HES 490 - Women Are Not Just Small Men A Literature Review of Hormonal Influences on Female Physiology, Athletic Performance, and Lifespan Phases (2)
This literature review, authored by Kelsie Vankoughnett for a Health and Exercise Sciences project at UBC‑Okanagan, synthesizes current research on how female‑specific hormonal fluctuations shape physiology, performance, injury risk, and mental health across the lifespan. The work begins by contrasting the hormonal parity of pre‑pubertal boys and girls with the dramatic divergence during puberty, where rising testosterone in males and estrogen in females drive sex‑based differences in muscle mass, aerobic capacity, and neuromuscular traits. It then details the menstrual cycle’s four phases, linking estrogen‑driven anabolic windows in the follicular phase to strength gains, and progesterone‑dominated luteal phases to increased appetite, fatigue, and ligament laxity, while highlighting the added complexity of hormonal contraceptives and RED‑S risk. The review proceeds to pregnancy, outlining trimester‑specific hormonal environments, recommended resistance‑training adaptations, and postpartum recovery timelines, emphasizing pre‑conception training and pelvic‑floor considerations. Perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause are examined for their abrupt estrogen loss, associated metabolic and musculoskeletal declines, and evidence‑based exercise prescriptions (strength, aerobic, balance) that mitigate sarcopenia and mood disturbances. A critical section exposes systemic gender bias in sport‑science research and coaching, noting under‑representation of women in authorship, lack of menstrual‑cycle considerations in study designs, and stereotype threat that hampers female athletes. The author calls for hormone‑informed coaching, inclusive curricula, and robust longitudinal studies to fill gaps in puberty‑specific adaptations, phase‑based periodization, contraceptive effects, and menopause training protocols. Throughout, the review balances rigorous citation of empirical findings with practical recommendations for coaches, clinicians, and educators, and acknowledges the use of AI‑assisted writing tools. The conclusion reiterates that women’s hormonal landscapes demand tailored, evidence‑based training models to optimize performance, health, and empowerment across the lifespan.
Topics
Puberty Hormonal Divergence: Foundations of Sex‑Based Athletic Differences
Explains how the surge in testosterone in boys and modest estrogen rise in girls during puberty creates distinct trajectories in muscle fiber development, body composition, aerobic capacity, and neuromuscular coordination, and discusses the implications for gender‑neutral versus gender‑specific training in adolescents.
Menstrual Cycle Phase‑Specific Physiology: Performance, Appetite, and Injury Risk
Details the four menstrual phases (menstruation, follicular, ovulation, luteal), linking hormonal fluctuations to anabolic potential, strength peaks, appetite changes, ligament laxity, and psychological symptoms, and provides evidence‑based guidance for phase‑aware training, nutrition, and RED‑S monitoring.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Hormonal Landscape: Safe, Progressive Exercise Strategies
Summarizes hormonal shifts across trimesters, their effects on fatigue, joint laxity, and metabolic health, and outlines trimester‑specific resistance‑training protocols, pelvic‑floor emphasis, and postpartum timelines for returning to high‑intensity sport, highlighting pre‑conception training benefits.
Midlife Transitions: Perimenopause, Menopause, and Postmenopause Training Imperatives
Analyzes the abrupt estrogen decline during perimenopause and menopause, associated changes in body composition, bone density, and mood, and recommends progressive strength, aerobic, and balance programs, as well as considerations for hormone therapy and community‑based support.
Gender Bias in Sport Science and Coaching: Structural Barriers to Female‑Centric Knowledge
Critiques the male‑centric research paradigm, under‑representation of women in authorship and editorial roles, neglect of menstrual variables in study designs, stereotype threat, and coach education gaps, arguing these biases perpetuate ineffective training models for women.
Future Directions: Research, Education, and Practice Priorities for Hormone‑Informed Athlete Support
Identifies high‑impact knowledge gaps (puberty muscle adaptation, contraceptive effects, menopause protocols), proposes longitudinal and mechanistic studies, calls for curriculum reform to embed hormone‑aware content, and suggests immediate coach‑education interventions to normalize hormonal health discussions.
Methodological Transparency and AI‑Assisted Writing Acknowledgement
Notes the author’s use of AI tools (ChatGPT) for drafting and editing, while affirming that all interpretations and conclusions are original, underscoring ethical transparency in scholarly production.