Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41406071›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Frequency and perceived influence of menopausal symptoms on training and performance in female endurance athletes.

Heather M Hamilton, Natalie M Yarish, Kristin E Heron

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Heather M HamiltonSchool of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ellmer College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4685-2482
Natalie M YarishSchool of Exercise Science, Ellmer College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America.
Kristin E HeronDepartment of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America.

Funding

Reducing social isolation and loneliness through physical activity to lower cardiovascular disease risk among military women and men reintegrating into civilian lifeK01HL159348 · NHLBI · OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY · PI Natalie Marie Yarish · 2022 to 2026
$771k
NHLBI NIH HHS K01 HL159348NHLBI NIH HHS L30 HL148938
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Menopause is associated with several negative health concerns and common menopausal symptoms. Physical activity is essential to mitigate these negative effects, but menopausal symptoms may interfere with participation in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and the perceived negative effect of menopausal symptoms among female endurance athletes. Female runners, cyclists, swimmers, and triathletes 40-60 years of age were recruited (N = 187). Participants completed an online, anonymous survey that included self-reported menopausal status; the Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS), a validated measure for assessing menopausal symptoms; and the perceived effect of menopausal symptoms on training and performance. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine differences in total MRS scores among participants reporting no, slight, moderate, and strong negative effects of symptoms on training and performance. The most commonly reported menopausal symptoms were sleep problems (88%), physical and mental exhaustion (83%), sexual problems (74%), anxiety (72%), irritability (68%), depressive mood (67%), weight gain (67%), hot flushes (65%), and joint and muscular discomfort (63%). The symptoms that were perceived to most negatively affect training and performance were joint and muscular discomfort, weight gain, sleep problems, and physical and mental exhaustion. Participants with a perceived strong negative effect of symptoms on training and performance demonstrated higher total MRS scores compared to participants reporting no negative effect or slight negative effect of symptoms on training and performance (p's ≤ .001), suggesting women with more severe menopausal symptoms had a greater perceived negative effect of symptoms on training and performance. In summary, frequency of menopausal symptoms among female endurance athletes is high and severity of menopausal symptoms is similar to that reported in the general population. Despite high physical activity levels in this population, clinicians should address these symptoms to promote continued participation in physical activity.

Indexed as

AthletesAthletic PerformanceMenopausePhysical EnduranceAdultExerciseFemaleHot FlashesHumansMiddle AgedSurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID41406071
PMCPMC12711079

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.