Influence of Menstrual Cycle Stages on Female Athletes

Universitat Jaume I

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sports; Menstrual Cycle

Treatments: Other: Checking for correct use of contraceptive methods; Device: Sensory and pain threshold determination; Device: Daily activity; Procedure: Jump height determination; Procedure: Biochemical parameters determination; Procedure: Blood count determination; Procedure: Grip strength determination; Procedure: Vital signs; Other: Physical and mental symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle; Procedure: Determination of hormone level concentrations; Procedure: Flexibility determination; Procedure: Body composition parameters determination; Procedure: Indirect maximum oxygen consumption determination; Procedure: Urinary LH determination

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05576740

CD/77/2020

Details and patient eligibility

About

The influence of the menstrual cycle on women's sports performance is still uncertain. Research on this topic shows methodological biases. The aim of the study will be to determine whether the menstrual cycle affects women's physical fitness, measuring this in 3 differentiated stages of the cycle: the early follicular phase, late follicular phase, and luteal phase. For this purpose, a blood test will be carried out in each phase, with hormone determination (oestradiol and progesterone) and a haemogram to determine the existence of possible anemia. After the extraction and other complementary tests (measurement of vital signs, bioimpedance...) the woman will undergo 3 physical tests to compare the results in the 3 phases. A group of women taking hormonal contraception will also be included, performing the same interventions. To determine whether the woman is ovulating or not, urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) strips will be given to the women and they will have to take them from day 8 of the cycle. In addition, women will wear an accelerometer to monitor their daily activity and to be able to observe if there is an influence on this stage of the menstrual cycle.

Enrollment: 41 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria natural cycles group:

• Female sex
• Women between 18 and 40 years of age
• Women who are members of a federation and who compete in a sport doing at least 240 minutes of exercise per week.
• Women with regular menstrual cycles (between 23 and 38 days long).
• Women who have not taken hormonal contraceptives (HA) for 6 months or more.

Inclusion criteria artificial cycles group:

• Female sex
• Women between 18-40 years of age
• Women federated and competed in a sport doing at least 240 minutes of exercise per week.
• Long-term users of HA (minimum 6 months).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria group natural cycles:

• Refusal to participate in the study
• Sedentary women
• Women on HA currently or in the 6 months before the study
• Women with irregular menstrual cycles, less than 23 or more than 38 days in length
• Any existing metabolic disease or disorder
• Regular use of medications or dietary supplements that could affect the results
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Exclusion criteria artificial cycles group:

• Refusal to participate in the study
• Sedentary women
• Any existing metabolic disease or disorder
• Regular use of medications or dietary supplements that could affect the results
• Inability to manage contraception in a disciplined manner

Trial design

41 participants in 3 patient groups

natural cycle

Description:

In this group, women have a natural menstrual cycle, not intervened by exogenous hormones. The interventions performed in this group are the same as in the other groups.

Treatment:

Device: Daily activity

Procedure: Flexibility determination

Procedure: Jump height determination

Procedure: Body composition parameters determination

Procedure: Vital signs

Procedure: Grip strength determination

Other: Physical and mental symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle

Procedure: Biochemical parameters determination

Device: Sensory and pain threshold determination

Procedure: Indirect maximum oxygen consumption determination

Procedure: Urinary LH determination

Procedure: Determination of hormone level concentrations

Procedure: Blood count determination

artificial cycle

Description:

In this group, women with an artificial menstrual cycle, i.e. women using hormonal contraception, oral or vaginal, are selected. The interventions carried out in this group are the same as in the other groups.

Treatment:

Device: Daily activity

Procedure: Flexibility determination

Procedure: Jump height determination

Procedure: Body composition parameters determination

Procedure: Vital signs

Procedure: Grip strength determination

Other: Physical and mental symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle

Procedure: Biochemical parameters determination

Other: Checking for correct use of contraceptive methods

Device: Sensory and pain threshold determination

Procedure: Indirect maximum oxygen consumption determination

Procedure: Determination of hormone level concentrations

Procedure: Blood count determination

natural cycle with deficient luteal phase

Description:

In this group, women have a natural menstrual cycle, with a low progesterone level during the luteal phase, and are not intervened by exogenous hormones. The interventions performed in this group are the same as in the other groups.

Treatment:

Device: Daily activity

Procedure: Flexibility determination

Procedure: Jump height determination

Procedure: Body composition parameters determination

Procedure: Vital signs

Procedure: Grip strength determination

Other: Physical and mental symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle

Procedure: Biochemical parameters determination

Device: Sensory and pain threshold determination

Procedure: Indirect maximum oxygen consumption determination

Procedure: Urinary LH determination

Procedure: Determination of hormone level concentrations

Procedure: Blood count determination