This narrative is not entirely true and recent studies have shown that menstrual cycles does not disqualify women from exercise research. Women can participate in exercise research during their menstrual cycle and the results can be useful for both men and women. It's important to include both genders in research studies to better understand the differences and similarities in exercise performance and fatigability.
The study from Brigham Young University suggests that the assumption that menstrual cycles disqualify women from exercise research is misguided. The study found no significant variability in endurance thresholds or performance in women across their menstrual cycles. These findings suggest that the menstrual cycle does not have a significant impact on a woman's exercise capabilities, and that women can participate in exercise research without concerns about menstrual cycle-related changes affecting the data. This research highlights the importance of including women in exercise studies in order to understand the differences and similarities in exercise performance and fatigue between men and women.
The study led by Jessica Linde, a researcher from Brigham Young University, found that women with regular menstrual cycles performed just as consistently throughout their menstrual cycle, regardless of the phase (high-estrogen, high-progesterone, or menstruation). This findings indicate that the menstrual cycle does not have a significant impact on a woman's exercise capabilities and removing a barrier to include women in exercise research. The lead researcher, Jessica Linde, stated that "this information lifts a big barrier. It shows we shouldn’t be excluding women from research based on the idea that their menstrual cycles are going to skew the results.” This highlights the importance of including both men and women in exercise research to better understand the differences and similarities in exercise performance and fatigability.
The study led by Jessica Linde, a researcher from Brigham Young University, not only debunks the assumption that menstrual cycles disqualify women from exercise research, but it also highlights why it's crucial to include women in research. The study found that while women's menstrual cycles did not affect their exercise performance, there were key differences in how women's and men's endurance played out. For example, women reached exhaustion from muscle fatigue about 18% faster than men, even when adjusting for muscle mass. This could be because women's bodies may naturally reserve more energy. These findings demonstrate the importance of including both men and women in exercise research to better understand the different responses and adaptations to exercise.
“The assumption in exercise research has long been that women are like men, just smaller. Our study suggests that they’re not, that there are important differences between women’s and men’s exercise. Including more women in research will allow us to fine tune approaches to women’s physiology.
For the study, seven women and 10 men completed intense cycling sessions, the women at three points during the menstrual cycle confirmed through blood draws and ovulation tests, and the men at 10-day intervals. As participants exercised, researchers measured heart and respiratory rates to assess performance.
Although female participants often told the researchers that their menstrual cycles affected how they were feeling and how well they expected to perform, their measurable results showed “absolutely no change,” the researchers said. While hormones like estrogen are known to influence how well arteries dilate and how blood flows to muscles, those underlying processes “didn’t amount to impaired overall performance.”
Linde and Gifford were careful to note that the study focused only on cycling and included only women without menstrual disorders. More research is needed to determine how irregular menstruation might affect exercise. Learning more about women’s exercise is especially important now that there are more female athletes than ever — Linde, who is now continuing her research as a Ph.D. student at Marquette University, was herself inspired to pursue the research because of her experiences as a Division I athlete in college. (MR/NEWSWISE)
