Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results
Introduction Hormonal contraceptives, particularly oral contraceptives (OC), are commonly used by female athletes to regulate menstrual cycles, manage hormonal fluctuations, and prevent unwanted pregnancies. With an increasing number of women competing at elite levels, a central question emerges...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Kazimierz Wielki University
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Education, Health and Sport |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/57694 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1823865335376248832 |
|---|---|
| author | Dominika Lewandowska Dominika Rosińska-Lewandoska Dominika Strep Anna Podraza Julia Grabowska Maciej Kwiatkowski Patryk Romańczyk Julia Białczak Weronika Kanownik Jakub Rosiński |
| author_facet | Dominika Lewandowska Dominika Rosińska-Lewandoska Dominika Strep Anna Podraza Julia Grabowska Maciej Kwiatkowski Patryk Romańczyk Julia Białczak Weronika Kanownik Jakub Rosiński |
| author_sort | Dominika Lewandowska |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Hormonal contraceptives, particularly oral contraceptives (OC), are commonly used by female athletes to regulate menstrual cycles, manage hormonal fluctuations, and prevent unwanted pregnancies. With an increasing number of women competing at elite levels, a central question emerges: can OC use influence key aspects of performance—such as strength, endurance, and mood stability—and thereby affect competitive outcomes?
Analysis of the Literature
Findings regarding the impact of OC on athletic outcomes remain inconsistent. Some investigators report slight reductions in muscle strength and cardiorespiratory capacity, possibly linked to hormonal shifts or metabolic alterations. Others note minimal or negligible changes, pointing to variables such as training volume, sport-specific demands, and the athlete’s inherent physiological profile. Additionally, certain studies underscore potential mood-related benefits, including more stable emotional states that might support training compliance. These varying conclusions highlight the multifactorial nature of OC use, emphasizing the importance of personalization and monitoring to capture individual responses.
Conclusions
Overall, the relationship between oral contraceptive use and athletic performance is complex and appears to be highly individualized. While some athletes may observe modest shifts in physical or psychological parameters, others remain largely unaffected. Further, well-controlled research is needed to clarify these effects, enabling more targeted guidance for both athletes and healthcare professionals.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-faff68a8727943638a513df180fa6ce0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2391-8306 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Kazimierz Wielki University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Education, Health and Sport |
| spelling | doaj-art-faff68a8727943638a513df180fa6ce02025-02-08T08:18:27ZengKazimierz Wielki UniversityJournal of Education, Health and Sport2391-83062025-02-017810.12775/JEHS.2025.78.57694Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive resultsDominika Lewandowska0https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8297-9296Dominika Rosińska-Lewandoska1https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2205-0813Dominika Strep2https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1931-5059Anna Podraza3https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4214-3882Julia Grabowska4https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3715-8498Maciej Kwiatkowski5https://orcid.org/0009-0004-8304-5454Patryk Romańczyk6https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6284-5354Julia Białczak7https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1881-1820Weronika Kanownik8https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7298-604XJakub Rosiński9https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3571-8578nOvum Medical Clinic, Bociania Street 13, 02-807 Warsaw, PolandMunicipal Public Health Care Facility in Łask, Polna 12, 98-100 Łask, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, PolandMedical University of Lodz, al. Tadeusza Kościuszki 4, 90-419 Lodz, Poland Introduction Hormonal contraceptives, particularly oral contraceptives (OC), are commonly used by female athletes to regulate menstrual cycles, manage hormonal fluctuations, and prevent unwanted pregnancies. With an increasing number of women competing at elite levels, a central question emerges: can OC use influence key aspects of performance—such as strength, endurance, and mood stability—and thereby affect competitive outcomes? Analysis of the Literature Findings regarding the impact of OC on athletic outcomes remain inconsistent. Some investigators report slight reductions in muscle strength and cardiorespiratory capacity, possibly linked to hormonal shifts or metabolic alterations. Others note minimal or negligible changes, pointing to variables such as training volume, sport-specific demands, and the athlete’s inherent physiological profile. Additionally, certain studies underscore potential mood-related benefits, including more stable emotional states that might support training compliance. These varying conclusions highlight the multifactorial nature of OC use, emphasizing the importance of personalization and monitoring to capture individual responses. Conclusions Overall, the relationship between oral contraceptive use and athletic performance is complex and appears to be highly individualized. While some athletes may observe modest shifts in physical or psychological parameters, others remain largely unaffected. Further, well-controlled research is needed to clarify these effects, enabling more targeted guidance for both athletes and healthcare professionals. https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/57694hormonal contraceptionoral contraceptivesathletic performancestrengthendurancemood |
| spellingShingle | Dominika Lewandowska Dominika Rosińska-Lewandoska Dominika Strep Anna Podraza Julia Grabowska Maciej Kwiatkowski Patryk Romańczyk Julia Białczak Weronika Kanownik Jakub Rosiński Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results Journal of Education, Health and Sport hormonal contraception oral contraceptives athletic performance strength endurance mood |
| title | Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results |
| title_full | Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results |
| title_fullStr | Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results |
| title_short | Hormonal Contraceptives and Athletic Outcomes - analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength, endurance, mood, and overall competitive results |
| title_sort | hormonal contraceptives and athletic outcomes analysis of potential effects of oral contraceptives on strength endurance mood and overall competitive results |
| topic | hormonal contraception oral contraceptives athletic performance strength endurance mood |
| url | https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/57694 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dominikalewandowska hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT dominikarosinskalewandoska hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT dominikastrep hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT annapodraza hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT juliagrabowska hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT maciejkwiatkowski hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT patrykromanczyk hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT juliabiałczak hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT weronikakanownik hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults AT jakubrosinski hormonalcontraceptivesandathleticoutcomesanalysisofpotentialeffectsoforalcontraceptivesonstrengthendurancemoodandoverallcompetitiveresults |