Abstract
Executive Summary
• This report documents the findings of a collaborative research project between British Cycling and UK Sport conducted between September and November 2009 entitled ‘Hormonal Monitoring of Sprint Cyclists’.
• The research team included: Iain Dyer and Jan van Eiden (project directors), Dr Scott Drawer, Dr Christian Cook and Dr Matt Parker (project advisors), Dr Nikolai Boehlke (project coordinator), Oliver Peacock and Al Smith (research scientists), Esme Taylor and Duncan Locke (project support).
• The purpose of this study was to:
o Describe hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle in 3 elite female sprint cyclists over an 8 week training block.
o Describe changes in hormonal markers across a 3 week training period in elite male and female cyclists.
o Correlate hormonal changes (where possible) with training performance and other physiological/psychological parameters.
o Inform future research targeting key performance questions.
• Eleven elite sprint cyclists (8 male and 3 female) were recruited from the British Cycling sprint squad.
o Salvia samples were collected every morning on waking and immediately before and after all training sessions for 3 weeks.
o A mood score questionnaire was completed every morning and ear temperature was recorded prior to exercise sessions.
o Females also recorded ear temperature on waking and continued with baseline sampling for a further 5 weeks.
• Main findings:
o Only 1 female athlete had a clear fluctuation in estradiol that may be considered indicative of a normal menstrual cycle.
o Disparate hormonal responses were shown both within and between female athletes across different types of training.
o Males had slightly low (compared to other power athletes) waking testosterone values which may reflect an adaptation that allowed a large signal response to training (signal response is believed very important as a training outcome).
o Hormonal responses to track sessions in males showed a different pattern of response for training age and was speculated to reflect better stress resilience in the mature athlete group.
• This report documents the findings of a collaborative research project between British Cycling and UK Sport conducted between September and November 2009 entitled ‘Hormonal Monitoring of Sprint Cyclists’.
• The research team included: Iain Dyer and Jan van Eiden (project directors), Dr Scott Drawer, Dr Christian Cook and Dr Matt Parker (project advisors), Dr Nikolai Boehlke (project coordinator), Oliver Peacock and Al Smith (research scientists), Esme Taylor and Duncan Locke (project support).
• The purpose of this study was to:
o Describe hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle in 3 elite female sprint cyclists over an 8 week training block.
o Describe changes in hormonal markers across a 3 week training period in elite male and female cyclists.
o Correlate hormonal changes (where possible) with training performance and other physiological/psychological parameters.
o Inform future research targeting key performance questions.
• Eleven elite sprint cyclists (8 male and 3 female) were recruited from the British Cycling sprint squad.
o Salvia samples were collected every morning on waking and immediately before and after all training sessions for 3 weeks.
o A mood score questionnaire was completed every morning and ear temperature was recorded prior to exercise sessions.
o Females also recorded ear temperature on waking and continued with baseline sampling for a further 5 weeks.
• Main findings:
o Only 1 female athlete had a clear fluctuation in estradiol that may be considered indicative of a normal menstrual cycle.
o Disparate hormonal responses were shown both within and between female athletes across different types of training.
o Males had slightly low (compared to other power athletes) waking testosterone values which may reflect an adaptation that allowed a large signal response to training (signal response is believed very important as a training outcome).
o Hormonal responses to track sessions in males showed a different pattern of response for training age and was speculated to reflect better stress resilience in the mature athlete group.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Commissioning body | UK Sport |
| Number of pages | 93 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2010 |