Journal Pre-proof

Use of the Menstrual Cycle to Enhance Female Sports Performance and Decrease
Sports-Related Injury

C.T. Oleka, MD. FACOG

PII: S1083-3188(19)30319-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2019.10.002
Reference: PEDADO 2408

To appear in: Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology

Received Date: 25 August 2019

Revised Date: 26 September 2019
Accepted Date: 1 October 2019

Please cite this article as: Oleka CT, Use of the Menstrual Cycle to Enhance Female Sports
Performance and Decrease Sports-Related Injury, Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
(2019), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpag.2019.10.002.

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© 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent
Gynecology.
Title Page:
C. T. Oleka. MD. FACOG
Houston, Texas
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology
Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital

No funding.

I have no disclaimers.

Chimsom T. Oleka
502-319-1428
ctoleka@gmail.com
1600 Springwoods Plaza Dr. Apt 328
Spring, TX 77389

Abstract
Word Count (143)
The impact of the menstrual cycle on female sports performance is a growing interest area in sports and athletics.
In March 2017, the British Journal of Sports Medicine, published the article, “Sport, Exercise and the Menstrual
Cycle: Where is the Research?”, highlighting the significant under-representation of women included in sport and
exercise medicine research studies. Dr. Georgie Bruinvels, a research scientist, is focused primarily on menstruation
in female athletes and use of the menstrual cycle to optimize training and performance, while decreasing injury.
Bruinvels, states, “There is a body of research emerging that highlights that strength training is more advantageous
in the first half of the menstrual cycle because the body adapts and recovers better. Pediatric and Adolescent
Gynecology has a place in this emerging interest area, given our level of expertise in menstruation, female
physiology and the often-avoided female pubertal physiology.

Manuscript
Word Count (493)

Use of the Menstrual Cycle to Enhance Female Sports Performance and Decrease Sports-Related Injury

The impact of the menstrual cycle on female sports performance is a growing interest area in sports and athletics.

In March 2017, the British Journal of Sports Medicine, published the article, “Sport, Exercise and the Menstrual
Cycle: Where is the Research?”, highlighting the significant under-representation of women included in sport and
exercise medicine research studies. The cited reason was, “the complexities of the menstrual cycle,” which have
been considered major barriers to the inclusion of women in sport and exercise medicine research studies and
clinical trials.1

At the root of the reason was the belief that women were just more, “physiologically variable” and using male
participants allowed for more, “meaningful results with fewer participants and less funding”.1 Simply, men were
cheaper and easier. As sports physiologist and author, Lyle McDonald, stated, “Women were just assumed to be…
little men.”2

The physiology of a female is a beautiful cyclical cascade of hormones that rise and fall throughout menstruation.
Depending on their unique and individual properties, these hormones can have differing metabolic effects. The
physiology of the male, however, is steady and includes one constantly dominant hormone.

41.7% of exercising women believe their menstrual cycle has a negative impact on exercise training and
performance.1 Dr. Georgie Bruinvels, a research scientist, is focused primarily on menstruation in female athletes
and use of the menstrual cycle to optimize training and performance, while decreasing injury. The female body uses
carbohydrates more efficiently in the follicular phase and is better at using fats and amino acids in the luteal phase.
The first half of the menstrual cycle is also a vulnerable time for anterior cruciate ligament injuries due to the effect
of hormonal fluctuations on biomechanics and laxity of ligaments.2

For the first time in the US Women’s National Soccer Team history the players tracked their menstrual cycles and
symptoms and the coaches designed specific workouts tailored toward the anabolic effects of the follicular phase
and the catabolic effects of the luteal phase. Dr. Bruinvels used her research to help the US Women’s National
Soccer Team have a history making performance at the 2019 World Cup.3

Bruinvels, states, “There is a body of research emerging that highlights that strength training is more advantageous
in the first half of the menstrual cycle because the body adapts and recovers better.”4

During the luteal phase women consume ~238 additional calories and it has been said, starting a diet during this
time increases the risk of failure.5 Further research could examine how weight loss efforts can be optimized by using
the menstrual cycle, and also explore the metabolic effects of an abnormal menstrual cycle and menstrual cycles
manipulated by contraception.

Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology has a place in this emerging interest area, given our level of expertise in
menstruation, female physiology and the often avoided female pubertal physiology.
There simply is no other medical specialty more equipped to do so for the adolescent population, than us.

References:
1) Bruinvels, G: Sport, Exercise and the Menstrual Cycle: Where is the Research. Br J Sports Med. 2017
2) McDonald, Lyle: The Women’s Book Volume 1: A Guide to Nutrition, Fat Loss and Muscle Gain, Texas,
2017
3) Kindelan, Katie. “USWNT Used Innovative Period Tracking to Help Player Performance at World Cup.”
Good Morning America, 15 July 2019, www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/uswnt-innovative-
period-tracking-player-performance-world-cup-64339368.
4) Saner, Emine. “How Period Tracking Can Give All Female Athletes an Edge.” The Guardian, Guardian
News and Media, 10 July 2019, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2019/jul/10/how-period-
tracking-can-give-all-female-athletes-an-edge.
5) Hallam,J: Gender Related Differences in Food Craving. Yale J Biol Med. 2016