Sex-related Glycemic and Cardiovascular Responses after Continuous and Interval Aerobic Sessions in Type-1 Diabetics: A Randomized Crossover Study.

We aimed to investigate sex-related glycemic and cardiovascular responses after intensity-(moderate) and duration-(30 min) matched interval (IAE) and continuous (CAE) aerobic exercise sessions in patients with type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Nineteen volunteers (10 female) participated in 2 randomized sessions (1:1 ratio). Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, double product, and blood glucose (BG) levels were measured before (PRE), immediately after (POST-0), and 20 minutes after (POST-20) each session. Rates of perceived exertion (RPE) and enjoyment levels (EL) were assessed after each session. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data [condition × time × sex]. Regarding sex-related changes, males showed BG reductions at POST-0 and POST-20 after CAE (∆: -3.7 mmol/L and -3.7 mmol/L, respectively) and only at POST-0 after IAE (∆: -1.6 mmol/L), with 1 episode of hypoglycemia occurring in the latter group. In contrast, females showed reduced BG values only after CAE at both time points (∆: -1.4 mmol/L and -1.7 mmol/L) compared to PRE values. The decrease in BG levels at both time points was higher for males after CAE compared to IAE. Cardiovascular responses, RPE, and EL were similar between exercise sessions, except for blood pressure, which showed higher values in males. In conclusion, lower BG levels were observed after CAE, with greater reductions in males. Similar cardiovascular, RPE, and EL responses were found across sexes and sessions. Consideration of sex-specific recommendations may be warranted when prescribing aerobic exercise, particularly for males with irregular physical activity levels.