Abstract des Autors

In recent decades the progressive improvement in the world records in athletic events for the female has led to a shrinkage of the differences with the corresponding performance parameters of the male. The gap between man and woman may be estimated, for most events, roughly at 10%. The physiological basis of the above sex-linked diversity in performance can be attributed both to differences in the basic energy yielding biochemical processes (anaerobic, alactic and lactic, and/or aerobic) and to other structural and functional characteristics (e.g. hormonal). The greater proportion of body fat and, as a consequence, the relatively smaller lean (muscle) mass, plays a decisive role in limiting the peak anaerobic alactic performance of the female. With regard to the lactic mechanism, the maximal lactate concentration found in the blood of both sedentary and athletic females at exhaustion does not differ substantially from that of the males. As for man, the anaerobic threshold (AT) is attained in the woman at 60-80% of the maximal aerobic power (VO2max) depending on the training status. Recent experiments, still in progress, indicate a dependence of both AT and VO2max on the phase of the menstrual cycle. Both athletic and nonathletic women are characterized by lower (10-25%) VO2max (absolute and specific, i.e. per kg of body weight). Several physiological factors may be responsible for the above difference (a lower hemoglobin concentration, a limited myocardial performance, a greater fat proportion, and, possibly, a reduced training-induced hypertrophy of the muscle). The sex-related lower performance of the female is a species-specific feature for humans which is not found in athletic animals, such as the horse and the dog. Verf.-Referat