The effects of acute exercise bouts on hepcidin in women.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of acute exercise on serum hepcidin and iron (sFe) in active women. Changes in interleukin-6 (IL-6), hepcidin, ferritin, and sFe in response to 2 different exercise durations were compared. METHODS: Twelve women age 19-32 yr performed 2 treadmill runs (60 and 120 min) at 65% of VO2max. Blood samples were obtained before, immediately after, and 3, 6, 9, and 24 hr after exercise. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to examine changes in measured variables. Significance was accepted at p < .05. RESULTS: Significant effects for trial were observed for hepcidin (60 min: 1.15 ± 0.48 nmol/L; 120 min: 2.28 ± 1.44 nmol/L) and for time, with hepcidin significantly increased 3 hr postexercise in both trials (60 min: 3 hr - 1.99 ± 2.00 nmol/L; 120 min: 3 hr - 4.60 ± 4.61 nmol/L). Significant main effects for time occurred for sFe, ferritin, and IL-6. sFe was significantly decreased 9 hr postexercise compared with 3 and 24 hr postexercise. IL-6 was significantly increased immediately postexercise. CONCLUSIONS: Both runs resulted in significant increases in hepcidin 3 hr after exercise. Increases in hepcidin were preceded by significant increases in IL-6 immediately postexercise and followed by significant decreases in sFe 9 hr postexercise. It was concluded that endurance exercise increases the production of hepcidin, which affects sFe. The 2-hr exercise bout stimulated greater changes in serum hepcidin than the 1-hr bout.

Cardiovascular drift and Vo2max during cycling and walking in a temperate environment.

INTRODUCTION: Different muscle recruitment patterns during cycling and walking may influence the magnitude of cardiovascular drift (CV drift) during these respective modes of exercise, but whether this also influences the magnitude of reduced maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max) associated with CV drift is unknown.This study tested the hypothesis that cycling results in greater CV drift and a greater decrement in Vo2max than walking in a temperate environment. METHODS: CV drift was measured in nine recreationally active women (ages = 23 +/- 2 yr, Vo2max = 43.0 +/- 5.5 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) between 15 and 45 min of cycling or walking at 60% Vo2max on Separate occasions in 22 degrees C, 44% relative humidity. A graded exercise test to measure Vo2max was performed immediately after the submaximal exercise bout with no cessation of exercise. During separate trials involving each exercise mode, Vo2max was measured after 15 min of submaximal exercise so that changes in Vo2max between 15 and 45 min of exercise could be assessed between the same points in time in which CV drift occurred. RESULTS: Across both conditions, heart rate (HR) increased 5.4% and stroke volume (SV) decreased 11% from 15 to 45 min, but Vo2max was not significantly affected (7% reduction; 2.70 +/- 0.5 L min(-1) vs. 2.52 +/- 0.6 L min(-1)). CONCLUSION: In a temperate environment, a small CV drift corresponds to a small, non-significant decrease in Vo2max, regardless of whether the exercise performed is cycling or walking.