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Hormonal fluctuations effects on women’s exercise performance

UO research advances understanding of hormones and women’s exercise performance
Fluctuations across the menstrual cycle don’t affect ability to exercise hard, but they do change how hard that work feels
Story by Jude Coleman
March 2, 2026
Female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone fluctuate monthly across the menstrual cycle, affecting moods and energy levels. New research from the University of Oregon finds that those fluctuations don’t change a woman’s ability to exercise hard, but they do influence how difficult that work feels.