The menstrual cycle and sport performance.

Area of Science:

• Exercise physiology
• Endocrinology
• Sports science

Background:

• Female sex steroid hormones, estrogen and progesterone, influence exercise capacity and performance via multiple pathways.
• These hormones can affect substrate metabolism, cardiorespiratory function, thermoregulation, psychological state, and injury risk.
• Changes in hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle may theoretically enhance or impair athletic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of how female sex hormones affect exercise performance.
• To identify research gaps and methodological limitations in this field.
• To explore the potential benefits of oral contraceptives for female athletes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating the effects of estrogen and progesterone on female athletic performance.
• Analysis of mechanisms including substrate metabolism, cardiorespiratory function, thermoregulation, psychological factors, and injury.
• Discussion of methodological challenges and inter/intraindividual variability in hormonal responses.

Main Results:

• Limited evidence-based conclusions exist due to methodological issues and a scarcity of studies.
• Significant inter- and intraindividual variability in hormonal responses is observed.
• Oral contraceptives may offer a stable hormonal environment for athletes experiencing menstrual cycle-related performance issues.

Conclusions:

• The impact of menstrual cycle hormonal fluctuations on female athletic performance is not well-established.
• Further high-quality research is needed to clarify these effects.
• Oral contraceptives could be a viable option for managing performance fluctuations in some female athletes.