European Journal of Applied Physiology

, Volume 113, Issue 9, pp 2401–2408 | Cite as

No effect of menstrual cycle phase on glucose and glucoregulatory endocrine responses to prolonged exercise

  • Robert R. Kraemer
  • Michelle Francois
  • Nancy Dardis Webb
  • Jennifer R. Worley
  • Sharon N. Rogers
  • Reid L. Norman
  • Urvi Shah
  • V. Daniel Castracane
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Introduction

Prolonged exercise requires increased utilization of blood glucose and adjustment of glucoregulatory hormones. Estrogen can reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis which could affect insulin concentrations. Amylin is co-secreted with insulin and controls influx of glucose into the blood.

Purpose

To determine the effect of menstrual cycle stage on glucose, leptin, and pancreatic hormone responses to prolonged (90 min) exercise.

Methods

Five healthy, eumenorrheic women (24.6 ± 5.1 years; 67.4 ± 1 kg) were monitored for 3 months to determine menstrual cycle length. Subjects completed a preliminary session to determine exercise workloads and, in a fasted condition, completed two randomized 90-min treadmill exercise trials at 60 % VO2max during the early follicular (EFX) and mid-luteal phase (MLX) of their menstrual cycle. Blood samples were analyzed for glucose, insulin, C-peptide, amylin, glucagon, leptin, and cortisol concentrations at rest (−30 and 0 min), during exercise (18, 36, 54, 72, and 90 min) and after 20 min of recovery.

Results

No changes in amylin, leptin, or cortisol occurred for EFX and MLX trials. A significant (p < 0.05) time effect occurred for glucose, insulin, and glucagon with reduced insulin across the exercise trial and increases in glucose and glucagon later in the trial, but there were no differences between the EFX and MLX trials.

Conclusions

Menstrual cycle stage does not affect glucose, insulin, C-peptide, amylin, glucagon, cortisol, and leptin responses to prolonged exercise; however, the exercise reduces insulin and increases glucose and glucagon concentrations. This is the first study to determine acute effects of exercise on amylin and other glucoregulatory hormone responses in women.

Keywords

Female Estrogen Amylin Pancreatic hormones 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the subjects for their participation in the study. The results of the present study do not constitute endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine. This study is dedicated to Michelle Francois (1956–2012); her wonderful contributions to our laboratory will be missed. This work was supported by the Laura Bush Institute for Women’s Health of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Conflict of interest

There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  • Robert R. Kraemer
    • 1
  • Michelle Francois
    • 1
  • Nancy Dardis Webb
    • 1
  • Jennifer R. Worley
    • 1
  • Sharon N. Rogers
    • 1
  • Reid L. Norman
    • 2
  • Urvi Shah
    • 3
  • V. Daniel Castracane
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of Kinesiology and Health StudiesSoutheastern Louisiana UniversityHammondUSA
  2. 2.Department of Pharmacology and NeuroscienceTexas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbockUSA
  3. 3.Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyTexas Tech University Health Sciences Center at the Permian BasinOdessaUSA

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