LACTATE AND CATECHOLAMINE RESPONSES IN MALE AND FEMALE SPRINTERS DURING A WINGATE TEST

A total of six male and six female sprinters at the same national comp etition level and aged 18-20 years performed a force/velocity test and a 30-s supramaximal exercise test (Wingate test) on 2 different days, separated by a maximal interval of 15 days. The maximal anaerobic pow er (W-max) was determined from the force/velocity test, and the mean a naerobic power (W) from the Wingate test. Immediately after the Wingat e test, a 5-ml venous blood sample was drawn via a heparinized cathete r in an antebrachial vein for subsequent catecholamine (adrenaline and noradrenaline) analysis. After 5 min recovery a few microlitres of ca pillary blood were also taken for an immediate lactate determination. Even expressed per kilogram lean body mass, W-max and W were significa ntly lower in women. The lactate and adrenaline responses induced by t he Wingate test were also less pronounced in this group whereas the no radrenaline levels were not significantly different in men and women. Above all, very different relationships appeared between lactate, adre naline, noradenaline and W according to sex. Thus, as reported by othe r authors, the adrenergic response to a supramaximal exercise seemed t o be lower in women than in men. Nevertheless a different training sta tus between the two groups, even at same national competition level, c ould not be excluded and might contribute, at least in part, to the ge nder differences observed in the present study.