The Influence of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Strength, Endurance, and Physical Performance in Female Athletes and Physically Active Women: A Structured Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2026.95.73810Keywords
Menstrual cycle, female athlete, sport performance, endurance performance, strengthAbstract
Introduction and purpose: Interest in the influence of the menstrual cycle on athletic performance has increased markedly alongside the rising participation of women in sports. This structured narrative review synthesizes evidence regarding the effects of menstrual cycle phases on physical performance, recovery, and perceptual responses in female athletes and physically active women.
Brief description of the state of knowledge: A structured narrative review was conducted using a PubMed/MEDLINE search of English-language human studies published between January 2010 and May 2026. Studies examining menstrual cycle phases and/or hormonal contraceptive use in relation to physical performance outcomes were included. Due to methodological heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. Overall, the evidence does not indicate consistent phase-dependent differences in strength, sprint, or endurance performance. When differences were reported, they were generally small, inconsistent across studies, and more frequently associated with symptom-related perceptual responses than with objective performance outcomes.
Summary: Current evidence does not support universal menstrual cycle phase-based modifications to training or competition at the group level. Individual symptom profiles and contextual elements are likely more relevant determinants of performance variability than cycle phase alone.
Key words: menstrual cycle; female athletes; sports performance; hormonal contraception; endurance performance; strength.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Zuzanna Trzeciak, Natalia Niedziela, Antonina Woźnicka, Oliwia Filippoto, Julia Klincewicz, Natalia Denisewicz, Emil Fornalski, Jan Klincewicz, Maja Kleiber, Stanisław Kopeć, Filip Nowak
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