Gender Differences between Elite Men and Women Handball Players in Response to Inflammatory Indices following One Session of Moderate Resistance Exercise

Research in Exercise and Sports Medicine

دوره 3، شماره 1، بهمن 2012، صفحه 30-37   

نوع مقاله: Original Article

چکیده

Introduction: Men and women show different responses to exercise stress. Some aspects of gender 
differences in such situations have not been made clear yet. The aim of this study was to compare gender 
differences between elite men and women handball players regarding IL-6, TNF-α, cortisol and sex hormones 
responses to resistance exercise.
Material and Methods: Twenty elite handball players (10 male aged 27.6±1.13, height 183.20± 5.93 cm, 
body mass 87± 3.31 kg and 10 women aged 26.9± 1.04, height 168± 4.07 cm, body mass 63.71± 7.65 kg) were 
selected. Resistance exercise program included six separate attempts as: Bench press, Lat pull down, shoulder 
press, Biceps curl, Knee extension and Knee curl which was done in an alternative method for 3 sets and 10 
repetitions at 60 % 1RM. Blood samples were taken before, immediately and 2 hours after exercise regimen. 
Measurement of IL-6 and TNF- was done with ELISA method. Also cortisol, Testosterone and human 
estrogen hormone measurement was done by immunoradiometric assay. 
Results: Data analysis showed that there were significant differences in post-exercise IL-6 and testosterone 
levels between the two groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were seen in post-exercise TNF-, cortisol 
and esterogen levels when men were compared with women (P>0.05). 
Discussion and Conclusion: Based on the present study results, one session of moderate resistance exercise 
as a hypertrophy stimulus caused changes in both gender cytokine levels in which men showed limited 
inflammatory responses

کلیدواژه‌ها

Resistance exercise؛ IL- 6؛ TNF-؛ Sex Hormone؛ Gender؛ Handball players