|
|
||||||||
Vol. 84, Issue 4, 1151-1157, April 1998
1 Department of Kinesiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309; 2 Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Palo Alto, California 94304; and 3 University of Colorado at Denver, Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, 80262
We have previously demonstrated that acclimatization to high altitude elicits increased sympathetic nerve activity in men. The purpose of this investigation was to determine 1) whether 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 (age, 23.6 ± 1.2 yr; weight, 56.2 ± 4.3 kg) were studied at sea level and during 12 days of high-altitude exposure (4,300 m) in either their follicular (F; n = 11) or luteal (L; n = 5) phase. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected at sea level and during each day at altitude. Catecholamines were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Compared with sea-level values, urinary norepinephrine excretion increased significantly during altitude exposure, peaking on days 4-6. Thereafter, levels remained constant throughout the duration of altitude exposure. The magnitude of this increase was similar between the F (138%) and L (93%) phase. Urinary epinephrine levels were elevated on day 2 of altitude exposure compared with sea-level values for both F and L subjects (93%). Thereafter, urinary epinephrine excretion returned to sea-level values, and no differences were found between F and L subjects. Plasma catecholamine content was consistent with urinary values and supports the concept of an elevation in sympathetic activity over time at altitude. Mean and diastolic blood pressure as well as heart rate adjustments to high altitude correlated significantly with urinary norepinephrine excretion rates. It was concluded that 1) urinary and plasma catecholamine responses to 12 days of high-altitude exposure in women are similar to those previously documented to occur for men; 2) whereas no differences in catecholamine levels were observed between F- and L-phase assignments, for a given urinary norepinephrine excretion rate, blood pressure and heart rates were lower for F vs. L subjects; and 3) several cardiovascular adaptations associated with high-altitude exposure correlated with 24-h urinary norepinephrine excretion rates and thus sympathetic nerve activity.
norepinephrine; epinephrine; urinary; plasma; hypoxia
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
K. E. Barnholt, A. R. Hoffman, P. B. Rock, S. R. Muza, C. S. Fulco, B. Braun, L. Holloway, R. S. Mazzeo, A. Cymerman, and A. L. Friedlander Endocrine responses to acute and chronic high-altitude exposure (4,300 meters): modulating effects of caloric restriction Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, June 1, 2006; 290(6): E1078 - E1088. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. A. Christou, J. M. Jakobi, A. Critchlow, M. Fleshner, and R. M. Enoka The 1- to 2-Hz oscillations in muscle force are exacerbated by stress, especially in older adults J Appl Physiol, July 1, 2004; 97(1): 225 - 235. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. A. Sandoval and K. S. Matt Gender differences in the endocrine and metabolic responses to hypoxic exercise J Appl Physiol, February 1, 2002; 92(2): 504 - 512. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. D. Brutsaert, H. Spielvogel, E. Caceres, M. Araoz, R. T. Chatterton, and V. J. Vitzthum Effect of menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance of high-altitude native women at 3600 m J. Exp. Biol., January 15, 2002; 205(2): 233 - 239. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. T. Reeves, S. Zamudio, T. E. Dahms, I. Asmus, B. Braun, G. E. Butterfield, R. G. McCullough, S. R. Muza, P. B. Rock, and L. G. Moore Erythropoiesis in women during 11 days at 4,300 m is not affected by menstrual cycle phase J Appl Physiol, December 1, 2001; 91(6): 2579 - 2586. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Zamudio, M. Douglas, R. S. Mazzeo, E. E. Wolfel, D. A. Young, P. B. Rock, B. Braun, S. R. Muza, G. E. Butterfield, and L. G. Moore Women at altitude: forearm hemodynamics during acclimatization to 4,300 m with alpha 1-adrenergic blockade Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2001; 281(6): H2636 - H2644. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. S. Mazzeo, D. Donovan, M. Fleshner, G. E. Butterfield, S. Zamudio, E. E. Wolfel, and L. G. Moore Interleukin-6 response to exercise and high-altitude exposure: influence of alpha -adrenergic blockade J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2001; 91(5): 2143 - 2149. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Braun, P. B. Rock, S. Zamudio, G. E. Wolfel, R. S. Mazzeo, S. R. Muza, C. S. Fulco, L. G. Moore, and G. E. Butterfield Women at altitude: short-term exposure to hypoxia and/or {alpha}1-adrenergic blockade reduces insulin sensitivity J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2001; 91(2): 623 - 631. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. S. Mazzeo, J. D. Carroll, Gail. E. Butterfield, B. Braun, P. B. Rock, E. E. Wolfel, S. Zamudio, and L. G. Moore Catecholamine responses to {alpha}-adrenergic blockade during exercise in women acutely exposed to altitude J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2001; 90(1): 121 - 126. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Braun, J. T. Mawson, S. R. Muza, S. B. Dominick, G. A. Brooks, M. A. Horning, P. B. Rock, L. G. Moore, R. S. Mazzeo, S. C. Ezeji-Okoye, et al. Women at altitude: carbohydrate utilization during exercise at 4,300 m J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2000; 88(1): 246 - 256. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. T. Mawson, B. Braun, P. B. Rock, L. G. Moore, R. Mazzeo, and G. E. Butterfield Women at altitude: energy requirement at 4,300 m J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2000; 88(1): 272 - 281. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
I.-L. Kanstrup, T. D. Poulsen, J. M. Hansen, L. J. Andersen, M. H. Bestle, N. J. Christensen, and N. V. Olsen Blood pressure and plasma catecholamines in acute and prolonged hypoxia: effects of local hypothermia J Appl Physiol, December 1, 1999; 87(6): 2053 - 2058. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Clar, K. L. Dorrington, and P. A. Robbins Ventilatory effects of 8 h of isocapnic hypoxia with and without beta -blockade in humans J Appl Physiol, June 1, 1999; 86(6): 1897 - 1904. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
B. Braun, G. E. Butterfield, S. B. Dominick, S. Zamudio, R. G. McCullough, P. B. Rock, and L. G. Moore Women at altitude: changes in carbohydrate metabolism at 4,300-m elevation and across the menstrual cycle J Appl Physiol, November 1, 1998; 85(5): 1966 - 1973. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
| Visit Other APS Journals Online |