Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41235908›Full record

Observational studyEuropean journal of sport science2025

Hormone Profiles After Planned Low Energy Availability Exposure in Naturally Menstruating and Hormonal Contraceptive Using Physique Athletes.

Ritva Mikkonen, Anthony C Hackney, Juha Hulmi, Ville Isola, Juha Ahtiainen, Johanna Ihalainen

Registry-linked trialAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in European journal of sport science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04392752 (Effects of the Fitness Competition Period on Body Composition, Neuromuscular Performance, Physiological and Psychological Factors in Fitness Athletes), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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.

NCT04392752 naunknown statusnot on this map

Effects of the Fitness Competition Period on Body Composition, Neuromuscular Performance, Physiological and Psychological Factors in Fitness Athletes

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of JyvaskylaRan2019 to 2020Enrolled60ConditionsWeight Reduction, Diet, DeficiencyArmsDieting intervention
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Observational
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

6 authors.

Ritva MikkonenFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-5668-2202
Anthony C HackneyDepartment of Exercise & Sport Science, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Juha HulmiFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Ville IsolaFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Juha AhtiainenFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
Johanna IhalainenFaculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.

Funding

Finnish Fitness Sports AssociationMinistry of Education and Culture OKM/10/626/2021Renaissance Periodization
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This observational study investigated the potential influence of hormonal contraceptive (HC) use on selected hormonal biomarkers (estradiol, total testosterone, IGF-1, cortisol, triiodothyronine, and leptin) that respond to diet and physical training-induced low energy availability (LEA). Thirty-six female physique athletes-combined HC users (n = 11), low-dose progestin-only HC users (n = 11), and naturally menstruating females (n = 14)-prepared for a physique competition. All participants voluntarily restricted energy intake while simultaneously participating in resistance training to maintain lean mass and aerobic training to increase energy expenditure. Measurements were completed over approximately 46 weeks as follows: before commencing the pre-competition period, including dietary restriction and physical training (pre); after ∼23 weeks of dietary restriction and physical training (post); and after ∼23 weeks of recovery (recovery). Hormones were analyzed from fasting blood samples, whereas body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and body fat percentage were measured using bioimpedance. Our main findings established that after ∼23 weeks of LEA, concentrations of estradiol and total testosterone remained stable in the combined HC users but decreased significantly in progestin-only HC users and naturally menstruating females. Serum IGF-1, triiodothyronine, and leptin decreased comparably from pre to post in all groups, whereas serum cortisol concentrations remained statistically unchanged throughout the investigation. These results indicate that the exogenous hormones in combined HCs users may maintain already suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis function in the presence of LEA, whereas LEA-induced changes in IGF-1, triiodothyronine, and leptin may be comparable in combined and progestin-only HC users and naturally menstruating females.

trial registrationThe second study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04392752.

Indexed as

Caloric RestrictionContraceptive Agents, HormonalEnergy IntakeMenstruationAdultAthletesBiomarkersEnergy MetabolismEstradiolFemaleHumansHydrocortisoneInsulin-Like Growth Factor ILeptinResistance TrainingTestosteroneBiomarkersContraceptive Agents, HormonalEstradiolHydrocortisoneInsulin-Like Growth Factor ILeptinTestosteroneTriiodothyroninefemale athlete triadhormonal contraceptiveslow energy availabilitynaturally menstruating femalesphysique athletesREDs

Identifiers

PMID41235908
PMCPMC12616881

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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 OpenQuestion graph.