DataSheet1_Menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptive phases’ effect on elite rowers’ training, performance and wellness.docx

Objectives: To investigate the effect of menstrual cycle (MC) and hormonal contraception (HC) phases in elite rowers training, performance and wellness monitoring.
Methods: Twelve French elite rowers were follow-up for 4,2 cycles on average in their final preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Tokyo 2021 through an on-site longitudinal study based on repeated measures. Daily self-reported evaluation using Likert rating scales of wellness (sleep quality, fitness, mood, injuries’ pain), menstrual symptoms and training parameters (perceived exertion and self-assessment of performance) were collected (n = 1,281) in parallel to a coach evaluation of rowers’ performance (n = 136), blinded to theirs MC and HC phases. Salivary samples of estradiol and progesterone were collected in each cycle to help to classify the MC into 6 phases and HC into 2–3 phases depending on the pills’ hormone concentration. A chi-square test normalized by each rower was used to compare the upper quintile scores of each studied variable across phases. A Bayesian ordinal logistic regression was applied to model the rowers’ self-reported performance.
Results: Rowers with a natural cycle, n = 6 ( + 1 amenorrhea) evaluate their performance and wellness with significant higher score indices at the middle of their cycle. Top assessments are rarer at the premenstrual and menses phases, when they more frequently experience menstrual symptoms which are negatively correlated with their performance. The HC rowers, n = 5, also better evaluate their performance when taking the pills and more frequently experience menstrual symptoms during the pill withdrawal. The athletes self-reported performance is correlated with their coach’s evaluation.
Conclusion: It seems important to integrate MC and HC data in the wellness and training monitoring of female athletes since these parameters vary across hormonal phases affecting training perception of both athlete and coach.

研究目的：探究月经周期（menstrual cycle, MC）与激素避孕（hormonal contraception, HC）阶段对精英赛艇运动员的训练、运动表现及健康监测的影响。
研究方法：本研究采用基于重复测量的现场纵向研究设计，对12名法国精英赛艇运动员进行随访，平均随访4.2个周期，覆盖其备战2021年东京奥运会及残奥会的最终备战阶段。研究收集两类数据：其一为运动员每日采用李克特量表（Likert rating scales）自评的健康状况（睡眠质量、体能状态、情绪、损伤疼痛程度）、月经症状及训练参数（自觉运动强度与表现自评），累计有效数据共1281份；其二为教练对运动员运动表现的评估数据共136份，且研究采用盲法设计，即教练对运动员的月经周期与激素避孕阶段不知情。此外，本研究在每个周期收集唾液样本以检测雌二醇与孕酮水平，据此将自然月经周期划分为6个阶段，根据口服避孕药的激素浓度将激素避孕周期划分为2~3个阶段。统计分析环节，采用经每名运动员个体标准化的卡方检验（chi-square test），比较各阶段各研究变量的上五分位得分差异；采用贝叶斯序数逻辑回归（Bayesian ordinal logistic regression）构建运动员的自评表现预测模型。
研究结果：结果显示，6名具有自然月经周期的运动员（含1名闭经者）在月经周期中期的表现与健康自评得分显著更高；经前期与月经期的自评结果相对更差，此阶段运动员更常出现月经症状，且该症状与运动表现呈负相关。5名采用激素避孕的运动员在服药期间的自评表现更佳，且在停药期更常出现月经症状。此外，运动员的自评表现与教练的评估结果呈显著相关。
研究结论：将月经周期与激素避孕数据纳入女性运动员的健康及训练监测体系具有重要意义，因为激素阶段的变化会影响运动员与教练对训练状态的感知。