Sex‐specific adaptations to exercise training: Focus on autonomic modulation and oxidative stress in normotensive rats

Sex-related physiological differences influence health, disease, and responses to preventive interventions. We aimed to compare the effects of exercise training on cardiovascular autonomic modulation and oxidative stress in target organs, focusing on sex differences. Wistar rats were distributed into sedentary male (SM) and female (SF), and trained male (TM) and female (TF) groups. Arterial pressure was recorded intra-arterially, and autonomic modulation was assessed. Rats underwent treadmill training (5 days/week, 8 weeks). Oxidative stress was evaluated in cardiac and renal tissues. There were sex-related differences in anthropometric, functional, autonomic, and oxidative stress markers. In turn, aerobic exercise training led to significant enhancements in functional performance, cardiovascular autonomic control, and oxidative stress status. Notably, these benefits were more evident in females. Vascular sympathetic modulation correlated positively with renal lipid peroxidation (LPO). Cardiac LPO was lower in TM, SF, and TF (vs. SM). Only TF showed reduced renal LPO and improved cardiac redox balance. Trained females also demonstrated greater improvements in renal antioxidant capacity (TRAP: ~1.6 times), cardiac oxidized glutathione (~3.3 times) (vs. TM), and increased nitrite concentration (~2.1 times) (vs. SF). In conclusion, female rats exhibited greater improvements in cardiovascular autonomic modulation and oxidative profile in target organs in response to exercise training compared to male rats.