Author(s): KAWABE, R., NOSE-OGURA, S.1, KASHIWAGI, Y.1, SENZAKI, Y.1, NAKAMURA, M.1, UCHIZAWA, A.1,2, NISHIKAWA, Y.1, KAMEOKA, M.1, SHIRAI, K.1, NAKAJIMA, K., Institution: JAPAN INSTITUTE OF SPORTS SCIENCES, JAPAN HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORT CENTER, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 1869

INTRODUCTION:
Understanding menstrual cycle (MC) characteristics and menstrual-related symptoms (MRSs) is important for optimizing performance in female athletes. Even elite athletes frequently perceive MRSs as factors affecting daily training quality and competitive performance [1]. The effects of MC and MRSs on physical performance are increasingly recognized as key considerations in women’s sport and a priority for further research. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate MC and MRSs in Japanese female athletes competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and to further explore associations with competition results.
METHODS:
A total of 195 female Olympic athletes who underwent pre-competition medical checkups at the Japan Institute of Sport Sciences completed a retrospective questionnaire on MC and MRSs. MC was categorized as regular, irregular, amenorrhea, premenarcheal status, or use of combined oral contraceptives (COC) or progestin-only preparations (POP). In naturally menstruating athletes (n=126), the presence of premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and dysmenorrhea was assessed. PMS were classified into three categories: psychological symptoms (irritability, depressed mood; Psy-PMS), pain-related symptoms (lower back pain, lower abdominal pain, headache; Pain-PMS), and physical symptoms (weight gain, edema, breast fullness; Phys-PMS). Associations between symptom presence and competition outcomes were examined as a secondary analysis by comparing top-8 finishers (n=51) with other athletes (n=75) using chi-square tests (α=0.05).
RESULTS:
Regular MCs were reported by 49.7% of all athletes; irregular MCs by 14.9%, amenorrhea by 4.6%, premenarcheal status by 1.0%, and COC or POP use by 29.7%. PMS and dysmenorrhea were reported by 70.4% and 22.4% of naturally menstruating athletes, respectively. Pain-PMS and dysmenorrhea were significantly less prevalent in top-8 finishers than in other athletes (p=0.039 and p=0.020, respectively). Psy-PMS and Phys-PMS were also less frequent in top-8 finishers, although these differences were not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION:
This study contributes to a better understanding of menstrual health characteristics in female Olympic athletes. MRSs, particularly pain-related symptoms, were less prevalent among top-8 finishers. These findings suggest that MRSs in daily life may be one factor associated with outcomes at major competitions. Ongoing management of menstrual health may therefore be important for elite female athletes, although the direct impact of MRSs on competition performance remains unclear because symptoms were assessed during daily life prior to events. Athletic performance is multifactorial, and the MC represents only one component [2]. Further research is needed to clarify the role of menstrual health management in order to inform athlete support strategies in high-performance sports settings.
Reference:[1] Brown N, et al. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2021. [2] Meignié A, et al. Front Physiol. 2021.