| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to identify and confirm
biochemically three phases of the menstrual cycle in 14 well
conditioned athletes and then to examine the effects of the
various phases on work capacity, perceived exertion and
lactic acid accumulation following individualized work
tasks. Radioimmunoassays of plasma estradiol and progesterone
were used to confirm the midluteal and mid-follicular
phases of the cycle. Subjects performed a 12 minute sub- •
maximal work task consisting of 3 minutes at 60%, 3 minutes
at 70% and 6 minutes at 80% of their measured maximum work
capacity. Perceived exertion was recorded every 2 minutes
using the Borg 15 Point Scale. After a 15 minute rest the
subjects were asked to run as long as they could at a work rate corresponding to 100% of their maximum work capacity.
Blood samples were drawn for lactic acid assays prior to the
start of the initial run, 2 minutes after the sub-maximal
run and 5 minutes after the run to exhaustion.
The phase of cycle had no influence on perceived exertion
or on lactic acid accumulation. Maximum run times to
exhaustion increased significantly (p < .05) in the midfollicular
and midluteal phases when compared to day 1. The
average increases were 17.9% and 40.2% respectively. These
findings indicate that work capacity is maximal in the
midluteal phase. | |
