The Effect of the Menstrual Cycle on Immune Cell Activity and Recovery After Resistance Exercise
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Resistance exercise, Menstrual Cycle Phases.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Healthy Women, Menstruation, Resistance Exercise. Basic parameters: 18 years — 40 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
The Impact of the Menstrual Cycle on Innate Immune Cell Activation, Recruitment, and Adhesion Dynamics During Recovery From Damaging Resistance Exercise: Role of Neutrophils and Systemic Chemokines.
Overview
The goal of this observational study is to learn how the menstrual cycle affects immune cell activation, recruitment, and recovery responses after resistance exercise in healthy, resistance-trained women aged 18-40. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the menstrual cycle influence neutrophil recruitment and adhesion after resistance exercise? Does the menstrual cycle affect markers of muscle damage and functional recovery? Researchers will compare three menstrual phases (early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal) to see if immune responses and recovery outcomes differ across these phases. Participants will: Complete resistance exercise protocols across three different menstrual cycle phases. Provide blood samples to assess immune cell activation and muscle damage markers. Track sleep, mood, and recovery with questionnaires and wear an accelerometer.
Interventions
- Other Resistance exercise
Resistance Exercise Protocols: Participants will perform exercises, including belt squats, hex bar deadlifts, and plyometric drop jumps. The load and intensity will be standardized based on each participant's 1-repetition maximum (1RM) to ensure uniformity across trials. - Other Menstrual Cycle Phases
Menstrual Cycle Phases: The key exposure variable is the phase of the menstrual cycle, with participants being assessed during the early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases.
Primary outcome measures
- Neutrophil Recruitment and Adhesion Dynamics [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Systemic Concentrations of CXCL8 [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Muscle Function and Recovery- Active Range of Motion [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Muscle Function and Recovery- Pain Pressure Threshold [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Muscle Function and Recovery - Countermovement Jump [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Muscle Function and Recovery - Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
Secondary outcome measures (12)
- Systemic Concentrations of Myoglobin [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Systemic Concentrations of Creatine kinase [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Systemic Concentrations of C-Reactive Protein [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Measures of Perceived Recovery [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Measures of Perceived Recovery [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Measures of Fatigue [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Measures of Soreness [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Sleep Quality [Time frame: Time Frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Subjective Sleep Quality [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Objective Sleep Quality [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Mood [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
- Menstrual Distress [Time frame: From enrollment, through study completion, an average of 4 months.]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Women between the ages of 18 and 40.
- Must weigh at least 110 pounds.
- Healthy as determined by medical history, physical activity readiness, and menstrual cycle questionnaires.
- Actively resistance training for at least 6 months (minimum of 3 resistance training sessions per week, with at least one lower body session).
- Pre-menopausal and have a regular menstrual cycle (eumenorrheic), with a clear start of menses (early follicular phase).
- Not currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study.
- Have not used hormonal birth control or intrauterine devices in the past 3 months (or three full menstrual cycles).
- Able to recall approximate start dates of their last 6 menstrual cycles.
- Willing to follow study instructions, including avoiding exercise, alcohol, and caffeine before testing visits.
- Free from previous or current lower body injuries that could limit performance.
- Not regularly taking any medications that could interfere with the study.
- Determined to have a high likelihood of successful blood draws by a certified phlebotomist.
Exclusion criteria
- Do not give consent to participate.
- Have been determined unfit to participate based on medical or activity history (using health questionnaires).
- Currently take prescription or over-the-counter medication that could affect the study results.
- Have a chronic illness requiring medical care.
- Not currently resistance-trained (don't meet the exercise requirement).
- Pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study.
- Do not have regular periods or have been diagnosed as amenorrhoeic (absence of menstruation).
- Currently taking any performance-enhancing drugs.
- Currently using hormonal birth control or intrauterine devices (IUDs), or have used them in the past three months (or three full menstrual cycles).
- Determined unlikely to have a successful blood draw by a trained phlebotomist.
- Weigh less than 110 pounds.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- University of Central Florida — Orlando
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06985420 · STUDY00006956