Resistance Training During Menstrual Cycle for Women's Health

(MCPBT Trial)

Overseen By Stuart Phillips

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: McMaster University

Must not be taking: Hormonal contraceptives, Glucocorticoids, NSAIDs, others

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Neuromuscular disorders, Thrombosis, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 16 weeks

24 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The primary purpose of this study is to employ state-of-the-art methods to fill current knowledge gaps on the effects of the menstrual cycle on resistance exercise training adaptations. This work will reduce the sex gap present in exercise physiology, improving women's health information by yielding a deeper understanding of the effect of female physiology on exercise adaptations and subsequent health benefits. Employing a unilateral training design, participant's will have their legs randomized to one of four groups: non-exercise control (CON), exercise control (EX), Follicular based training (FOL), Luteal based training (LUT) Researchers will compare these conditions to see if there are greater benefits to prioritizing resistance training around phases of the menstrual cycle,

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you stop taking any medications known to affect protein metabolism, such as glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or prescription strength acne medication. Additionally, you cannot participate if you are using hormonal contraceptives or anticoagulant medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Menstrual Cycle Phase-Based Resistance Training for women's health?

Research suggests that resistance training during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, when estrogen levels are higher, may lead to greater improvements in muscle strength and mass compared to training during the luteal phase. This indicates that timing resistance training with menstrual cycle phases could optimize training outcomes for women. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is resistance training during different phases of the menstrual cycle safe for women?

The studies reviewed did not report any adverse safety concerns related to resistance training during different phases of the menstrual cycle, suggesting it is generally safe for women. ^{1 4 5 6 7}

How does resistance training during the menstrual cycle differ from other treatments for women's health?

This treatment is unique because it tailors resistance training to specific phases of the menstrual cycle, particularly focusing on the follicular phase when estrogen levels peak, potentially enhancing muscle strength and mass more effectively than training during the luteal phase. Unlike other treatments, it leverages natural hormonal fluctuations to optimize training outcomes for women. ^{1 4 5 6 8}

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for women aged 18-30 with a regular menstrual cycle, BMI of 18-35, and in good health. Participants should not be on hormonal contraceptives or smoke. They must also have exercised less than three times a week for the past six months and cannot be using certain medications.

Inclusion Criteria

Regular menstrual cycle (21-35 days, inclusive)

I am not using any form of hormonal birth control.

Non-smoking

Exclusion Criteria

Excessive alcohol consumption (>21 units/wk)

I or someone in my family has had blood clots.

Use of tobacco or related products

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

4 weeks

3 visits (in-person) for blood draws and familiarization

Menstrual Cycle Tracking

Participants track their menstrual cycle for four cycles using self-reported menstrual onset and ovulation strips

16 weeks

Ongoing self-reporting

Treatment

Participants undergo resistance training based on menstrual cycle phase, with varying training volumes for FOL and LUT groups

16 weeks

Approximately 2 visits per week (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in muscle hypertrophy and strength post-training

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Menstrual Cycle Phase Based Training

Trial Overview The study tests if resistance training benefits vary across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Women's legs will be assigned to one of four groups: non-exercise control, exercise control, follicular phase training, or luteal phase training.

Participant Groups

Group I: Luteal Based Training (LUT) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This condition will have high volume of RET (20 weekly sets) during the luteal phase and low volume during the follicular phase of the participant's menstrual cycle.

Group II: Follicular Based Training (FOL) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This condition will have high volume of RET (20 weekly sets) during the follicular phase and low volume during the luteal phase of the participant's menstrual cycle.

Group III: Exercise Control (EX) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This condition will have consistent training volume (12 weekly sets) throughout the duration of the study, regardless of what phase of the menstrual cycle the participant is in.

Group IV: Non-Exercise Control (CON) Active Control 1 Intervention

This condition will serve as a non-exercise control and will not be performing resistance exercise training (RET)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

McMaster University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

936

Recruited

2,630,000+

Findings from Research

Follicular phase-based strength training (FT) resulted in greater increases in maximum isometric force and muscle diameter compared to luteal phase-based training (LT) in a study of 20 eumenorrheic women.

The study suggests that women should consider their menstrual cycle phases when planning strength training, as hormonal variations can significantly impact training outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of follicular versus luteal phase-based strength training in young women. Sung, E., Han, A., Hinrichs, T., et al.[2022]

Recent research highlights the significant relationship between exercise and menstrual function, particularly focusing on exercise-related amenorrhea.

