IT IS DUBBED ‘the curse’ and is indeed the scourge of many women’s lives, with the hormonal flux of the monthly menstrual cycle being blamed for everything from mood swings to over-eating. But what is really going on? There are distinct phases of a 28-day menstrual cycle: the first is menstruation, which lasts 4-5 days and in which levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone levels are both low.
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Hormonal fluctuations can affect female athletes in positive and negative ways
In the second (follicular) phase, oestrogen levels peak before dropping slightly during the third (early luteal) phase when progesterone levels rise. In the late luteal phase towards the end of the cycle, both oestrogen and progesterone levels drop rapidly before menstruation begins again. For some female athletes, hormonal rollercoaster of the cycle affects quality and quantity of training as well as predisposing them to a higher risk of injury.