Study, 1994
Do women's heart and cardiovascular responses to stress change during the menstrual cycle?
Yes. Women's heart rate responses to stress were consistently stronger than men's during both cycle phases, and some heart responses in women changed between follicular and luteal phases.
What they did
Fifteen men and 11 women with normal menstrual cycles were tested while doing stressful tasks. Researchers measured heart rate, blood pressure, other heart measures, thinking performance, and mood. Women were tested during both the first half (follicular) and second half (luteal) of their cycle.
What they found
Women and men did not differ in blood pressure responses to stress in either cycle phase. However, during both phases, women showed greater heart rate reactivity and tended toward greater changes in other heart measurements compared to men. Women's stroke volume responses were significantly greater in the luteal phase than the follicular phase. Men and women differed in thinking performance and mood during the tasks, but these differences were mostly not affected by the menstrual cycle.
What it means for you
Women's heart systems respond more strongly to stress than men's, particularly in heart rate. Some of these cardiovascular responses vary across the menstrual cycle. This was a controlled study but with a small sample of only healthy women.
15
Men tested
11
Women tested during both cycle phases
About the study
- Original title
- Hemodynamic stress responses in men and women examined as a function of female menstrual cycle phase
- Authors
- Girdler SS, Light KC
- Journal
- International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology
- Year
- 1994
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 11
- What was tested
- Stress testing
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0167-8760(94)90066-3
Topics
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