The paper reviews how fluctuations in hormones like estradiol and progesterone during the menstrual cycle can influence the body's hormonal and physiological responses to exercise.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hormonal and physiological responses to exercise in relation to the menstrual cycle. Jurkowski, JE.[2013]

The menstrual cycle phases did not significantly affect overall training load (measured by TRIMP) in young female athletes, but training monotony and strain were higher during the follicular phase compared to the ovulatory phase.

Technical training sessions were longer during the follicular and luteal phases than during the ovulatory phase, and menstrual cycle symptoms were more pronounced in the follicular phase, suggesting that monitoring these phases could help optimize training and performance outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Menstrual cycle alters training strain, monotony, and technical training length in young. Cristina-Souza, G., Santos-Mariano, AC., Souza-Rodrigues, CC., et al.[2019]

Research indicates that female athletes may experience optimal muscle strength and anaerobic capacity during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, when estrogen levels are highest.

Resistance training conducted in the follicular phase may lead to greater improvements in muscle strength and mass compared to training in the luteal phase, suggesting that menstrual cycle timing can be crucial for optimizing training outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Follicular and Luteal Phase-Based Menstrual Cycle Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Mass. Kissow, J., Jacobsen, KJ., Gunnarsson, TP., et al.[2022]

In a study of 14 eumenorrheic women over 12 weeks, both training frequencies during different menstrual phases (1 day/week vs. 3 days/week) led to significant increases in muscle hypertrophy and strength, indicating effective training regardless of menstrual cycle phase.

The results suggest that hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle do not significantly impact muscle growth and strength gains from resistance training, as similar improvements were observed in both the follicular and luteal phases.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Menstrual Phase-Dependent Resistance Training Frequency on Muscular Hypertrophy and Strength. Sakamaki-Sunaga, M., Min, S., Kamemoto, K., et al.[2018]

In a study involving 13 previously untrained individuals (8 women and 5 men), muscle hypertrophy was significantly greater during the luteal phase (5.7%) compared to the follicular phase (3.7%) after 6 days of low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction.

Isometric strength increased significantly in the luteal phase but not in the follicular phase, indicating that the timing of training within the menstrual cycle can influence muscle growth and strength gains, while showing no significant differences between men and women in training response.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of low-intensity blood flow-restricted training-induced muscular hypertrophy in eumenorrheic women in the follicular phase and luteal phase and age-matched men. Sakamaki, M., Yasuda, T., Abe, T.[2013]

High frequency leg resistance training during the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle led to significant improvements in strength and lean body mass in trained women, as shown in a study with 57 participants over four months.

In contrast, training during the last two weeks of the cycle did not yield the same benefits, indicating that timing within the menstrual cycle can influence the effectiveness of resistance training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects on power, strength and lean body mass of menstrual/oral contraceptive cycle based resistance training. Wikström-Frisén, L., Boraxbekk, CJ., Henriksson-Larsén, K.[2018]

In a study involving 36 female participants over 12 weeks of resistance training, all groups (underweight, normal weight, and overweight) showed significant increases in maximum isometric force during both the follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle.

However, only the underweight group exhibited a notable difference in muscle strength gains between the follicular phase and luteal phase, suggesting that BMI may influence strength outcomes depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The resistance training effects of different weight level during menstrual cycle in female. Sung, ES., Kim, JH.[2020]

References

1. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of follicular versus luteal phase-based strength training in young women. [2022]

2. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hormonal and physiological responses to exercise in relation to the menstrual cycle. [2013]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Menstrual cycle alters training strain, monotony, and technical training length in young. [2019]

4. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Follicular and Luteal Phase-Based Menstrual Cycle Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Mass. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Menstrual Phase-Dependent Resistance Training Frequency on Muscular Hypertrophy and Strength. [2018]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of low-intensity blood flow-restricted training-induced muscular hypertrophy in eumenorrheic women in the follicular phase and luteal phase and age-matched men. [2013]

7. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects on power, strength and lean body mass of menstrual/oral contraceptive cycle based resistance training. [2018]

8. Korea (South) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The resistance training effects of different weight level during menstrual cycle in female. [2020]