Female Athletes - Fuel All Cycle Long

While a well-balanced diet is recommended throughout the entire menstrual cycle, focus on a few key habits to support your body during this phase and through menstruation:

Hey ladies! Do you frequently hear that hormone shifts and your menstrual cycle impact your nutrition? Well, it’s true! Recent research has outlined key changes in the female body which consequently changes your nutrient needs.

Females have two key hormones regulating the menstrual cycle:

• Estrogen: a steroid hormone responsible for reproductive health, food intake, fat distribution, and insulin sensitivity

• Progesterone: a hormone needed to shed the uterine lining that causes shifts in electrolyte balance and may inhibit muscle growth

The concentrations of these two hormones shift throughout the different phases of the menstrual cycle, leading to fluctuations in fluid status and core body temperature as well as changes to the hormone, ghrelin, which triggers your brain/body to eat more food. For example, progesterone increases during the luteal phase, which increases ghrelin as well as core body temperature. It’s common for you to feel hungrier than normal during this phase due to this stimulated appetite and slight increase in energy expenditure.

While a well-balanced diet is recommended throughout the entire menstrual cycle, focus on a few key habits to support your body during this phase and through menstruation:

• Drink adequate fluids (~91 oz per day) to offset imbalances that naturally occur with menstruation.

• Snack on high protein foods and/or healthy fats to control your hunger between meals.

  • Examples: nuts, Greek yogurt, pumpkin seeds with fruit, or veggies with hummus or guacamole

• Eat healthy carbohydrates an hour before working out to fuel your body.

  • Examples: a banana or small apple, toast with nut butter, oatmeal, or a yogurt with granola

• Consume a high-protein meal or snack within 30 minutes of exercising to support muscle mass.

  • Examples: scrambled eggs with avocado toast, chicken salad sandwich with veggies, homemade smoothie with protein powder

Lastly, in certain instances, supplementation may be appropriate. A few substances that may provide benefit are:

• Caffeine: This can improve alertness while reducing fatigue. Try incorporating natural sources such as unsweetened tea or coffee.

• Iron: iron deficiency is 5-7 times more common in women than men due to the loss of blood during menstruation. Consider getting iron levels checked regularly and if necessary, add a supplement to maintain adequate levels. A dietitian can also help you incorporate more iron-rich foods into your diet.

• Creatine: This can help with muscle building and performance, especially during short-duration, higher intensity, exercise, like lifting or sprinting.

If you have questions regarding how your nutrition needs change during your cycle (or want to dive into your individual needs for the nutrients discussed), considering making an appointment with one of our dietitians!