The Exercise & Nutrition Scientist: The Truth About Exercising On Your Period! Women Were Right About Menopause! These 4 Supplements Give Women Optimal Health!

1. Avoid Fasted Training for Women

Women should consume a small amount of protein (e.g., 15g) or protein with carbohydrates (e.g., 15g protein + 30g carb) before cardio and strength training to prevent burning lean muscle mass and support metabolic function, as their hypothalamus is more sensitive to low blood sugar.

2. Rapid Post-Workout Protein for Women

Women in their reproductive years should consume 35 grams of protein within 45 minutes after exercise to maximize muscle protein synthesis, as their metabolic recovery window is much shorter than men’s.

3. Embrace Resistance Training for Women

Women aiming for body composition changes should prioritize resistance training and increase protein intake, as it is crucial for mobilizing abdominal fat, building lean mass, and improving metabolic signaling.

4. Daily Creatine for Women’s Health

Women should take 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily (without carbohydrate) to improve gut mucosal lining integrity, reduce GI distress, enhance brain metabolism, and potentially alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. A loading phase is not necessary for these benefits.

5. Optimize Fasting with Circadian Rhythm

For women, practice an overnight fast by stopping eating 2-3 hours before bed and consuming food within 30 minutes of waking to blunt the natural cortisol peak and support metabolic health. Avoid extended fasting protocols like warrior fasts, which can negatively impact women’s blood sugar control and thyroid function.

6. Monitor Bleed Pattern for Stress Cues

Track your bleed pattern and menstrual cycle length, as changes can indicate that your body is not adapting well to stress (e.g., over-training, under-eating, daily life stress), signaling a need to pause and reassess your lifestyle.

7. Personalize Training with Perceived Exertion

Women should track their menstrual cycle by monitoring how they feel daily (physical and mental perceived exertion) to identify patterns and adapt training intensity, allowing for high-intensity work during stronger phases (e.g., follicular) and recovery/technique days during weaker phases (e.g., late luteal).

8. Adjust Carb/Protein Post-Ovulation

After ovulation (roughly day 14 onwards), women should increase carbohydrate intake before and after high-intensity workouts and increase protein intake by about 12% to support energy needs and tissue development, as higher progesterone levels can cause insulin resistance and increased amino acid demand.

9. Increase Protein and Gut Diversity in Perimenopause

Increase protein intake to combat anabolic resistance and support muscle, bone, and nerve regeneration during perimenopause. Maintain gut microbiome diversity with a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to aid blood glucose control and reduce fat storage.

10. Quality Over Volume in Perimenopause

During perimenopause, prioritize short, sharp, high-intensity cardio (2-4 times/week) and power-based resistance training (3 times/week) over long, moderate sessions to effectively stimulate adaptive changes, improve insulin sensitivity, and mobilize visceral fat.

11. Strengthen Hamstrings for ACL

Women should focus on strengthening their hamstrings and the entire posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, calves) to balance forces across the knee, reducing the high incidence of ACL injuries common in women due to their Q-angle and quad dominance. Incorporate explosive lateral movements, jumping, and single-leg jumping.

12. Educate Girls on Body Changes

Teach girls about physiological changes during puberty, such as the Q-angle shift, lower center of gravity, and quad dominance, to help them adapt their movement mechanics for running, swimming, and jumping, preventing sport dropout.

13. Avoid Ketogenic Diet for Gut Health

Avoid ketogenic diets due to their significant negative impact on gut microbiome diversity, which is crucial for overall health and sex hormone metabolism in women. Instead, aim for a diverse intake of 30 different plants per week to foster beneficial gut bacteria.

14. Supplement Vitamin D3

Supplement with Vitamin D3, especially in winter or with limited sun exposure, as it is crucial for recovery, muscle function, brain health, and overall systemic well-being, affecting nearly every system in the body.

15. Monitor and Supplement Iron

Women, particularly active ones, should aim for ferritin levels of 50-100, supplementing with a highly bioavailable iron (e.g., carbonyl or glycanate) every other day, either before training or at night, to avoid fatigue and support oxygen carrying capacity.

16. Integrate Lifestyle with Ozempic

If using medications like Ozempic for weight loss, simultaneously learn and implement proper strength training, exercise modalities, and nutrition to support sustainable weight loss and prevent weight regain upon cessation, as rapid weight loss from such tools often involves lean mass.

17. Prioritize Exercise for Autophagy

Engage in regular exercise as it provides a stronger stimulus for autophagy (cellular cleanup and repair) and adaptive changes than most fasting protocols, offering significant longevity and metabolic benefits.

18. Adjust Cold Plunge Temperature for Women

Women should use cold water immersion at 15-16 degrees Celsius (around 55 degrees Fahrenheit) to achieve the same physiological benefits as men in ice baths, as colder temperatures (0-4 degrees C) can be too much of a threat due to thermoregulation differences and more subcutaneous fat.

19. Align Eating with Circadian Rhythm

Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed to allow the body’s parasympathetic system to focus on sleep and recovery rather than digestion, improving sleep architecture and overall metabolic health. Eating late can shift metabolism and increase carbohydrate cravings for women.

20. Manage Sleep Around Menstrual Cycle

Women should be aware that hormonal shifts, particularly before their menstrual cycle, can disrupt sleep phases due to increased core temperature and altered melatonin pulses, requiring proactive sleep management. Also, anticipate greater jet lag when traveling west due to chronobiology differences.

21. Consider Omega-3s for Inflammation

Women in peri- and post-menopause should consider supplementing with a good Omega-3 fish oil, especially after checking blood levels, to help manage inflammation and enhance cellular integrity as estrogen’s anti-inflammatory properties decline.

22. Extend Sauna Time for Women

Women require longer durations in the sauna, both for acute sessions and over weeks, to achieve the same cardiovascular adaptations as men, due to differences in vasodilation and core temperature response.

23. High-Intensity Training for PCOS

Women with PCOS should focus on high-intensity and resistance training to manage insulin resistance and attenuate symptoms, especially given irregular cycles make cycle-based tracking difficult.

24. Cold Therapy for Endometriosis

For endometriosis, consider using cold water therapy or a cold plunge around ovulation to reduce the inflammatory response and limit the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus.

25. Prioritize Bone-Loading Exercise

Engage in multi-directional stress exercises like jumping and resistance training throughout life to maintain and build bone density, which is crucial for women due to hormonal influences on bone health.

26. Easy-to-Digest Protein for Focus

If you need to concentrate or articulate well, consume easy-to-digest, high-protein foods like a protein shake, protein water, or hard-boiled eggs beforehand, rather than fasting, to provide fuel without impacting mental clarity.

27. Eat with Caffeine for Women

Women should eat when consuming caffeine, especially during exercise, because caffeine clears blood sugar quickly and their bodies process fuel differently than men, preventing rapid blood sugar depletion.