Menstrual Cycle Phases Influence on Cardiorespiratory Response to Exercise in Endurance-Trained Females.

Beatriz Rael,Víctor Alfaro-Magallanes,Erica Wehrwein,Ana Peinado,Xanne Janse De Jonge,Eliane Castro,Nuria Romero-Parra,Rocío Cupeiro

doi:10.3390/ijerph18030860

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle on cardiorespiratory response to high-intensity interval exercise in athletes. Twenty-one eumenorrheic endurance-trained females performed an interval running protocol in three menstrual cycle phases: early-follicular phase (EFP), late-follicular phase (LFP) and mid-luteal phase (MLP). It consisted of 8 × 3-min bouts at 85% of their maximal aerobic speed with 90-s recovery at 30% of their maximal aerobic speed. To verify menstrual cycle phase, we applied a three-step method: calendar-based counting, urinary luteinizing hormone measurement and serum hormone analysis. Mixed-linear model for repeated measures showed menstrual cycle impact on ventilatory (EFP: 78.61 ± 11.09; LFP: 76.45 ± 11.37; MLP: 78.59 ± 13.43) and heart rate (EFP: 167.29 ± 11.44; LFP: 169.89 ± 10.62; MLP: 169.89 ± 11.35) response to high-intensity interval exercise (F2.59 = 4.300; p = 0.018 and F2.61 = 4.648; p = 0.013, respectively). Oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, breathing frequency, energy expenditure, relative perceived exertion and perceived readiness were unaltered by menstrual cycle phase. Most of the cardiorespiratory variables measured appear to be impassive by menstrual cycle phases throughout a high-intensity interval exercise in endurance-trained athletes. It seems that sex hormone fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle are not high enough to disrupt tissues’ adjustments caused by the high-intensity exercise. Nevertheless, HR based training programs should consider menstrual cycle phase.

Highlights

The natural menstrual cycle is perhaps the second most important biological rhythm, next to the circadian one [1], and it is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and all hormones involved in it
E2 starts to rise throughout the mid-follicular phase, reaching its peak in the late-follicular phase (LFP), followed by the peak in LH and FSH, just prior to ovulation
The present study showed a menstrual cycle phase impact on Ve throughout the warm-up, the interval running protocol and the cool down, whereas post-hot comparisons were not statistically different

Summary

Introduction

The natural menstrual cycle is perhaps the second most important biological rhythm, next to the circadian one [1], and it is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and all hormones involved in it (predominantly, follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], 17β-estradiol [E2] and progesterone). Female sex hormones fluctuate fairly predictably over 23–38 days [2], giving rise to the different phases of the menstrual cycle. The first one is the early-follicular phase (EFP), characterised by low concentrations of sex hormones, which starts at the onset of menstruation. E2 starts to rise throughout the mid-follicular phase, reaching its peak in the late-follicular phase (LFP), followed by the peak in LH and FSH, just prior to ovulation. These hormones drastically decrease after ovulation whereas progesterone.

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