scholarly journals Defending the Queen’s Pride: Effect of the menstrual cycle phase on conspicuous consumption

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ai-Mei Li ◽  
Nan Liu ◽  
Lei Zhou ◽  
Fang-Jun Li

Abstract Women experience both physical and psychological changes during different phases of the menstrual cycle (MC), which can affect their decision making. The present study aims to investigate the impact of the MC on women’s preferences for conspicuous consumption. In three studies, women in the low-fertility phase were found to be more inclined toward conspicuous consumption, with the MC effect on conspicuous consumption being mediated by the extent of pride. We assumed that women in the low-fertility phase would feel less proud due to an evolutionary drive and that they would consume conspicuous products as a means of compensation. Meanwhile, women who were only children did not manifest such behavior. We infer that women from one-child families may have a greater sense of security and confidence, which buffers the mediating effect. This research contributes to both evolutionary psychology and marketing research and provides new insights for future studies.

2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 1348-1356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Aulinas ◽  
Reitumetse L Pulumo ◽  
Elisa Asanza ◽  
Christopher J Mancuso ◽  
Meghan Slattery ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Oxytocin regulates a range of physiological processes including eating behavior and oxytocin administration reduces caloric intake in males. There are few data on oxytocin and eating behavior in healthy females or on the response of endogenous oxytocin to food intake and its relationship to appetite in humans. Objectives To determine the postprandial pattern of oxytocin levels, the relationship between oxytocin and appetite, and the impact of menstrual cycle phase and age on oxytocin levels in females. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Clinical research center. Participants Fifty-five healthy females (age 10 to 45 years). Interventions A standardized mixed meal was administered. Main Outcome Measurements Blood sampling for oxytocin occurred at fasting and at 30, 60, and 120 minutes postmeal. Appetite was assessed using Visual Analogue Scales pre- and postmeal. Results Mean fasting oxytocin levels were 1011.2 ± 52.3 pg/mL (SEM) and decreased at 30 and 60 minutes postmeal (P = 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). Mean oxytocin levels decreased19.6% ± 3.0% from baseline to nadir. Oxytocin area under the curve was lower in the early to midfollicular menstrual cycle phase (P = 0.0003) and higher in younger females (P = 0.002). The percent change in oxytocin (baseline to nadir) was associated with postprandial hunger (rs = -0.291, P = 0.03) and fullness (rs = 0.345, P = 0.009). These relations remained significant after controlling for calories consumed, menstrual cycle status, and age (P = 0.023 and P = 0.0001, respectively). Conclusions Peripheral oxytocin levels in females decrease after a mixed meal and are associated with appetite independent of menstrual phase, age, and caloric intake, suggesting that endogenous oxytocin levels may play a role in perceived hunger and satiety.


2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Weinberger ◽  
P. H. Smith ◽  
S. S. Allen ◽  
K. P. Cosgrove ◽  
M. E. Saladin ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (6) ◽  
pp. H1327-H1337
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Williams ◽  
Emily C. Dunford ◽  
Maureen J. MacDonald

Fluctuations in endogenous hormones estrogen and progesterone during the menstrual cycle may offer vasoprotection for endothelial and smooth muscle (VSM) function. While numerous studies have been published, the results are conflicting, leaving our understanding of the impact of the menstrual cycle on vascular function unclear. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to consolidate available research exploring the role of the menstrual cycle on peripheral vascular function. A systematic search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE was performed for articles evaluating peripheral endothelial and VSM function across the natural menstrual cycle: early follicular (EF) phase versus late follicular (LF), early luteal, mid luteal, or late luteal. A meta-analysis examined the effect of the menstrual cycle on the standardized mean difference (SMD) of the outcome measures. Analysis from 30 studies ( n = 1,363 women) observed a “very low” certainty of evidence that endothelial function increased in the LF phase (SMD: 0.45, P = 0.0001), with differences observed in the macrovasculature but not in the microvasculature (SMD: 0.57, P = 0.0003, I2 = 84%; SMD: 0.21, P = 0.17, I2 = 34%, respectively). However, these results are partially explained by differences in flow-mediated dilation [e.g., discrete (SMD: 0.86, P = 0.001) vs. continuous peak diameter assessment (SMD: 0.25, P = 0.30)] and/or menstrual cycle phase methodologies. There was a “very low” certainty that endothelial function was largely unchanged in the luteal phases, and VSM was unchanged across the cycle. The menstrual cycle appears to have a small effect on macrovascular endothelial function but not on microvascular or VSM function; however, these results can be partially attributed to methodological differences.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 651-657
Author(s):  
Paola Rodriguez-Giustiniani ◽  
Stuart D.R. Galloway

