Psychological But Not Motor Performance and Physiological Metrics Are Influenced in Menstrual Cycle Monitoring during Rest and Submaximal Cycling.

PURPOSE: Despite evidence of phase-dependent performance variations during the menstrual cycle (MC) and potential impairments under oral contraceptives (OC) use, findings remain inconsistent. We studied psycho-physiological and performance fluctuations using a feasible, standardized monitoring battery.

METHODS

Twenty-two naturally menstruating women and six OC-using women performed standardized tests in specified phases (MC: early follicular phase [EFP], ovulatory phase [OP], and midluteal phase; OC: early inactive pill phase [EIPP], late inactive pill phase [LIPP], and mid-active pill phase ). Testing included the Short Recovery and Stress Scale (SRSS), heart rate time series assessment at rest and during 15-min submaximal cycling with three intensity stages, including blood lactate testing and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Motor performance was assessed via handgrip strength and countermovement rebound jumps.

RESULTS

SRSS subscales emotional balance ( P = 0.038) and emotional imbalance (EI; P = 0.031) were significantly affected by the MC phase, with lower emotional balance (3.23 vs 4.08, P = 0.034, d = -0.55) and higher EI (2.66 vs 1.77, P = 0.039, d = 0.57) in EFP compared with OP. In OC, all subscales except EI showed substantial deterioration in EIPP compared with LIPP or mid-active pill phase ( d > 0.80; inferential statistics not reported due to low sample size). RPE during submaximal cycling showed significant MC effects ( P < 0.001), with higher RPE in EFP versus OP for the first stage (11.9 vs 11.3, P = 0.024, d = 0.59). Substantially higher RPE during the first stage was also observed for OC in EIPP compared with LIPP ( d = 1.55). No further significant phase effects were found.

CONCLUSIONS

EFP and EIPP were linked to higher RPE during submaximal cycling, increased stress, and lower recovery in SRSS. These findings emphasize the role of hormonal fluctuations in psychological outcomes, highlighting the need for individualized monitoring to optimize training and recovery.