Although an often taboo topic, menstruating athletes and student-athletes are relearning to ‘sync’ up their cycles with their workout routines and become more in tune with their bodies. Professional athletes are beginning to voice their perspectives and they are in turn empowering younger athletes to speak up about the topic.

Mikaela Shiffrin, a two-time gold medal winner and no stranger to slopes, only recently shared her experiences navigating her menstruation while being an athlete. The skier, who has the most wins in World Cup history regardless of gender, spoke to the Times about her performance following her 88th victory and said that she was exhausted and felt ‘off’ before the race, noting it was “an unfortunate time of my monthly cycle.” She expressed some embarrassment while commenting on this, and noted that she maybe should not speak about this topic.

Female athletes are subject to disproportionate treatment and different questions than their male counterparts, but the effect of menstrual cycles and hormone fluctuations on sports and their athletic performance is often overlooked. Anatomy and physiology are typically taken into account for the differences between sexes, however, hormonal changes play a larger role in athletic performance than many think.

The National Library of Medicine recently published new findings about the challenges that menstruation can create. The authors, many of whom are women working in sports medicine, laid out the three phases of hormonal fluctuation during the four stages of menstruation. This detailed summary not only recognized that estrogen promotes muscle strength but also that the lack or loss of estrogen (in menopause), detracts from an athlete’s overall capabilities. 

The findings from this article found a slight, imperceptible difference between performance at differing levels of estrogen and progesterone, thus, there is no clear scientific effect that can be claimed, but for elite athletes, or Olympians like Mikaela Shiffrin, this small difference in hormones can certainly make a difference in performance.

Downplaying symptoms and invalidating the strong physical and mental effects of menstruation is unfortunately all too common in menstruating athletes. Symptoms such as fatigue, headache, abdominal cramps, nausea, and breast pain all affect performance, and these are just as important as more commonly talked about areas such as nutrition, injury, and recovery. Menstruation certainly also affects energy levels. 

In February 2023, professional golfer “Tiger Woods slipped a tampon into fellow player Justin Thomas’s hand after outdriving him on the ninth hole during the first round of the Genesis Invitational. Not only did Woods imply that Thomas played like a girl, but he did so by reinforcing the notion that the menstrual cycle is a handicap to athletic performance.” This blatant discrimination and sexism hinders progress and is just one instance of discrimination in history – this goes all the way back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, who proclaimed that women should not exercise while menstruating.

The overall discussion of women’s reproduction and menstrual cycles is nearly forbidden within society, and the lack of dialogue as a whole is incredibly discouraging to young athletes. To combat this, athletes, coaches, and parents need to open discussion and break the stigma of speaking about menstruation so that female athletes are not shamed. Without proper support and dialogue, menstruating athletes, unlike other athletes, can also be susceptible to quitting and giving up on athletic careers much earlier than their peers.

These issues are not only persistent in the larger sports landscape but also in our own courts and fields at Brandeis. Erin Hunt ’26, a softball player, spoke with The Justice about her own experiences. In response to whether or not she feels the effects of her period on her athletic performance, Hunt noted, “Yes! I feel both physically and mentally affected by my period, which has many implications for my athletic performance. Often I feel quite a bit weaker, slower, and more easily fatigued when I’m on [my period].” 

While it may seem that the sports industry is changing, there is a severe problem growing and its growth is only possible through silence. Luckily, change is coming and more athletes are raising their voices about this important social issue. One recent example is the term “cycle syncing workout” becoming a top Google Search term in 2022. As women have increasingly begun to want to work with their body’s natural biological rhythms, they have recognized ways to alleviate their struggles. Through these methods, symptoms are easier managed and better training can happen. 

As women move from working against periods and menstruation to working in tandem with hormones, the possibilities are endless for menstruating athletes. Athletics are all about enhancing one’s performance and competing to the very best of one’s ability. Therefore, menstruation should be a part of every conversation regarding menstruating athlete’s performance.