Impact of the menstrual cycle on critical power and submaximal exercise oxygen uptake in recreationally active, eumenorrheic females
type: CreativeWork
description: The effects of the menstrual cycle on objective and subjective exercise performance are currently unclear. The current study aimed to investigate differences in critical power (CP) and submaximal exercise oxygen uptake (VO2) across three distinct phases of the menstrual cycle (early follicular, late follicular, and mid luteal) in 12 recreationally active, eumenorrheic females. Menstrual cycle phase was determined using the 3-step method of calendar-based counting, urinary ovulation test strips, and serum hormone analyses. CP and work prime (W’) were assessed during a 3-minute all-out test on a mechanically-braked cycle ergometer. Submaximal VO2 and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were assessed during 30 minutes of submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer, with only the final 10 minutes of steady-state exercise data being used for analysis. Subjective rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and affect were assessed at the conclusion of the 3-min all-out test and every 5 minutes during the 30-min submaximal exercise protocol. Participants also completed the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) during each phase of testing to assess menstrual cycle symptomology. For 3-min all-out testing, CP and W’ did not differ across phases ((F [2, 22] = 1.31, p = 0.29) and (F [1.34, 22] = 0.20, p = 0.74), respectively). Similarly, RPE (x2 [2, 12] = 1.00, p = 0.61) and affect (x2 [2, 12] = 0.21, p = 0.90) did not differ following the 3-min all-out test across phases across phases. For submaximal exercise, VO2 (F [2, 22] = 0.87, p = 0.43) and RER (F [2, 22] = 2.50, p = 0.11) were not different across menstrual cycle phases. However, RPE was different across phases (x2 [2, 12] = 10.09, p = 0.01), with post-hoc tests indicating lower RPE during the late follicular phase (11 ± 1) versus the early follicular (13 ± 2; p = 0.01) and mid luteal phases (13 ± 2; p = 0.06). Similarly, total MDQ scores were lower during the late follicular phase (61 ± 12) versus the early follicular v (76 ± 21; p…
abstract: The effects of the menstrual cycle on objective and subjective exercise performance are currently unclear. The current study aimed to investigate differences in critical power (CP) and submaximal exercise oxygen uptake (VO2) across three distinct phases of the menstrual cycle (early follicular, late follicular, and mid luteal) in 12 recreationally active, eumenorrheic females. Menstrual cycle phase was determined using the 3-step method of calendar-based counting, urinary ovulation test strips, and serum hormone analyses. CP and work prime (W’) were assessed during a 3-minute all-out test on a mechanically-braked cycle ergometer. Submaximal VO2 and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were assessed during 30 minutes of submaximal exercise on a cycle ergometer, with only the final 10 minutes of steady-state exercise data being used for analysis. Subjective rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and affect were assessed at the conclusion of the 3-min all-out test and every 5 minutes during the 30-min submaximal exercise protocol. Participants also completed the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) during each phase of testing to assess menstrual cycle symptomology. For 3-min all-out testing, CP and W’ did not differ across phases ((F [2, 22] = 1.31, p = 0.29) and (F [1.34, 22] = 0.20, p = 0.74), respectively). Similarly, RPE (x2 [2, 12] = 1.00, p = 0.61) and affect (x2 [2, 12] = 0.21, p = 0.90) did not differ following the 3-min all-out test across phases across phases. For submaximal exercise, VO2 (F [2, 22] = 0.87, p = 0.43) and RER (F [2, 22] = 2.50, p = 0.11) were not different across menstrual cycle phases. However, RPE was different across phases (x2 [2, 12] = 10.09, p = 0.01), with post-hoc tests indicating lower RPE during the late follicular phase (11 ± 1) versus the early follicular (13 ± 2; p = 0.01) and mid luteal phases (13 ± 2; p = 0.06). Similarly, total MDQ scores were lower during the late follicular phase (61 ± 12) versus the early follicular v (76 ± 21; p…
author: Ware, Emma Willingham
language: English
keywords: Critical power, Submaximal exercise, Oxygen uptake, Eumenorrheic, Recreationally active females, Menstrual cycle
date published: 2024-08
date modified: 2026-07-24T05:05:03Z
provider: Texas Woman's University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Texas Woman's University

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/11274/16764