects on stress and energy balance caused by physical exertion, which could contribute to the creation of transferable strategies that would prevent them from doing so. in the future.

Dr. Gifford comments, "These findings may be of significant relevance to men and women in arduous or stressful jobs where they are concerned about their health, and if proper training and nutrition are followed, their health could be improved. to be protected. "