Exercise & Nutrition Scientist: The Truth About Exercise On Your Period! Take These 4 Supplements!

Dr. Stacy Sims, an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, highlights the significant physiological differences between men and women, particularly in relation to exercise, nutrition, and health. She emphasizes that most sports science research is based on male data, which can lead to ineffective training and dietary strategies for women. Women experience various hormonal changes throughout life stages such as puberty, menstrual cycles, and menopause, affecting their metabolism, muscle development, and overall health. Sims advocates for personalized approaches that consider these differences, including resistance training and nutrition adjustments, to optimize women's health and performance.

• Women experience hormonal changes throughout different life stages such as puberty, reproductive years, pregnancy, perimenopause, and post-menopause, affecting their training and nutrition.
• Menstrual cycles and hormonal profiles influence women's metabolism and exercise performance differently than men.
• Women's health and fitness research has traditionally been generalized from male data, leading to misconceptions and ineffective training and nutrition strategies for women.

"A lot of women come with their partners to see me and say, 'I don't understand, we're both doing the same training, he's leaning up and getting fitter, I'm putting weight on getting slower.'"

• This quote highlights the frustration many women experience when traditional training methods, often based on male physiology, don't yield the same results for them.

• Sports science research predominantly uses male subjects, leading to a lack of understanding of female physiology in exercise and nutrition.
• Recruitment and study design in sports science often favor male participants due to aggressive language and logistical preferences.
• Women’s results are sometimes discarded in studies due to hormonal variations, which are seen as anomalies.

"If we look at all the data on performance about caffeine enhancing performance, there isn't anything that's been done on women."

• This quote underscores the lack of female-specific research in sports science, particularly in areas like performance enhancement.

• Men have more fast-twitch muscle fibers, making them more suited for anaerobic activities, while women have more endurance-oriented fibers.
• Women's bodies undergo significant changes during puberty, affecting their sports performance and participation.
• Women have smaller hearts and lungs compared to men, which affects their power and speed capabilities.

"Women have smaller heart and lungs relative to relative body size to men. We also have less hemoglobin, so that means our oxygen-carrying capacity is lower."

• This quote explains how physiological differences impact women's athletic performance, particularly in power and speed.

• The Q angle, which is the angle formed by the quadriceps muscle and the patellar tendon, is wider in women due to hip structure, leading to a higher risk of ACL injuries.
• Women are more likely to suffer ACL injuries due to anatomical and biomechanical differences, as well as a lack of tailored training in grassroots sports.

"We see a 3 to four to one ratio of ACL tears of women versus men."

• This quote highlights the significant disparity in ACL injury rates between women and men, emphasizing the need for gender-specific training and prevention strategies.

• Historically, scientific and medical research has been male-dominated, leading to a lack of female-specific data and insights.
• Modern medicine and AI are still heavily influenced by male data, although awareness and funding for women's health research are increasing.

"Now that we're aware of it and now we have more research money coming into Women's Health, we're starting to see a change."

• This quote reflects the positive shift towards more inclusive research practices and the growing recognition of the need for female-specific studies.

• The same medication dosage can affect men and women differently due to variations in body composition and metabolism.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, sex differences in disease outcomes highlighted the need for gender-specific medical considerations.
• Hormones like estrogen and progesterone can influence injury risk and recovery, yet many training protocols do not account for these differences.

"The dosage for a 180 lb man is the same as a 120 lb woman, and we also know that there's differences in body composition and metabolism."

• The quote highlights the oversight in medical dosing that does not account for physiological differences between sexes.

"There's always an impact of hormones when we're looking at the overlay of hormones and sex hormones and then the protocols that have been developed."

• Hormonal differences significantly impact injury risk and recovery, yet they are often overlooked in medical and training protocols.

• The hypothalamus controls appetite and endocrine responses, with differences in sensitivity between men and women.
• Women have more kisspeptin neurons, making them more sensitive to nutrient intake and affecting how their bodies store and use energy.
• Caloric needs for maintaining endocrine and metabolic function differ between men and women.

"For men, they don't have as many of what we call our kisspeptin neurons activated."

• This explains why men can often handle fasting and low-calorie diets better than women.

"For women, it sits there; the blood glucose sits there, and when it starts being used, the hypothalamus is like, 'Okay, where's the extra food that's coming in?'"

• Women's bodies are more sensitive to nutrient intake, affecting how they store and utilize energy.

• Fasting affects men and women differently, with women often experiencing negative effects such as increased fat storage and decreased metabolic flexibility.
• Exercise is a more effective stimulus for autophagy and metabolic health than fasting, especially for women.
• Resistance training is crucial for women to maintain lean mass and metabolic health.

