Effect of low-dose combined oral contraceptive on aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold level in active and sedentary young women.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of long-term use of oral contraceptives (OC) containing 0.20 mg of ethinylestradiol (EE) combined with 0.15 mg of gestodene (GEST) on the peak aerobic capacity and at the anaerobic threshold (AT) level in active and sedentary young women.


METHODS
Eighty-eight women (23+/-2.1 years old) were divided into four groups - active-OC (G1), active-NOC (G2), sedentary-OC (G3) and sedentary-NOC (G4) - and were submitted to a continuous ergospirometric incremental test on a cycloergometer with 20 to 25 W min(-1) increments. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test. Level of significance was set at 5%.


RESULTS
The OC use effect for the variables relative and absolute oxygen uptake VO(2) mL kg-(1) min(-1); VO(2), L min(-1), respectively), carbon dioxide output (VCO(2), L min(-1)), ventilation (VE, L min(-1)), heart rate (HR, bpm), respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and power output (W) data, as well as the interaction between OC use and exercise effect on the peak of test and at the AT level did not differ significantly between the active groups (G1 and G2) and the sedentary groups (G3 and G4). As to the exercise effect, for all variables studied, it was noted that the active groups presented higher values for the variables VO(2), VCO(2), VE and power output (p<.05) than the sedentary groups. The RER and HR were similar (p>.05) at the peak and at the AT level between G1 vs. G3 and G2 vs. G4.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term use of OC containing EE 0.20 mg plus GEST 0.15 mg does not affect aerobic capacity at the peak and at the AT level of exercise tests.
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos-SP, Brazil. anacristina.silvarebelo@gmail.com
Ana Cristina S
AC
Rebelo
Roberta S
RS
Zuttin
Rozangela
R
Verlengia
Marcelo de C
Mde C
Cesar
Marcos Felipe Silva
MF
de Sá
Ester
E
da Silva
D000328:Adult; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009652:Norpregnenes; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol