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the menstrual cycle is normally just
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associated with a period but week on
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week our hormones change and
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understanding the menstrual cycle and
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its effects on our training can actually
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help us to use our physiology to benefit
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our performance and support our goals
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my name is Al and I'm a specialist
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dietitian working in eating disorders
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and Sports Nutrition Shakara up until a
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few years ago women were very rarely
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studied in the context of Sports
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Nutrition so we were thought to be too
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complex you wouldn't be shocked to know
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that a lot of the evidence we have is
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based on the male anatomy and simply
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applied to women but we do know that
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women do experience differences when it
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comes to Performance and strength in
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comparison to men and it is due to the
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fluctuations in hormones and some other
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factors it goes to that saying more
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research needs to be done so women
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aren't left questioning why they may not
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be able to progress as efficiently as
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males now I've cleared that up let's get
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into it here's a quick menstrual cycle
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101 the menstrual cycle is more than
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just the period it has two phases the
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follicular phase and the luteal phase
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with ovulation in the middle it begins
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on the first day of menstruation aka the
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period for most the period lasts up to a
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week and it is the first part of the
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follicular phase the second half of the
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follicular phase is followed by
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ovulation and ovulation is where an egg
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is released from the ovaries and this is
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normally at around day 14 of the cycle
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during the luteal phase which is the
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second half of the cycle the lining of
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the womb begins to thicken in
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preparation for pregnancy this is
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typically where women experience
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premenstrual syndrome or PMS symptoms if
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the egg is not fertilized the worm
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lining sheds which leads to menstruation
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and the cycle begins again so how do
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each of these stages affect training a
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majority of changes in strength
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performance and Recovery seen throughout
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the menstrual cycle are attributable to
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the fluctuations in hormones estrogen
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and progesterone aside from their roles
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in reproductive Health estrogen and
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progesterone have multiple other effects
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on our physiology estrogen is considered
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to be anabolic and can promote muscle
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building whereas progesterone is taught
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to counteract the effects of estrogen
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and is associated with protein
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catabolism which is also known as muscle
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breakdown during the early follicular
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phase which is the time when you're on
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your period estrogen and progesterone
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are both low Studies have observed a
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slight decrease in performance
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throughout menstruation in the early
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follicular phase and in the late luteal
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phase in comparison to other phases
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within the cycle as most women will know
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during the period symptoms like fatigue
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and low mood are common which may be
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associated with these effects too as
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interestingly a recent study found that
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overall Sports Performance can be
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influenced by both the physical factors
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and the perceived effects in the late
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follicular phase and in the lead-up to
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ovulation there is an increase in
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estrogen and this is where increases in
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energy levels are experienced Studies
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have also found that there are greater
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increases in strength performance in
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this phase in comparison to the luteal
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phase estrogen is also known to enhance
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vascular flow which is associated with
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benefits for endurance training around
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this time estrogen remains High
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throughout ovulation but strength May
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improve even further due to the
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assistance of testosterone which is
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linked with higher performance what is
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interesting and important to note is
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that the ovulation phase is associated
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with an increased risk of injury in
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women this is quite new evidence but it
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is thought to be due to the hormonal
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changes impacting tendon laxity which
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means that the joints can become looser
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and more prone to injury following
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ovulation in the early luteal phase
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estrogen levels begin to drop and
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progesterone Rises progesterone is
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associated with an increase in body
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temperature and Studies have identified
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that this could lead to fatiguing
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quicker in endurance and strength
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focused Sports in comparison to at
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Baseline body temperature the effects of
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this become more apparent when
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exercising in hot environments when
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women enter the late luteal phase which
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is the time after ovulation and before
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their period hormone levels begin to
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drop you'll still benefit and improve in
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your strength training in the luteal
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phase But be sure to have some
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compassion for yourself and don't be
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afraid to switch up your workouts in
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this time for something less intense
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exercise has been shown to have a
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positive effect on PMS symptoms but of
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course every woman is different so try
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to listen to your body and do what feels
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good for you so to summarize on our
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periods there may be a slight dip in
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performance and endurance in comparison
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to other phases throughout the cycle
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however exercise can help to ease the
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symptoms of PMS up to and throughout
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ovulation thanks for the rise in
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estrogen strength and endurance
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performance is thought to be highest in
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the second half of the cycle
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progesterone Rises and due to change in
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body temperature endurance and stroke
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training may feel a little bit more
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challenging try not to judge the results
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of your training based on your
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performance in this phase as decreases
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in performance is a normal experience
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throughout at this time remember that
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everyone is different and you may not
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even notice any changes in your
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performance throughout your cycle but if
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you do tracking your cycle could
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actually help you to understand what is
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going on in your body and allow you to
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adapt your training accordingly I hope
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this video helped to explain how
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training may be affected by the
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menstrual cycle and provided you with a
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little bit of reassurance that it is
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totally normal to experience dips and
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peaks in your training as always if you
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have any questions please drop them in
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the comments below and don't forget to
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like this video And subscribe to my
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protein YouTube channel for more great
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evidence-based nutrition information
