Female Sports Nutrition

This reference helps you talk about what you have learned with others. Talking Points also serve as a reminder for when, in the future, you want a refresher on the main highlights of this course. Schedule tea with a friend and have a conversation about this subject!

What specific nutrients do female athletes need to pay extra attention to?

There are a few micronutrients that female athletes may be more likely to fall short on. Athletes in general are at greater risk for iron depletion because strenuous exercise actually increases the turnover of red blood cells and temporarily blocks iron absorption. And the iron needs of female athletes are even higher, due to blood loss associated with the menstrual cycle.

Female athletes often don't get enough calcium. Fortunately, it's not hard to meet your requirements, if you make sure to eat dairy products, calcium-fortified foods and beverages, as well as certain green vegetables that are low in calcium-binding oxalates, such as broccoli, kale, bok choy, napa cabbage, turnip greens, mustard greens, and collards. Spinach, contrary to popular belief, is not a good source of calcium that your body can use.

Also, low levels of vitamin D are very common, especially it you spend a lot of time indoors or have naturally dark skin, and getting it tested at your doctor's office is not a bad idea. You can get vitamin D from sun exposure, certain foods, and supplementation!

How should I plan my nutrition around the monthly cycle?

First of all, making sure that you are taking in enough calories per day is always key, especially if you are training more than an hour per day.

Apart from that, the time of the month can guide some subtle changes to your nutrition plan. During the follicular phase (first half of the cycle), you may find that a higher carb lower fat diet works better for performance. But during the luteal phase (second half of the cycle), a slightly lower carb and higher fat diet might be a smart idea, due to somewhat reduced glucose tolerance. Also, post-workout protein intake is always smart, but consuming a little more protein around this time is smart to ensure better recovery from your training.

How should I plan my training around the monthly cycle?

In brief, the mid-luteal phase, or days 19-24 of your cycle, is the time of the month when you will benefit most from taking extra steps in your preparation. There is a small increase in core body temperature around this time that can make you less tolerant of heat when exercising and can make you feel fatigued faster.

Secondly, shifts in hormone levels around that time will cause increased body water losses, which also affects exercise performance, especially in the heat.

During this part of the cycle, focus more on the technical aspects of your sport, or maybe go for a longer duration endurance run, rather than attempt maximal intensity lifts or perform high- intensity sprint intervals. Instead, save your harder workouts, if you can, for the first half of the cycle.

What if I need to train intensely (or compete) during the latter half of the menstrual cycle?

Taking in some extra carbs around your workouts can help cancel out the negative impact of the mid-luteal phase on your training. When female athletes were given 65 grams of carbohydrates during the luteal phase while doing a hard workout, their performance was not only improved, but it became similar to what it would have been during the follicular phase. Also, focus on taking in extra fluids due to increased water losses around that time.