The Latest Insights On Menstrual Cycle Research For Active Women | With Kelly McNulty

The Food Medic

Health & Fitness

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 25 June 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If the menstrual cycle affects everything from strength to sleep, why are we ignoring it in sport? In this episode of The Food Medic Podcast, Dr Hazel Wallace, a women’s health nutritionist, sits down with researcher Kelly McNulty to discuss the challenges of researching female physiology, the importance of individualised training, and the role of cycle tracking for athletes. The episode covers: How do the menstrual cycle and hormonal contraceptives affect women’s health, athletic performance, and recovery? What challenges exist in researching female physiology and why is more high-quality research needed? Why is individualised training important for women, especially athletes? What is the role of cycle tracking in optimising athletic performance and recovery for women? How can women be empowered to better understand and work with their bodies throughout all stages of life? The episode emphasises the need for more high-quality research, encourages a balanced approach to training, and aims to empower women to better understand and work with their bodies throughout all stages of life. The more you understand your body, the more power you have to train, perform, and live on your own terms. So ask yourself: how much could change if you truly knew what your body needs? — If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the podcast, simply send a voice note to holly@thefoodmedic.co.uk – we'd love to hear from you! Stay up to date with the latest health advice, recipes, insights, and updates from Dr. Hazel Wallace and The Food Medic community. Dr. Hazel Wallace Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drhazelwallace/ The Food Medic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefoodmedic/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefoodmedic/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thefoodmedic Explore More from The Food Medic Not Just A Period – New Book A groundbreaking guide to understanding your cycle, hormones, and health.Coming 22nd May 2025. Pre-order now: https://linktr.ee/notjustaperiod The Food Medic App Learn more: https://www.thefoodmedic.co.uk/about-the-food-medic-hub Weekly Newsletter Subscribe here: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62b5a28d76b1bf772c403012 Get in Touch For inquiries or collaborations: General: info@thefoodmedic.co.uk Partnerships: nora@themillaragency.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Have you ever wondered what a sandwich sounds like?
0:04.2	Not much to it, is there?
0:06.2	Unless, of course, it's a Walker's sandwich.
0:10.9	Mmm, that is good.
0:12.9	Now that's what Asani should sound like.
0:15.8	Go all crisp in with walkers.
0:19.0	Delicious.
0:21.5	T'was the holidays at Starbucks, red aprons tied up.
0:25.6	Warm wishes and names written on festive red cups.
0:29.3	The chocolatey mousse latte is here to cozy things up,
0:33.0	topped with mokker cream moose for a finishing touch.
0:36.7	Two lattes in hand, one for you and one for me,
0:40.1	because together truly is the best place to be.
0:44.3	The holidays are served now at Starbucks.
0:47.5	Subject to availability while stocks last.
0:50.1	There is a huge debate within even the scientific community,
0:53.3	and also I think people who are not in that space are even taking it upon themselves to create their own assumptions as to how women should be training across the menstrual cycle.
1:02.2	If we look at, you know, gold medal winning performances, personal records, whatever else have been set at all phases of the menstrual cycle.
1:10.0	You know, there's not a specific phase
1:11.2	where all of these optimal things are happening does the pill reduce training adaptation particularly
1:16.8	strength so there's a lot of theory that you know it might because of those chronically low estrogen
1:21.6	and progesterone but actually when we looked at the data and it was another systematic review
	...

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