Hormones influence women's exercise performance, but not as you'd expect, finds research

Medical Xpress

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. The paper is published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.