A study published in Scientific Reports and announced on Apr. 12 found that physical strength and mood do not follow the same pattern across the menstrual cycle in female athletes. The research, conducted by a team in Germany, tracked 18 women through six distinct phases of their cycles using urinary luteinizing hormone ovulation tests to time measurements.
The findings are important because they suggest that athletic training programs for women may benefit from more individualized approaches rather than relying on uniform models developed largely from male-based research. This could help optimize training readiness and performance while reducing injury risk among female athletes.
The study divided the menstrual cycle into early follicular, late follicular, ovulation, early luteal, mid luteal, and late luteal phases. It found that dynamic lower-body strength peaked during the late follicular phase and at ovulation but dropped by the late luteal phase. In contrast, mood measures such as vigor declined toward the end of the cycle while fatigue and depression increased during this period. Isometric handgrip strength did not align with these trends and instead peaked in the late luteal phase.
Lead analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between half-squat performance and depression scores: higher depression was linked to lower squat results. However, researchers caution that this association does not establish causality. Other factors like motivation, sleep quality, and perceived exertion remained stable throughout all phases.
The authors said their results show substantial variability between individuals' responses to different menstrual phases. They conclude that “rigid, group-level training prescriptions are less effective than individualized load management.” The study recommends coaches use a small set of markers for both strength and well-being to tailor training loads based on each athlete’s current state.
Looking ahead, researchers advocate for improved menstrual cycle literacy among athletes and support staff so individual needs can be better addressed over generalized expectations.