"When we start really looking and narrowing it down and looking at female-specific data, the type of fasting that's out there in the health and fitness world is not appropriate for women."

• The quote emphasizes the inappropriateness of generalized fasting protocols for women.

"Exercise is a stronger stimulus for autophagy than fasting because if we look at exercise in itself, it is a fasting state."

• Exercise provides more significant health benefits than fasting, particularly in promoting cellular health.

• Evolutionary biology explains why women conserve energy and men become more active during times of low food availability.
• Women’s bodies are more likely to conserve energy and downregulate reproductive functions during caloric scarcity.
• Men’s bodies adapt to become more efficient in energy use to support physical activity and survival.

"In times of low calorie intake or low food intake, a woman's body will start to conserve and wind down because it thinks that there's a famine coming."

• Evolutionary mechanisms in women prioritize energy conservation during food scarcity.

"For men, they're not as sensitive, and the body's like, 'Oh, not a lot of calories coming in, that must mean there's a fight that I have to prepare for.'"

• Men’s bodies adapt to low calorie intake by becoming more active and efficient in energy utilization.

• Women require different nutritional and training protocols compared to men, especially concerning protein intake and timing post-exercise.
• Resistance training is particularly beneficial for women in all life stages to improve body composition and metabolic health.
• The importance of protein intake post-exercise is emphasized for muscle recovery and growth, with specific quantities recommended based on sex.

"For women who are in their reproductive years, we see 35 grams of protein post-exercise within 45 minutes will tip the muscle into muscle protein synthesis."

• The quote underscores the importance of timely protein intake for women to optimize muscle recovery.

"Resistance training is key for mobilizing abdominal fat and for creating more lean mass."

• Resistance training is crucial for women's metabolic health and body composition.

• The ketogenic diet can negatively impact gut microbiome diversity, which is crucial for overall health, particularly in women.
• A diverse diet rich in plant-based foods supports a healthy gut microbiome, which is essential for hormone regulation.
• High-fat diets can disrupt gut microbiome balance, affecting metabolic and hormonal health.

"The ketogenic diet and the high-fat intake that comes with it significantly decreases that gut microbiome diversity."

• High-fat diets like keto can reduce gut microbiome diversity, impacting health negatively.

"We have some gut bugs that are responsible for our sex hormone metabolism."

• A diverse gut microbiome is essential for optimal hormone function, particularly in women.

• Men and women respond differently to cold plunges and saunas due to differences in thermoregulation.
• Women require different temperatures for cold plunges to achieve similar physiological benefits as men.
• Sauna exposure times and effects also vary between sexes, with women needing longer durations for comparable benefits.

"Women have more subcutaneous fat, so more fat under the skin, and we vasoconstrict and vasodilate first."

• Differences in thermoregulation affect how women respond to cold and heat therapies.

"Women can spend more time in the heat before they start to get changes in their hormone responses and blood volume adaptations."

• Women need longer sauna exposure to achieve similar physiological adaptations as men.

• Misunderstandings about supplements like creatine persist, with many women believing it is only for bodybuilders.
• Proper dosing of creatine can benefit women without the unwanted side effects often associated with bodybuilding doses.
• Creatine supports muscle health and performance when used appropriately.

"The prevailing myths around creatine are that it will gain muscle and gain weight, and they thought it was for bodybuilders."

• Misconceptions about creatine deter women from using it despite its benefits.

"If we're looking at creatine for health and for women, the dose is 3 to five grams only once a day without carbohydrate."

• Proper dosing of creatine can offer health benefits without the side effects associated with bodybuilding regimens.

• Women generally have less creatine in their bodies compared to men, and their dietary intake is often lower.
• Creatine is crucial for fast energetics, including gut health, brain health, and muscle performance.
• A daily intake of 3 to 5 grams of creatine for women can improve the integrity of the mucosal lining, reducing gastrointestinal distress.
• Creatine supplementation has been shown to help women come out of depressive episodes more effectively than using SSRIs alone.
• The traditional creatine loading strategy used by bodybuilders is unnecessary for women; a consistent daily dose is sufficient.

"Around 70% of the stores that men have by the nature for the most part don't eat as much creatine food as men and we see that we use it for a lot of our fast energetics so like for our gut health for our brain health um and then also for muscle performance."

• Women naturally have lower creatine stores and require supplementation to support various bodily functions.

"Women who are taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine will come out of a depressive episode more so than women who are just using an SSRI."

