Editorial: The physiology of the female athlete—performance, health, and recovery

Abstract

Females are historically underrepresented in sports science research, with relatively few studies investigating female physiology in relation to exercise and sports performance, health, and recovery. This knowledge gap also extends to training planning, periodization, and peaking, where previous research has predominantly focused on male participants. Consequently, female athletes and their coaches have had to rely on scientific knowledge derived from male-centric research and adapt these findings based on their intuition. The exclusion of females from sports science research also carrier broader societal implications and consequences. In a society striving for equal opportunities in training, participation in activities, and the ability to pursue a career as a professional athlete, this marginalization and deprioritization of female-focused research signal that needs of female athletes are unfortunately undervalued and disregarded, undermining the inclusivity and integrity of sports science as a whole. The percentage of females participating in international championships has increased in recent years, and they compete for approximately the same number of medals and in the same disciplines as men. Similarly, the commercial activity around women’s sports has also increased in recent years with a significant rise in sponsorship revenues, advertising revenues, and revenues from televised events. However, in contrast to this progress observed in sports, research on female athletes unfortunately remains relatively scarce. Many female athletes have significantly contributed by openly discussing various challenges related to training, sport performance, menstruation, potential use of hormonal contraception (HC), and communication with coaches. For example, the natural hormone fluctuations and potential symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle are distinct to females and underscores the importance of undertaking further research focused exclusively on the female athlete. Females are more likely than males to enter a vicious cycle of disordered eating behavior, reduced energy availability, and accompanying disruptions in the menstrual cycle, particularly in endurance sports. This can have both short- and long-term negative health effects for females engaged in chronic/habitual vigorous physical activity/exercise and/or elite sport.