Researchers from IIT Madras and the University of Minnesota in the US have studied the effect of oral contraceptives on the blood pressure of young women (20-25 years of age) during dynamic exercise like running or cycling.

Despite oral contraceptives being associated with increases in resting blood pressure, the study found no significant effects on exercise-induced blood pressure responses or hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle.

An acute increase in blood pressure can occur due to an increase in sympathetic nerve activity (fight or flight) from skeletal muscle sensory neurons, known as the exercise pressor reflex (EPR).

EPR results in increased blood flow from the heart to the skeletal muscle to meet the needs of the muscle. The EPR is known to be higher in men than in premenopausal women and is also known to be elevated in people with heart disease.

Research highlights that neither oral contraceptives nor natural ovarian hormones, such as estrogen, affect the EPR, a mechanism of temporary blood pressure increases during physical activity.

This finding, published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal American Journal of Physiology, is important because it suggests that oral contraceptives do not increase blood pressure responses during exercise.

Dr. Ninitha AJ of IIT Madras said it is important to understand these effects, especially since oral contraceptives are commonly used by female athletes to manage pregnancy risks and menstrual health.

The findings also pave the way for further exploration of cardiovascular risks during menopause, when hormone levels drop significantly.

The study is supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board of India and the US National Institutes of Health.

The researchers now aim to investigate whether EPR contributes to increased cardiovascular risk in menopausal women.