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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Changhyun LimORCiD
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© 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society. Abstract: It has been hypothesised that skeletal muscle protein turnover is affected by menstrual cycle phase with a more anabolic environment during the follicular vs. the luteal phase. We assessed the influence of menstrual cycle phase on muscle protein synthesis and myofibrillar protein breakdown in response to 6 days of controlled resistance exercise in young females during peak oestrogen and peak progesterone, using stable isotopes, unbiased metabolomics and muscle biopsies. We used comprehensive menstrual cycle phase-detection methods, including cycle tracking, blood samples and urinary test kits, to classify menstrual phases. Participants (n = 12) completed two 6 day study phases in a randomised order: late follicular phase and mid-luteal phase. Participants performed unilateral resistance exercise in each menstrual cycle phase, exercising the contralateral leg in each phase in a counterbalanced manner. Follicular phase myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) rates were 1.33 ± 0.27% h−1 in the control leg and 1.52 ± 0.27% h−1 in the exercise leg. Luteal phase MPS was 1.28 ± 0.27% h−1 in the control leg and 1.46 ± 0.25% h−1 in the exercise leg. We observed a significant effect of exercise (P < 0.001) but no effect of cycle phase or interaction. There was no significant effect of menstrual cycle phase on whole-body myofibrillar protein breakdown (P = 0.24). Using unbiased metabolomics, we observed no notable phase-specific changes in circulating blood metabolites associated with any particular menstrual cycle phase. Fluctuations in endogenous ovarian hormones influenced neither MPS, nor MPB in response to resistance exercise. Skeletal muscle is not more anabolically responsive to resistance exercise in a particular menstrual cycle phase. (Figure presented.). Key points: It has been hypothesised that the follicular (peak oestrogen) vs. the luteal (peak progesterone) phase of the menstrual cycle is more advantageous for skeletal muscle anabolism in response to resistance exercise. Using best practice methods to assess menstrual cycle status, we measured integrated (over 6 days) muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and myofibrillar protein breakdown (MPB) following resistance exercise in females (n = 12) in their follicular and luteal phases. We observed the expected differences in oestrogen and progesterone concentrations that confirmed our participants’ menstrual cycle phase; however, there were no notable metabolic pathway differences, as measured using metabolomics, between cycle phases. We observed that resistance exercise stimulated MPS, but there was no effect of menstrual cycle phase on either resting or exercise-stimulated MPS or MPB. Our data show no greater anabolic effect of resistance exercise in the follicular vs. the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
Author(s): Colenso-Semple LM, McKendry J, Lim C, Atherton PJ, Wilkinson DJ, Smith K, Phillips SM
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Journal of Physiology
Year: 2024
Volume: 603
Issue: 5
Pages: 1109-1121
Online publication date: 04/12/2024
Acceptance date: 24/10/2024
Date deposited: 17/12/2024
ISSN (print): 0022-3751
ISSN (electronic): 1469-7793
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1113/JP287342
DOI: 10.1113/JP287342
Data Access Statement: Data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.
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