Study | Participants | Measures | Design | Evidence quality | Major findings |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hoffman et al.[45] | 216 athletes (40 females and 176 males) aged 42.6 ± 9.4 years who completed a 161 km ultramarathon | Serum CK and sodium | Cross-sectional | Low | No significant sex differences in serum CK. Sex differences in sodium not reported |
Speechly et al.[47] | 20 athletes (10 females aged 33.6 ± 5.6 years, and 10 males aged 35 ± 8.8 years). Marathon performance-matched pairs signed up to a 90 km road ultramarathon | 90 km race time, V̇O2max, running economy, serum glucose, osmolality, FFA | Cohort study | Low | Females had significantly faster average running speed during 90 km ultramarathon than males (171 m/min vs 155.2 m/min, p < 0.05) and sustained a higher fraction of their V̇O2max during the ultramarathon (59.8 ± 6.2% vs 50.2 ± 3.1%, p < 0.01) Females had significantly lower plasma FFA post-race (p < 0.01). No sex differences in serum glucose, serum osmolality, or running economy |
Tirabassi et al.[46] | 36 athletes (8 females and 28 males) aged 43 ± 10 years who completed a 100 mile ultramarathon at altitude | Serum liver enzymes, CK, bilirubin | Cohort study | Low | No significant sex differences in biomarkers of liver injury post-race |