Summary
Conditioning exercise decreased premenstrual symptoms during 3 months of a prospective controlled training study. Eight women with normal ovulatory menstrual cycles began a running exercise training programme while completing intensity-graded questionnaires concerning molimina. Six sedentary control women followed the same protocol for 3 months but did not exercise. Oral basal temperatures evaluated by mean temperature analysis were obtained for all cycles. Exercise distance and time, average exercise heart rate, basal and maximal heart rate and body weights were recorded prospectively and evaluated during the control (0) and 3rd month of the study. Mid-luteal phase progesterone and estrogen levels were sampled during the analyzed cycles for the exercise group.
Molimina did not change over 3 months time in the control group. The exercise group, after increasing distance run to 51.0±18.1 km/cycle at 3 months, showed decreases in overall molimina (scores on a 9-point scale) 6.5±1.8 to 3.5±0.9, p<0.01). Breast symptoms decreased from 8.3±0.7, p<0.005. Fluid symptoms also decreased from 7.3±1.8 to 5.5±0.9, p<0.025.
Menstrual cycle intervals, luteal lengths, body weights and mid-luteal estrogen and progesterone levels were normal and unchanged. Moderate exercise training without major weight, hormonal or menstrual cycle alteration significantly decreased premenstrual symptoms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banister EW, Hamilton CL (1985) Variations in iron status with fatigue modelled from training female distance runners. Eur J Appl Physiol 54:16–23
Bonen A, Beicastro AN, Simpson AA (1981) Profiles of menstrual cycle hormones in teenage athletes. J Appl Physiol 50:545–551
Boyden TW, Parmenter RW, Stanforth P, Rotkis T, Wilmore J (1983) Sex steroids and endurance running in women. Fertil Steril 39:629–632
Bullen BA, Skrinar GS, Beitins IZ, von Mering G, Turnball BA, McArthur JW (1985) Induction of menstrual disorders by strenuous exercise in untrained women. N Engl J Med 312:1349–1353
Carr DB, Bullen BA, Skrinar GS, Arnold MA, Rosenblatt M, Beitins IZ, Martins JB, McArthur JW (1981) Physical conditioning facilitates exercise-induced secretion of beta-endorphin and beta-lipotrophin in women. New Eng J Med 305:560–563
Cumming DC, Vickovic MM, Wall SR, Fluker MR (1985) Defects in pulsatile LH release in normally menstruating runners. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 60:810–812
Dalton K (1964) The premenstrual syndrome. Whitefriar Press Ltd, London and Tonbridge
Hartley LM, Mason JW, Hogan RP, Jones LG, Kotchen TA, Mougey EH, Wherry FE, Pennington LL, Rickets PT (1972) Multiple hormonal responses to prolonged exercise in relation to physical training. J Appl Physiol 33:607–610
Giannini AJ, Price WA, Loiselle RH (1984) Beta-endorphin withdraw: A possible cause of premenstrual tension syndrome. Int J Psychophysiol 1:341–343
Ho Yuen B, McComb P, Sy L, Lewis J, Cannon W (1979) Plasma prolactin, human chorionic gonadotrophin, estradiol, testosterone and progesterone in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Am J Obstet Gynecol 133:316–320
Israel SL, Sutton M, O'Brien (1985) Effects of aerobic training on primary dysmenorrhea symptomatology in college females. J Am College Health 33:241–244
Jurkowski JE, Jones ML, Walker C (1978) Ovarian hormonal responses to exercise. J Appl Physiol 44:109–114
Magyar DM, Boyers SP, Marshall JR, Abraham GE (1979) Regular menstrual cycles and premenstrual molimina as indicators of ovulation. Obstet Gynecol 53:411–414
Prior JC, Ho Yuen B, Clement P, Bowie L, Thomas J (1982a) Reversible luteal phase changes and infertility associated with marathon training. Lancet 1:269–270
Prior JC, Cameron K, Ho Yuen, Thomas J (1982b) Menstrual cycle changes with marathon training: Anovulation and short luteal phase. Can J Appl Sport Sci 7:173–177
Prior JC (1985) Luteal phase defects and anovulation. In: Rebar RW (ed) Adaptive alterations occurring with conditioning exercise. Seminars Repr Endocrinol 3:27–33
Prior JC, Vigna Y (1986) The therapy of reproductive system changes associated with exercise. In: Puhl JL, Brown CH (eds) The menstrual cycle and physical activity. Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, I11
Reid RL, Yen SSC (1983) The premenstrual syndrome. Clin Obstet Gynecol 26:710–718
Rubinow DR, Roy-Burne P, Hoban HC, Gold PW, Post RM (1984) Prospective assessment of menstrually related mood disorders. Am J Psychiat 141:684–686
Sampson GA, Prescott P (1981) The assessment of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and their response to therapy. Br J Psychiat 138:399–405
Shangold M, Freeman R, Thysen B, Gatz M (1979) The relationship between long-distance running, plasma progesterone, and luteal phase length. Fertil Steril 31:130–133
Thomas AE, McKay DA, Cutlip MB (1976) A normograph method for assessing body weight. Am J Clin Nutrit 29:302–304
Timonen S, Procope BJ (1971) Premenstrual syndrome and physical exercise. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 50:331–337
Vollman RF (1977) The menstrual cycle. In: Freeman EA (ed) Major Problems in Obstetrics and Gynecology, vol 7. WB Saunders Co, Toronto
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prior, J.C., Vigna, Y. & Alojada, N. Conditioning exercise decreases premenstrual symptoms. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 55, 349–355 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422732
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422732