Iranian Journal of

Background: The purpose of this study was the investigation effect of gender on plasma glucose, insulin and insulin resistance index in response to acute endurance activity and subsequent recovery periods in healthy individuals.

Methods: Eight females and seven males 20-30 years old (females 22.37±1.50 and men 23.42±1.27 years old, female weight 55.50±8.14 men and 79.85±15.16 kg, women height 160.12 ± 4.18 men and 179.71±6.57 cm) voluntarily participated in this study. Subjects performed two control activities during two consecutive weeks. The implementation of the sessions was randomly determined for each subject. Exercise program consisted of 45 min acute endurance at 75% of maximum heart rate on the treadmill and subsequently the subject was in a sitting position for one clock recovery. Four blood samples (6 ml) before and immediately after exercise, as well as 1 and 24 hours after the activity was collected. Two-way analysis of variance for data analysis was used.

Results: Regardless of gender, effects of activity and recovery on plasma insulin and insulin resistance index was significant (p <0.05) but not significant for glucose. Also when the data were corrected by changes in plasma volume, similar results were observed for insulin. Although changes of all factors (glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance) in response to activity session of acute exercise endurance was higher in men than in woman, gender has not significant effect on factors.

Conclusion: acute endurance activity and recovery induce change in insulin resistance index but these changes were not related to gender.