Table 4. Core temperature, cortisol, and cytokine concentrations before and after the 3-stage cycling tests in naturally-menstruating women (WomenNM) and women using oral contraception (WomenOC). Values are mean (±standard deviation).
WomenNM
WomenOC
TEMP
HEAT
TEMP
HEAT
Tc (°C)
Baseline
37.1 (.2)
37.0 (.4)
37.5 (.2) †
37.6 (.3) †
Pre
37.0 (.2)
37.0 (.3)
37.4 (.1) †
37.5 (.3) †
Post
38.1 (.3) #§
38.4 (.4) #§*
38.2 (.2) #§
38.5 (.3) #§*
Cortisol (nmol/L)
Baseline
13.62 (7.82)
17.26 (9.08)
16.66 (5.85)
20.59 (8.71)
Pre
7.88 (4.19)
14.09 (11.35)
14.18 (3.47)
17.88 (3.66)
Post
6.57 (4.09) #§
12.76 (10.24) *
11.89 (5.05)
15.11 (5.70)
IL-1β (pg/mL)
Pre
.38 (.33)
.43 (.36)
.29 (.12)
.36 (.15)
Post
.42 (.33)
.42 (.39)
.32 (.12)
.34 (.10)
Post
.39 (.27)
.37 (.38)
.28 (.09)
.31 (.13)
IL-1ra (pg/mL)
Baseline
50.22 (38.81)
48.90 (38.43)
27.12 (13.79)
35.05 (14.75)
Pre
45.22 (37.57)
49.36 (35.94)
32.28 (12.32)
44.43 (28.34)
Post
50.46 (39.03)
54.86 (35.35)
32.11 (9.81)
41.90 (29.69)
IL-6 (pg/mL)
Baseline
5.24 (9.71)
3.33 (7.41)
.95 (.80)
1.44 (1.24)
Pre
4.92 (9.02)
3.07 (6.45)
.77 (.87)
1.45 (1.18)
Post
5.82 (10.17)
3.88 (8.12)
.84 (.83)
1.07 (.83)
IL-8 (pg/mL)
Baseline
4.66 (.89)
9.56 (3.76) *
3.91 (1.40)
10.68 (10.33) *
Pre
4.17 (.73)
8.78 (4.60) *
3.67 (1.41)
7.43 (4.10) *
Post
5.02 (1.02)
5.88 (1.94) #
4.28 (2.30)
5.69 (4.14) #
IL-10 (pg/mL)
Baseline
4.58 (2.60)
4.20 (.62)
4.20 (1.78)
4.91 (2.33)
Pre
4.76 (2.47)
4.36 (1.38)
4.61 (2.26)
5.30 (2.40)
Post
4.98 (2.92)
3.99 (.55)
4.38 (1.96)
4.59 (2.01)
TNF-α (pg/mL)
Baseline
9.28 (11.48)
6.88 (10.28)
4.68 (41.79)
4.31 (1.49)
Pre
9.41 (11.92)
7.55 (8.21)
4.63 (3.03)
4.93 (1.42)
Post
9.42 (10.82)
7.02 (8.48)
3.25 (1.38)
4.12 (.65)
TEMP = 3-stage cycling test performed in temperate conditions; HEAT = 3-stage cycling test performed in hot conditions; Pre = after 1 hr resting in the testing conditions; Post = immediately after completion of the 3-stage cycling test; Tc = core temperature.
† Significantly different from WomenNM at the same time point (p ≤ 0.004).
* Significantly different from the TEMP trial at the same time point (p ≤ 0.004).
# Significantly different from baseline in the same trial (p ≤ 0.024).
§ Significantly different from pre-exercise values in the same trial (p < 0.001).