120: All Things Menstrual Cycles in Female Athletes

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I sit down with recurring guest and lead nutrition success coach at Rise Up Nutrition Jenna Stranzl. Jenna is a marathon runner, doggie lover, registered dietitian and sports nutritionist. This conversation was sparked from our Alumni Group Coaching program, where each month we take a deep dive into an area of sports nutrition. Last month’s topic was all about menstrual cycles and today we highlight some of what we covered.  We explore what a “normal” menstrual cycle is, understanding variations in cycle length and missing periods, and the importance of getting curious about your menstrual cycle. We discuss puberty, getting your first period, and why being a late bloomer could highlight suboptimal fueling. Jenna and I share our experiences with puberty and handling it as a female athlete, touching on menstruation and performance, training and injuries. We speak to both primary and secondary amenorrhea, and how we help our Rise Up Nutrition client regain their periods during RED-S recovery. Finally, we debunk some myths about periods and performance: you can perform well at all stages of your menstrual cycle with the right mindset! We mentioned Female Athlete Nutrition podcast Episode 100: Injuries in Female Athletes, Collagen, + Muscle Science with Dr Keith Barr for more on injuries and menstrual cycles.  Follow Jenna on Instagram @_jennalee @glycojennalysis and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition  We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon! Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition  Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only! THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order In this episode we talk about: 4:00 What is a normal menstrual cycle? 5:30 Understanding variations in menstrual cycle length  10:00 Period changes with puberty and RED-S recovery  12:00 Overcoming amenorrhea and regaining a regular menstrual cycle 16:20 Puberty, first periods, and sport 20:20 Late bloomers, delayed puberty, and primary amenorrhea  23:20 Menopause and RED-S: Why is your cycle changing? 27:30 Menstrual cycles and training  31:00 Phases of the menstrual cycle and athlete health 39:00 Injury risk and phases of menstrual cycle. Refer back to Female Athlete Nutrition podcast Episode 100 with Dr Keith Barr for more on this topic. 43:30 What do we do with all menstrual cycle information? What should we pay attention to, and what should we ignore? 46:00 Menstrual cycles and performance  50:00 Evolution of menstrual cycle and nutrition research  51:20 Unpacking hypothalamic amenorrhea  55:00 Personal experiences with periods and RED-S