Menstrual Cycle Impacts on Performance

We’ve all likely heard at least one of the following statements that gives us pause about our female athleticism….

*Women should sync their training with their cycle - high intensity is okay for 2 weeks, then shift to low intensity for 2 weeks. (not true) 

*Losing your period as an athlete is normal. (not true) 

*Women get injured more on their period. (not true) 

*Athletic performance declines during menstruation. (not true) 

*Birth control is a necessary solution to manage menstrual cycles in athletes. (not true)

*All athletes experience the same menstrual cycle symptoms. (not true)

JUST SO WE ARE CLEAR….all of the above statements are misinformation!! However, this messaging is abundant in social media these days, and is confusing athletes at every level.

Below you will find what I consider to be the most important things to know about your menstrual cycle and your athletic performance. 

FIRST…like a lot of things, it depends. Every menstruating person has their own unique experience with their menstrual cycle, therefore they should consider tracking their cycle and symptoms regularly to identify any individual patterns. What you experience through the month is likely different from what a friend experiences and vice versa; in a group of athletes we can assume everyone has their own unique cycle experience as it relates to symptoms and performance. I recommend tracking 3-6 months to see patterns emerge, but honestly, track every month forever!

NEXT….it is shown throughout research that a female can perform very well at any phase of her menstrual cycle. Personal bests, winning competitions, and exceedingly high performance has been documented across the entire menstrual cycle. Yay! So, I am saying you can get a personal best while on your period, or while experiencing PMS symptoms. 

THIRD…it’s also pretty clear that SOME THINGS ARE SUPERIOR to menstrual cycle in determining our athletic performance. Those two big things are: appropriate programming and proper nutrition. That being said, if you are concerned about your athletic performance, assessing your programming and nutrition should come first before looking to identify menstrual cycle causes. “Appropriate programming” means your workouts are not haphazard — quite the opposite, your workouts should be programmed with progressive overload, variety, functional and specific goals, individualized, with appropriate feedback/testing, and recovery between sessions. “Proper nutrition” means eating enough to support performance and recovery, with consideration for the nutrients that support your training. Getting these big two categories established is key to our athletic performance as menstruating athletes. Much more to share here, so worth a separate newsletter all it’s own.

FOURTH…our athletic performance is multifactorial. As hinted above when discussing programming and nutrition, there are even more factors that contribute to our performance. Our athletic performance is also determined by a combination of: stress, sleep, mood, recovery, relationships, family/kids, school/work, travel, etc. So, if we are experiencing an increase in our overall stressors, we may notice these things affecting our performance at times that don’t match up with a specific part of our menstrual cycle. 

THAT BEING SAID…there are some things in the literature that seem to have some consistent findings related to the menstrual cycle, so I do want to share them as well. 

• In the week leading up to our period, we will benefit from increased efforts around hydration, and slightly increasing carbohydrate intake before and after our workouts. 

• If an athlete notices menstrual cycle impacts, it usually falls within a 5-day window during the cycle. Each person should identify their own window, if they experience this, and adjust their workouts accordingly around this time. It might involve using “rate of perceived exertion” for workouts to decrease intensity, increasing recovery efforts such as taking an extra rest day, sleeping a bit more, or increasing food intake during those few days. 

TO CONCLUDE…there is not a single scientific study that says you cannot or should not workout across the entire month of your cycle. Your menstrual cycle does not make you weaker or less capable, and you can continue building strength, endurance, and capacity at all stages of the cycle. I recommend tracking your cycle for 3-6 months to learn your patterns, and figure out what works best for you. Reach out if you want more individual guidance or have further questions.  

ONE CAVEAT…Let me be clear that most of what I am writing about above is for those who have a usual and predictable menstrual cycle AND are not taking hormonal birth control. If your menstrual cycle is pathological, with a specific diagnosis, then the considerations above may not apply. Hormonal birth control can also change our hormone profile throughout the month, and therefore have different effects on performance. 

As I wrote this blog, a few future themes came to mind that I can answer for you! If there’s a question you have that you’d like more info on, connect on the website by sending me a message and tell me what you’d like to know.

~Dr. Ashley, PT, DPT, MHA