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Minimal influence of the menstrual cycle or hormonal contraceptives on performance in female rugby league athletes.
- Source :
-
European journal of sport science [Eur J Sport Sci] 2024 Aug; Vol. 24 (8), pp. 1067-1078. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jun 15. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- We examined performance across one menstrual cycle (MC) and 3 weeks of hormonal contraceptives (HC) use to identify whether known fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone/progestin are associated with functional performance changes. National Rugby League Indigenous Women's Academy athletes [n = 11 naturally menstruating (NM), n = 13 using HC] completed performance tests [countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), isometric mid-thigh pull, 20 m sprint, power pass and Stroop test] during three phases of a MC or three weeks of HC usage, confirmed through ovulation tests alongside serum estrogen and progesterone concentrations. MC phase or HC use did not influence jump height, peak force, sprint time, distance thrown or Stroop effect. However, there were small variations in kinetic and kinematic CMJ/SJ outputs. NM athletes produced greater mean concentric power in MC phase four than one [+0.41 W·kg <superscript>-1</superscript> (+16.8%), p = 0.021] during the CMJ, alongside greater impulse at 50 ms at phase one than four [+1.7 N·s (+4.7%), p = 0.031] during the SJ, without differences between tests for HC users. Among NM athletes, estradiol negatively correlated with mean velocity and power (r = -0.44 to -0.50, p < 0.047), progesterone positively correlated with contraction time (r = 0.45, p = 0.045), and both negatively correlated with the rate of force development and impulse (r = -0.45 to -0.64, p < 0.043) during the SJ. During the CMJ, estradiol positively correlated to 200 ms impulse (r = 0.45, p = 0.049) and progesterone to mean power (r = 0.51, p = 0.021). Evidence of changes in testing performance across a MC, or during active HC use, is insufficient to justify "phase-based testing"; however, kinetic or kinematic outputs may be altered in NM athletes.<br /> (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Sport Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of European College of Sport Science.)
- Subjects :
- Humans
Female
Young Adult
Estradiol blood
Adult
Athletes
Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal administration & dosage
Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal pharmacology
Muscle Strength drug effects
Muscle Strength physiology
Biomechanical Phenomena
Estrogens blood
Estrogens administration & dosage
Exercise Test
Menstrual Cycle physiology
Menstrual Cycle drug effects
Athletic Performance physiology
Progesterone blood
Football physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1536-7290
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- European journal of sport science
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 38877892
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.12151