The present study examined the impact of hormonal differences between late follicular (LF) and midluteal (ML) phases on restoration of fluid balance following dehydration. Ten eumenorrheic female participants were dehydrated by 2% of their body mass through overnight fluid restriction followed by exercise-heat stress. Trials were undertaken during the LF (between Days 10 and 13 of the menstrual cycle) and ML phases (between Days 18 and 23 of the menstrual cycle) with one phase repeated to assess reliability of observations. Following dehydration, participants ingested a volume equivalent to 100% of mass loss of a commercially available sports drink in four equal volumes over 30 min. Mean serum values for steroid hormones during the ML (estradiol [E2]: 92 ± 11 pg/ml, progesterone: 19 ± 4 ng/ml) and LF (estradiol [E2]: 232 ± 64 pg/ml, progesterone: 3 ± 2 ng/ml) were significantly different between phases. Urine tests confirmed no luteinizing hormone surge evident during LF trials. There was no effect of menstrual cycle phase on cumulative urine volume during the 3-hr rehydration period (ML: 630 [197–935] ml, LF: 649 [180–845] ml) with percentage of fluid retained being 47% (33–85)% on ML and 46% (37–89)% on LF (p = .29). There was no association between the progesterone:estradiol ratio and fluid retained in either phase. Net fluid balance, urine osmolality, and thirst intensity were not different between phases. No differences in sodium (ML: −61 [−36 to −131] mmol, LF: −73 [−5 to −118] mmol; p = .45) or potassium (ML: −36 [−11 to −80] mmol, LF: −30 [−19 to −89] mmol; p = .96) balance were observed. Fluid replacement after dehydration does not appear to be affected by normal hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle in eumenorrheic young women.


Author(s):  
Mikaeli Anne Carmichael ◽  
Rebecca Louise Thomson ◽  
Lisa Jane Moran ◽  
Thomas Philip Wycherley

The effect of the menstrual cycle on physical performance is being increasingly recognised as a key consideration for women’s sport and a critical field for further research. This narrative review explores the findings of studies investigating the effects of menstrual cycle phase on perceived and objectively measured performance in an athletic population. Studies examining perceived performance consistently report that female athletes identify their performance to be relatively worse during the early follicular and late luteal phases. Studies examining objective performance (using anaerobic, aerobic or strength-related tests) do not report clear, consistent effects of the impact of menstrual cycle phase on physical performance. Overall sport performance can be influenced by both perceived and physical factors. Hence, to optimise performance and management of eumenorrheic female athletes, there is a need for further research to quantify the impact of menstrual cycle phase on perceived and physical performance outcomes and to identify factors affecting variability in objective performance outcomes between studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Meignié ◽  
Martine Duclos ◽  
Christopher Carling ◽  
Emmanuel Orhant ◽  
Peggy Provost ◽  
...  

Background: In elite athletes, training individualization is widely recommended to optimize competitive performance. Previous studies have evidenced the impact of hormonal fluctuations on different performance parameters among female athletes. While consideration of menstrual cycle (MC) phases as a parameter in training individualization strategies is necessary, systematic evidence identifying such impacts in elite athletes should be evaluated.Objective: Systematically review publications that have investigated the link between MC phases and performance in elite female athletes. The overarching aim is to identify whether a consensus across studies exists enabling evidence-based recommendations for training individualization depending on menstrual cycle phases.Methods: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Three major scientific publication databases were searched from inception until November 3, 2020. Studies included focused on the influence of physiological or psychological parameters throughout at least one phase of the menstrual cycle of elite athletes.Results: A total of 780 search results were yielded and 26 references from a past bibliography were added manually. About 662 papers were reviewed of which 218 studies were assessed for eligibility. Of these, only seven (1%) precisely investigated the influence of a performance or physical parameter during at least one menstrual cycle phase. These seven studies included a total of 314 elite female participants (20.58 ± 1.91 years). Three used interviews, questionnaires or prospective analyses of reports. Four conducted several performance tests or included physical measures although only two performed tests during training or before/during competition. Among the seven studies, five performed hormonal testing through sampling of blood, saliva, or urine. The remaining relied on athletes’ menstruation diaries. The current evidence suggests a variable association between menstrual cycle and a few performance-related outcomes, such as endurance or power resistance, ligament stiffness, decision making skills, psychology, or competitiveness.Conclusion: Different sports performance-related parameters are affected during the menstrual cycle among elite athletes, but the parameters themselves and the magnitude and the direction of the effects are inconclusive. Additional longitudinal and prospective studies to systematically monitor on-field performance parameters are urgently required in order to enable recommendations and training individualization in female elite athletes.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e0144080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie C. Lazzaro ◽  
Robb B. Rutledge ◽  
Daniel R. Burghart ◽  
Paul W. Glimcher

Author(s):  
Mikaeli A. Carmichael ◽  
Rebecca L. Thomson ◽  
Lisa J. Moran ◽  
Joel R. Dunstan ◽  
Maximillian J. Nelson ◽  
...  

The effect of the menstrual cycle on athlete performance, wellbeing and perceived exertion and fatigue is not well understood. Furthermore, it has not been investigated specifically in Australian Football athletes. This pilot study aimed to explore how naturally menstruating Australian Football athletes may be affected by menstrual cycle phase. The data collected from the routine monitoring of five naturally menstruating athletes (average menstrual cycle length of 28 ± 3 [SD] days) in one team (athlete age range 18–35 years) competing in the Women’s Australian Football League during the 2019 season were retrospectively analysed to compare performance (countermovement jump parameters and adductor squeeze pressure), perceived exertion, perceived fatigue and wellbeing (perceived sleep quality, stress and soreness) outcomes between the follicular and luteal phases. Performance, perceived exertion, stress and soreness did not appear to be affected by menstrual cycle phase (p > 0.17). However, perceived fatigue appeared to be significantly greater (p = 0.042) and sleep quality worse (p = 0.005) in the luteal phase. This pilot study suggests further research focusing on the effect of menstrual cycle phase on subjective fatigue and wellbeing is warranted.


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