Research addressing the impact of menstrual cycle phases on daily physical activity in women with natural menstrual cycles

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the abstract and stated research gap and discussion of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 3 journals.

Supporting evidence — 3 representative gaps

• Strength-sport athlete and coach perspectives and training practices throughout the menstrual cycle (2026) · International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching · doi

  Despite increasing participation of female athletes in strength-sports such as weightlifting and powerlifting, there is limited research investigating how the menstrual cycle (MC) and MC-related symptoms may influence the strategies and training practices elite athletes and coaches employ to optimise training, wellbeing and competition outcomes.

  generalabstract
  Keywords: athletes training despite increasing participation female strength sports weightlifting powerlifting there limited investigating menstrual cycle
• Daily physical activity patterns across the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic female athletes: an accelerometry-based study (2026) · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · doi

  There is a lack of research addressing the impact of menstrual cycle phases on daily physical activity in women with natural menstrual cycles. Prior studies often lack rigorous hormonal verification. The study aims to fill this gap by examining variations in daily physical activity intensity and energy consumption across menstrual cycle phases.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there lack research addressing impact menstrual cycle phases
• Caffeine and physical performance in female intermittent sport athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis considering menstrual cycle phase (2026) · Frontiers in Nutrition · doi

  The present systematic review included nine studies (7, 9, 43–48, 53) and the meta-analysis included a subset of six studies (43–48), reflecting the limited evidence base. Together, these findings highlight a critical gap in the literature, as current study designs lack the methodological rigor required to robustly evaluate menstrual cycle–dependent responses to caffeine in female athletes. Thus, the primary contribu- tion of this review lies not only in synthesizing available evidence, but in demonstrating that current study designs are insufficient to robustly evaluate menstrual cycle–dependent responses to caffeine.

  generaldiscussionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: review included evidence current designs robustly evaluate menstrual cycle dependent responses caffeine present systematic nine

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