Resistance Training and Sex Hormone Concentrations During the Menstrual Cycle
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Although there are numerous studies showing effects of aerobic training on sex hormone concentrations, research analyzing the fluctuation of sex hormones in response to resistance training (RT) is lacking. The objective of this project is to analyze estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) responses to an acute resistance training session throughout different phases of the menstrual cycle. This proposed research has strong implications for exercise prescription and for women in general, but more importantly will allow exercise physiologists, coaches, personal trainers, or nutritionists optimize exercise programming around women's menstrual cycle.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Early Follicular Phase (EFP)
|
Behavioral: Resistance Training
Participants will exercise at the mid-point of each menstrual cycle phase (EFP- day 4, LFP- day 11, ELP- day 18 and LLP- day 25 for a 28 day menstrual cycle). Training will consist of a warm up. Intensity will be set at 70% of 1RM, and the circuit training will include 7 strength exercises: leg press, rows, back squat, weighted crunches, deadlifts, bench press, and weighted squat jumps. The participant will perform 3 sets f 10 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest
|
| Experimental: Late Follicular Phase (LFP)
|
Behavioral: Resistance Training
Participants will exercise at the mid-point of each menstrual cycle phase (EFP- day 4, LFP- day 11, ELP- day 18 and LLP- day 25 for a 28 day menstrual cycle). Training will consist of a warm up. Intensity will be set at 70% of 1RM, and the circuit training will include 7 strength exercises: leg press, rows, back squat, weighted crunches, deadlifts, bench press, and weighted squat jumps. The participant will perform 3 sets f 10 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest
|
| Experimental: Early Luteal Phase (ELP)
|
Behavioral: Resistance Training
Participants will exercise at the mid-point of each menstrual cycle phase (EFP- day 4, LFP- day 11, ELP- day 18 and LLP- day 25 for a 28 day menstrual cycle). Training will consist of a warm up. Intensity will be set at 70% of 1RM, and the circuit training will include 7 strength exercises: leg press, rows, back squat, weighted crunches, deadlifts, bench press, and weighted squat jumps. The participant will perform 3 sets f 10 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest
|
| Experimental: Late Luteal Phase (LLP)
|
Behavioral: Resistance Training
Participants will exercise at the mid-point of each menstrual cycle phase (EFP- day 4, LFP- day 11, ELP- day 18 and LLP- day 25 for a 28 day menstrual cycle). Training will consist of a warm up. Intensity will be set at 70% of 1RM, and the circuit training will include 7 strength exercises: leg press, rows, back squat, weighted crunches, deadlifts, bench press, and weighted squat jumps. The participant will perform 3 sets f 10 repetitions with 30 seconds of rest
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change in estrogen concentrations [through study completion, an average of 5 weeks]
Estrogen concentrations will be obtained from blood samples assessed using through ELISA kits
- Change in progesterone concentrations [through study completion, an average of 5 weeks]
Progesterone concentrations will be obtained from blood samples assessed using through ELISA kits
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Lean body mass (kg) [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Lean body mass (kg) will be assessed through Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry
- Fat mass (kg) [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Fat mass (kg) will be assessed through Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry
- Relative body fat (%) [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Relative body fat (%) will be assessed through Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry
- Skeletal muscle mass (kg) [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Skeletal muscle mass (kg) will be estimated using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry values
- Cardiorespiratory Fitness [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Cardiorespiratory Fitness will be assessed with a cardiopulmonary exercise test using the Bruce protocol
- Strength in Bench Press [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Maximal strength bench press will be assessed using one repetition maximum test
- Strength in Leg Press [At baseline: 1 assessment point]
Maximal strength in leg press will be assessed using one repetition maximum test
- Changes in diet [through study completion, an average of 5 weeks]
Diet will be assessed using the a 24h dietary recall
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
Eumenorrheic females
-
Age 18-45 years old
-
BMI of 18.5-34.99 kg/m2
Exclusion Criteria:
-
Practice exercise more than 2 days/week in the last 3 months.
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Cardiovascular, metabolic, pulmonary or muscular-skeletal condition
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Taking medications that affect metabolism (e.g. oral contraceptives)
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Irregular menstrual cycles
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville | Illinois | United States | 62026 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Investigators
None specified.Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 111B