Background & Aims: Men and women show different responses to exercise stress. Some aspects of gender differences at such situation have not been clear yet. The aim of this study was the comparison of gender differences between elite men and women handball players in IL-6, TNF-α, cortisol and testesteron responses to resistance exercise.

Materials & Methods: Twenty elite handball players were selected and in form of ten men and ten women participated at this research. 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 alternative method for three sets and 10 repetitions at 60 % 1RM. Blood samples were taken before, immediately and two hours after exercise regimen. Measurement of IL-6 and TNF-α was done with ELISA method. Also cortisol, Testosterone measurement was done by immunoradiometric assay. ANOVA with repeated measured method was used for data analysis.  

Results: Data analysis showed that there were significant differences in post-exercise IL-6 and testosterone levels between two groups (P<0.05). No significant differences were seen in post-exercise TNF-α and cortisol levels when men compared with women (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Based on study results, one session of moderate resistance exercise as a hypertrophy stimulus caused changes in both sexual hormone and cytokine levels in which men show greater androgenal and limited inflammatory responses.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2012: 23(3): 351 ISSN: 1027-3727