The Effects Of Menstrual Cycle Phase And 6-Km Time Trial On Psychological Responses

Based on the idea that menstrual cycle (MC) may impact psychological responses. It has been found that the menstrual and luteal phase is negatively linked to psychological responses during exercise. However, it has not cleared the effect of the MC on psychological responses to 6-km time trial (6 km-TT). PURPOSE: For this reason, the present study investigated the effect of MC on psychological responses to 6-km cycle ergometer time trial. METHODS: Twenty eumenorrheic women (age = 20 ± 2 years; BMI = 24 ± 3; VO2max = 31 ± 5 ml/kg/min) performed a 6-km cycling time trials during menstruation, luteal, and the follicular phase. Dependent variables of interest were time trial and psychological responses via profile of mood states questionnaire (POMS). POMS is tool that analyzes the different aspects of mood across 6 subscales (i.e., tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion). POMS was captured before and after 6-km time trial. One-way ANOVAs (phases) for time trial and factorial ANOVAs (phases x time) for POMS were conducted to compare responses. RESULTS: ANOVA revealed no differences among phases for time trial (p > 0.05). Main effects for time (p < 0.05) were observed for tension (reduction after 6 km-TT), Confusion (reduction after 6 km-TT). Main effect of phases was observed only for fatigue as participants arriving with more fatigue perceived during menstrual phase compared to follicular phase (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that no effects of menstrual cycle on 6 km-TT. A positive effect of this intervention was observed with reduction of tension and confusion responses. Moreover, this data demonstrated that menstrual cycle presented effect only for fatigue.