Effects of sex differences on breath-hold diving performance

Purpose: The present study aimed to measure diving response, CO2 sensitivity and forced vital capacity in male and female breath-hold divers (BHDs), and to determine their effect on breath-hold diving performance. Methods: This study included 8 non-divers (NDs, 4 males and 4 females) and 15 BHDs (7 males and 8 females). For NDs, diving response was measured during breath-holding with facial immersion, whereas for BHDs CO2 sensitivity was also measured. Results: Compared to NDs, BHDs showed a prominent diving response. In BHDs, no statistically significant sex differences were observed in diving response and CO2 sensitivity. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between performance and the % forced vital capacity in BHDs. Conclusion: It was suggested that % forced vital capacity contributed more significantly to performance than diving response and CO2 sensitivity. Furthermore, the higher performance of male divers compared to female divers may be due to the % forced vital capacity rather than the diving response and CO2 sensitivity.

Automated summary

The study found that breath-hold divers showed a prominent diving response compared to non-divers, with no statistically significant sex differences in diving response and CO2 sensitivity. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between performance and forced vital capacity in breath-hold divers.