Scientific Programme

Applied Sports Sciences

IS-AP02 - Female health and menstrual cycle research; do we need to change our approach? A call for action

Date: 02.07.2025, Time: 13:15 - 14:30, Session Room: Arco

Description

Research on the effect of the menstrual cycle (MC) on performance has rapidly grown in the past five years. While this progress is encouraging, i) current research tends to neglect hormonal contraceptive cycles (HC) and menstrual dysfunction; ii) the primary focus is on specific parts of MC phases rather than including transitions between MC or HC phases; iii) testing is generally performed in a resting rather than fatigued state when the success of a game or race is generally determined. These points raise the question: How could current research methodologies be augmented to study the effect of the MC/HC on female health and sports performance in a way that may be more meaningful for those working within sport? As part of the invited symposium, we will discuss the effect of the MC on performance parameters in relation to durability, as well as the potential of using hormone profile patterns to monitor health status and optimise training prescriptions in female athletes. In addition, we will present several case studies from elite athletes and how they deal with female health challenges within their training programs and competitions.