• Creatine is beneficial for mental health, particularly in managing depression.

• Creatine supplementation enhances muscle strength, lean muscle mass, and high-intensity exercise performance for both men and women.
• For women, a daily dose of 3 to 5 grams is effective without the need for a loading phase.
• The loading phase, common in bodybuilding, involves taking higher doses initially but is not essential for women seeking health benefits.

"For women we see that 3 to 5 grams will fully saturate the body over the course of three weeks."

• Women can achieve full creatine saturation with a lower, consistent dose over time.

• Vitamin D3 is important for boosting circulating levels of usable vitamin D, impacting every system in the body positively.
• Omega-3s are particularly beneficial during perimenopause and post-menopause for reducing inflammation and enhancing cellular integrity.
• Women are advised to consider vitamin D3 and omega-3 supplements, especially if dietary intake is insufficient.

"If we're improving the amount of vitamin D3 that we're taking in and the amount of vitamin D that's circulating we have better recovery we have better muscle function we have better brain health."

• Vitamin D3 supplementation supports multiple bodily functions and overall health.

"As we get into Perry and post-menopause we want to look at uh how inflammation affects the cells so we look at using a really good vitamin or sorry really good omega-3."

• Omega-3s help manage inflammation, crucial during menopause transitions.

• Iron is essential for oxygen transport in the body, and low iron levels can lead to fatigue and reduced physical capacity.
• Women's iron needs can vary, and current reference ranges may not reflect optimal levels for active individuals.
• Supplementation should be considered for women with low iron levels, focusing on bioavailable forms.

"Iron is responsible for allowing those heem groups to carry oxygen if we have low iron then we don't have enough oxygen circulating throughout the body."

• Adequate iron levels are crucial for maintaining energy and oxygen transport.

• Women's insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism change across the menstrual cycle.
• The high hormone phase, post-ovulation, increases insulin resistance, affecting glucose storage.
• Nutritional and exercise strategies should adapt to the menstrual cycle, with increased carbohydrate intake post-ovulation.

"When progesterone's in the picture insulin doesn't do its job very well because progesterone wants to have more carbohydrate available."

• Progesterone affects insulin function, requiring dietary adjustments.

• Women should tailor their exercise routines based on menstrual cycle phases, focusing on high-intensity workouts during the low hormone phase.
• Tracking personal cycle patterns helps women optimize training and recovery.
• Women should be mindful of changes in their bleed pattern as indicators of stress or dietary inadequacies.

"If we're looking at adapting right the only real thing that we need to be aware of is after ovulation if we're going to do a high-intensity workout we need to make sure that we have some more carbohydrate."

• Post-ovulation, women should increase carbohydrate intake to support exercise performance.

• Stress, including dietary stress from inadequate nutrition, can disrupt menstrual cycles.
• Low energy availability is common among recreational female athletes and can lead to menstrual irregularities.
• Monitoring menstrual health is essential for identifying stress and maintaining overall well-being.

"We see changes in the bleed pattern as well as the length of the menstrual cycle itself when the body is not adapting to stress."

• Menstrual irregularities can signal underlying stress and nutritional issues.

• Bone density in women is influenced by estrogen and progesterone, with peak bone mass achieved around age 20.
• Maintaining bone health requires adequate stress through physical activity and proper nutrition, including vitamin D.
• Women are at higher risk for bone density loss due to hormonal changes.

"If we start to Lo lose bone density and we become osteopenic or osteoporotic meaning we have very thin bones they break easily."

• Maintaining bone health is crucial to prevent fractures and ensure long-term mobility.

• Sleep is vital for physical and mental recovery, with women experiencing more variability in sleep phases due to hormonal fluctuations.
• Women's melatonin production peaks earlier than men's, affecting sleep patterns and susceptibility to jet lag.
• Proper sleep hygiene and meal timing can support better sleep quality and overall health.

"For women we see changes across the menstrual cycle in our sleep phases so when we are slow sleep phases meaning our deep sleep versus our late sleep versus our Dream sleep."

• Hormonal changes affect women's sleep quality and patterns.

• Chronobiology studies the timing of biological rhythms, including hormone pulses that affect bodily functions.
• Meal timing can influence hormonal responses, such as cortisol, which peaks after waking.
• Women may require dietary strategies to manage hormonal pulses effectively.

"We see that cortisol which everyone talks about as being a bad thing it's not a bad thing we have a peak about a half an hour after wake up and for women we need to eat in order to dampen that Peak."

• Timing meals strategically can help regulate hormonal fluctuations and support health.

