scholarly journals Protein Requirements of Pre-Menopausal Female Athletes: Systematic Literature Review

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3527
Author(s):  
Drew Mercer ◽  
Lilia Convit ◽  
Dominique Condo ◽  
Amelia J. Carr ◽  
D. Lee Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Protein Intake ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Intermittent Exercise ◽  
Hormonal Contraceptive ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Protein Requirements

This systematic literature review aimed to determine the protein requirements of pre-menopausal (e.g., 18–45 years) female athletes and identify if the menstrual cycle phase and/or hormonal contraceptive use influence protein requirements. Four databases were searched for original research containing pre-menopausal female athletes that ingested protein alongside exercise. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Criteria Checklist was used to determine study quality. Fourteen studies, which included 204 recreationally active or competitive females, met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review, and all were assessed as positive quality. The estimated average requirement (EAR) for protein intake of pre-menopausal recreational and/or competitive female athletes is similar for those undertaking aerobic endurance (1.28–1.63 g/kg/day), resistance (1.49 g/kg/day) and intermittent exercise (1.41 g/kg/day) of ~60–90 min duration. The optimal acute protein intake and influence of menstrual cycle phase or hormonal contraceptive use on protein requirements could not be determined. However, pre- and post-exercise protein intakes of 0.32–0.38 g/kg have demonstrated beneficial physiological responses in recreational and competitive female athletes completing resistance and intermittent exercise. The protein requirements outlined in this review can be used for planning and assessing protein intakes of recreational and competitive pre-menopausal female athletes.

scholarly journals The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Athletes’ Performance: A Narrative Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1667
Author(s):  
Mikaeli Anne Carmichael ◽  
Rebecca Louise Thomson ◽  
Lisa Jane Moran ◽  
Thomas Philip Wycherley
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Physical Performance ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
Objective Performance ◽  
The Impact

The effect of the menstrual cycle on physical performance is being increasingly recognised as a key consideration for women’s sport and a critical field for further research. This narrative review explores the findings of studies investigating the effects of menstrual cycle phase on perceived and objectively measured performance in an athletic population. Studies examining perceived performance consistently report that female athletes identify their performance to be relatively worse during the early follicular and late luteal phases. Studies examining objective performance (using anaerobic, aerobic or strength-related tests) do not report clear, consistent effects of the impact of menstrual cycle phase on physical performance. Overall sport performance can be influenced by both perceived and physical factors. Hence, to optimise performance and management of eumenorrheic female athletes, there is a need for further research to quantify the impact of menstrual cycle phase on perceived and physical performance outcomes and to identify factors affecting variability in objective performance outcomes between studies.

scholarly journals The Effects of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Elite Athlete Performance: A Critical and Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Meignié ◽  
Martine Duclos ◽  
Christopher Carling ◽  
Emmanuel Orhant ◽  
Peggy Provost ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Field Performance ◽  
Scientific Publication ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Performance Parameters ◽  
Menstrual Cycle Phase ◽  
The Impact

Background: In elite athletes, training individualization is widely recommended to optimize competitive performance. Previous studies have evidenced the impact of hormonal fluctuations on different performance parameters among female athletes. While consideration of menstrual cycle (MC) phases as a parameter in training individualization strategies is necessary, systematic evidence identifying such impacts in elite athletes should be evaluated.Objective: Systematically review publications that have investigated the link between MC phases and performance in elite female athletes. The overarching aim is to identify whether a consensus across studies exists enabling evidence-based recommendations for training individualization depending on menstrual cycle phases.Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Three major scientific publication databases were searched from inception until November 3, 2020. Studies included focused on the influence of physiological or psychological parameters throughout at least one phase of the menstrual cycle of elite athletes.Results: A total of 780 search results were yielded and 26 references from a past bibliography were added manually. About 662 papers were reviewed of which 218 studies were assessed for eligibility. Of these, only seven (1%) precisely investigated the influence of a performance or physical parameter during at least one menstrual cycle phase. These seven studies included a total of 314 elite female participants (20.58 ± 1.91 years). Three used interviews, questionnaires or prospective analyses of reports. Four conducted several performance tests or included physical measures although only two performed tests during training or before/during competition. Among the seven studies, five performed hormonal testing through sampling of blood, saliva, or urine. The remaining relied on athletes’ menstruation diaries. The current evidence suggests a variable association between menstrual cycle and a few performance-related outcomes, such as endurance or power resistance, ligament stiffness, decision making skills, psychology, or competitiveness.Conclusion: Different sports performance-related parameters are affected during the menstrual cycle among elite athletes, but the parameters themselves and the magnitude and the direction of the effects are inconclusive. Additional longitudinal and prospective studies to systematically monitor on-field performance parameters are urgently required in order to enable recommendations and training individualization in female elite athletes.

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