Menstrual Cycle Effects on Performance Parameters in Female Football Players: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Women's Health

Background:

• The menstrual cycle (MC) involves hormonal fluctuations that may influence athletic performance.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing training and competition strategies in female athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the influence of menstrual cycle phases on performance parameters in female football players.
• To synthesize current evidence on how different MC phases affect aerobic capacity, sprint ability, agility, and power.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed and SPORTDiscus databases following PRISMA guidelines.
• Inclusion of prospective observational studies on eumenorrheic female football players assessing performance across MC phases.
• Categorization of outcomes into aerobic, sprint, agility, and power performance, with quality and MC phase verification assessment.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies (n=210) were included, revealing inconsistent evidence regarding MC phase effects on performance.
• Five studies indicated potential reductions in aerobic and sprint performance during the early follicular phase, while ten found no significant differences.
• No consistent impact of MC phase was observed on agility and power-related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence suggests a potential, though inconclusive, impairment in aerobic and sprint performance during the early follicular phase for female football players.
• Methodological limitations, including small sample sizes and inconsistent MC phase verification, highlight the need for further investigation.
• Standardized protocols and hormonal confirmation are recommended to clarify the impact of hormonal fluctuations on sport-specific performance.