Athletic Performance and the Menstrual Cycle

 

Training as a female athlete it is important to track your menstrual cycle as it has a huge impact on performance. Understanding how the female hormones change throughout your cycle will change your nutrition, recover strategies and training modalities. This will allow you to get the most out of your performance regardless of what hormonal phase you are in! Ignoring your menstrual cycle can have a high detriment to performance!

 

Follicular Phase

~0-14 Days

Marked by the first day of menstrual bleeding. This phase has most variation, often shortens closer to menopause. 

Estrogen and Progesterone are low.

Top layers of endometrium shed causing menstrual bleeding to occur.

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) levels slightly increase, which stimulate the development of follicles in ovaries (3-30), each follicle contains an egg. 

Later in the phase, as FSH decreases only one follicle (dominant follicle) develops which produces estrogen

Follicular Phase – Marked by the first day of menstrual bleeding – on average lasts 13-14 days, this phase has most variation, often shortens closer to menopause. 

Training Tips:

  1. When Oestrogen and progesterone are low, this is where you can really push your training! 

  2. Lower body temperature due to lower levels of progesterone.

  3. You have an increased pain tolerance and also an increased endurance capacity

  4. Higher intensity training is best promoted in this phase, including heavier loads in the gym, as well maximal effort or repeat bout training

  5. With an increase in insulin sensitivity, your ability to fuel and recover with carbohydrates is enhanced, so really use your physiology to your advantage in this phase!

  6.  In saying this, in the first half of this phase, energy levels may be low due to consistent bleeding so be sure to eat foods high in iron and fuel appropriately for your day

  7. Towards the very end of this phase oestrogen levels increase just prior to ovulation, which may increase injury risk in certain sports due to ligament laxity

 
 

Ovulation Phase

~16-32 Hours

Increase in Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH)

The Surge in LH stimulates egg release (ovulation)

Estrogen levels degrease during surge

Progesterone Levels start to increase

Training Tips:

  1. Women are more prone to injury in this phase due to higher levels of luteinising hormone resulting in central nervous system fatigue.

  2. No need to largely scale back your training but just be aware of not overloading the central nervous system. For example: 1RM testing is not ideal!

 
 

Luteal Phase

~14 Days

Luteinising Hormone (LH) and Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) decrease.

The ruptured follicle closes after the egg releases and forms the corpus luteum, this produces progesterone

During most of this phase estrogen levels are high and estrogen and progesterone thicken the uterus lining preparing for possible fertilisation

 If no fertilisation occurs the corpus luteum breaks down, ceasing production of progesterone, estrogen decreases and the uterine lining sheds marking the start of a new cycle


Training Tips:

  1. Progesterone levels are high, resulting in an increase in body temperature – be smart about training in the heat!

  2. Progesterone is also catabolic, therefore muscular recovery becomes more difficult, a focus on nutrition and recovery in this phase is very important;

  3. The body will rely more on fat as a fuel source, so lower intensity is key in this phase.

  4. The last week of this phase is best served as a deload, focusing on active recovery and mobility.