Autonomic modulation and baroreflex sensitivity after acute resistance exercise: responses between sexes

Sex-Specific Autonomic Responses to Acute Resistance Exercise

“…While it has been demonstrated that young, healthy, sedentary women have greater vagal modulation [12] and reduced sympathovagal balance [13,14] at rest compared to men [15] these comparisons in active individuals are severely limited. Kingsley et al (2019) and Teixeira et al (2011) reported no significant differences at rest between sexes when the individuals were resistance-trained, or active, respectively. To our knowledge no studies have evaluated resting measures of autonomic modulation between the sexes using HRC, which again may be a more sensitive measure and may provide further insight into sex-specific autonomic modulation.…”

“…Data on autonomic modulation in response to acute RE between the sexes is very limited. Following a bout of free-weight RE, Kingsley et al (2019) reported no differences between the resistance-trained sexes for vagal modulation or sympathovagal balance measured via HRV up to 30 min. In addition, we are unaware of any studies that have examined HRV and HRC in response to acute weight-machine RE between the sexes.…”

“…Health benefits of resistance exercise (RE) are well-known, and its use is recommended by professional organizations in young, healthy individuals as a means to increase maximal strength and muscle hypertrophy [1]. However, it has been suggested that an acute bout of resistance exercise produces significant reductions in vagal modulation as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) [2][3][4][5] and heart rate complexity (HRC) [2][3][4][5][6]. Heart rate variability refers to the linear variations in the R-R interval [7].…”

“…Medicina 2021, 57, 307 2 of 11 Specifically, an acute bout of RE reduces linear and non-linear measures of vagal modulation as well as increases sympathovagal balance for at least 30 min [3][4][5][6]. Heffernan et al (2006) reported that eight exercises for the whole-body using a mixture of machine and freeweight resistance exercises reduces vagal modulation and increases sympathovagal balance for at least 30 min as measured via HRV in young active men.…”

Gender Differences in Hemodynamic Regulation and Cardiovascular Adaptations to Dynamic Exercise

“…Baroreflex resetting during exercise does not appear to be influenced by sex or by physiological fluctuation in ovarian hormones [ 84 , 85 ], although some investigations reported that women have greater baroreflex-mediated control upon HR in response to hypertension during exercise. This effect was present throughout the menstrual cycle and it appeared to be mediated by a shift of the operating point of the carotid-cardiac function curve, which was located away from the centering point towards the threshold of the full baroreflex function curve [ 86 , 87 ].…”