When women work: Endocrine reactivity in women during everyday physical activity at high altitude.

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the acute endocrine reactivity of testosterone and cortisol in women engaging in everyday physical activity in a high altitude environment.

METHODS: Data were collected from 35 women living in the Himalayas, with women recruited from both high (>10 000 ft.) and low altitude villages (<10 000 ft.). Saliva samples were collected at 3 time points (pre-activity, 30 and 60 minutes) and women wore the wGT3X-BT Actigraph during an hour of everyday work to assess the relationship between high altitude, endocrine reactivity, and physical activity. Saliva samples were then analyzed for testosterone and cortisol.

RESULTS: Women living at high altitude had lower cortisol and testosterone levels, after controlling for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, age, and sum of skinfolds.

CONCLUSIONS: Testosterone and cortisol increase allocation of energy to costly somatic tissues and the utilization of stored energy. Lower production of these hormones may be beneficial for heightened energetic demands at high altitude.