• Hedonistic eating refers to eating based on cravings rather than hunger or hormonal cues.
• Eating at regular intervals during the day and ceasing food intake a few hours before bed can improve sleep quality and overall health.
• Good sleep architecture leads to better blood glucose control and energy levels.

"We want to shift to be able to eat during the day and to have regular food at regular intervals so that our body has fuel to do what it needs during the day."

• Regular eating patterns support the body's energy needs and improve metabolic functions.

"We stop eating at dinner time which is around 6 or seven have a good two to three hours before we go to bed so that when we do go to bed all our parasympathetic responses can go into getting really good sleep architecture."

• Ceasing eating a few hours before bed enhances sleep quality by allowing the body to focus on recovery processes.

• Waking up early can trigger hunger due to perceived stress by the brain, which demands energy intake.
• This craving is often mistaken for genuine hunger but is a stress response.

"Your brain is perceiving a stress and this is that hedonistic where you're like oh my brain is like I'm under stress and I need fuel I need glucose."

• Early morning hunger can be attributed to the brain's response to stress, not actual hunger.

• Eating heavy meals before tasks requiring concentration can be perceived to impact performance, though lighter, protein-rich foods can be beneficial.
• Protein shakes or water can be consumed before activities to maintain energy without affecting focus.

"If you're really worried then you can have like a protein shake or protein water you could sit protein water while you're having a podcast so then you're getting amino acid circulating your hypothalamus is like sweet okay we're all good to go."

• Light, protein-rich foods can support cognitive function without the perceived drawbacks of heavier meals.

• Menopause is increasingly discussed in public forums, highlighting its importance and the lack of previous awareness.
• Many women experience relief and understanding through these discussions, realizing their symptoms are not just stress-related.

"Now all of a sudden there are these extreme changes that are going on and people are like what's going on."

• Public conversations on menopause provide validation and understanding for women experiencing symptoms.

"Now women are like I'm not just crazy there are actually things happening to me and people understand that now."

• Awareness and education empower women to seek appropriate help and understand their experiences.

• Perimenopause typically starts around age 35 and involves hormonal shifts affecting body composition, mood, and health.
• Symptoms include changes in menstrual cycles, cholesterol levels, and body fat distribution.

"It's changes in the ratios how can we dial it in we look at menstrual cycles and is it becoming shorter or longer what's our bleed phase."

• Understanding hormonal changes can guide lifestyle and medical interventions to manage symptoms.

"There isn't a definitive blood test to say hey you're a par menopausal you have to have a history of everything of getting blood tests like every week and no one does that."

• Symptom observation and lifestyle adjustments are key to managing perimenopause.

• Exercise is crucial for managing menopause symptoms, focusing on high-intensity and resistance training.
• Nutrition should emphasize higher protein intake and gut microbiome diversity to support overall health.

"We need to do proper high-intensity work so that Sprint interval or it's true high-intensity work to create a stress that's high enough to have the brain say hey this is a really really really strong stress I need to invoke changes within the skeletal muscle."

• High-intensity exercise promotes metabolic health and reduces visceral fat accumulation.

"We want a higher protein intake of course because as we get older we become more anabolically resistant to protein."

• Increased protein intake supports muscle and bone health during menopause.

• Menopause hormone therapy (MHT) aims to alleviate symptoms, not reverse aging.
• MHT is used to manage symptoms like hot flashes and mood changes, not to maintain youthful hormone levels.

"We're not looking to replace hormones we're looking at a therapy to attenuate change."

• MHT is a therapeutic tool to manage menopause symptoms, not an anti-aging treatment.

"It's not about staying young it's about slowing the rate of change that's so severe that creates quality of life distress."

• MHT helps manage quality of life during menopause by addressing severe symptoms.

• Societal standards often pressure women to maintain a youthful appearance, contrasting with perceptions of male aging.
• The focus should be on managing menopause symptoms for quality of life rather than reversing aging.

"There's a huge disconnect in society so when women start to experience per menopause it's a definitive point of aging and people are afraid to age."

• Societal pressures influence perceptions of menopause and aging, impacting women's experiences.

• Conversations about women's health, including menstrual cycles and menopause, are crucial for understanding and support.
• Education on these topics is lacking, leading to misconceptions and inadequate healthcare responses.

"We don't really learn about this stuff in school no nobody ever told me about it in school."

• Lack of education on women's health issues contributes to misunderstandings and inadequate support.

"It's really scary all of the subjects we've discussed today are in these two excellent books."

• Books and resources provide crucial information on women's health, bridging the gap in education.