Effects of Hormonal Contraception and the Menstrual Cycle on Fatigability and Recovery From an Anaerobic Exercise Test.

ABSTRACT: Cabre, HE, Ladan, AN, Moore, SR, Joniak, KE, Blue, MNM, Pietrosimone, BG, Hackney, AC, and Smith-Ryan, AE. Effects of hormonal contraception and the menstrual cycle on fatigability and recovery from an anaerobic exercise test. J Strength Cond Res 38(7): 1256-1265, 2024-This study sought to evaluate the effects of oral contraceptive (OC) and hormonal intrauterine device (H-IUD) use, compared with a eumenorrheic (EUM) cycle, on fatigability and recovery between hormone the phases. Peak power (PP), average power (AP), fatigue index (FI), blood lactate, vessel diameter, and blood flow (BF) were measured from a repeated sprint cycle test (10 × 6 seconds) in 60, healthy, active women (mean ± SD ; age: 26.5 ± 7.0 years, BMI: 22.5 ± 3.7 kg·m -2 ) who used monophasic OC (≥6 months; n = 21), had a H-IUD (≥6 months; n = 20), or had regular naturally occurring menstrual cycle (≥3 months) or had a nonhormonal IUD (EUM; n = 19). Subjects were randomly assigned to begin in either the low-hormone phase (LHP) or high-hormone phase (HHP) and were tested once in each phase. Separate univariate analyses of covariances assessed the change from HHP to LHP between the groups, covaried for progesterone, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. All groups demonstrated similar changes in PP, AP, FI, blood lactate, vessel diameter, and BF between the phases ( p > 0.05). Although not significant, AP was higher in LHP for OC (Δ -248.2 ± 1,301.4 W) and EUM (Δ -19.5 ± 977.7 W) and higher in HHP for H-IUD (Δ 369.3 ± 1,123.0 W). Oral contraceptive group exhibited a higher FI (Δ 2.0%) and reduced blood lactate clearance (Δ 2.5%) in HHP. In recreationally active women, hormonal contraception and hormone phases may minimally impact fatigue and recovery. Individual elite female athletes may benefit from understanding hormonal contraception type as performance and recovery may slightly vary across the cycle.

Effects of Hormonal Contraception and the Menstrual Cycle on Maximal Strength and Power Performance.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the effects of oral contraceptive (OC) and hormonal intrauterine device (H-IUD) use, compared to an eumenorrheic (EUM) cycle, on maximal strength and power between hormone phases. METHODS: One repetition max (1RM) leg press and bench press, peak force (PF) from knee extension and upright row isometric dynamometry, and power from vertical jump height (VJH) and reactive strength index (RSI; cm/s) were measured in 60 healthy, active women (mean ± standard deviation [SD]; Age: 26.5 ± 7.0 yrs, BMI: 22.5 ± 3.7 kg/m2) who were monophasic OC users for ≥6 months (n = 21), had a H-IUD for ≥6 months (n = 20), or had regularly naturally occurring menstrual cycle for ≥3 months or were using a non-hormonal IUD (EUM; n = 19). Participants were randomly assigned to begin in the follicular phase/placebo pill (low hormone phase; LHP) or in the luteal phase/active pill (high hormone phase; HHP) and were tested once in each phase. Estimates of total lean mass (LM), leg LM, and arm LM were measured via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Separate univariate ANCOVAs were used to assess the change from HHP to LHP between groups, with LM and progesterone as covariates. RESULTS: Leg press 1RM was significantly different across phases between groups (p = 0.027), with higher leg press 1RM in the HHP for the OC group (mean difference[∆HHP-LHP] ± standard error: ∆7.4 ± 15.9 kg; p = 0.043) compared to the H-IUD group (∆-8.9 ± 23.8 kg; p = 0.043). All groups demonstrated similar bench press 1RM, PF, VJH, and RSI between phases (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lower body strength was greater in the HHP for OC users (5.6% increase) suggesting lower body maximal strength outcomes may be influenced by hormonal contraception type.