Investigating the effects of the menstrual cycle on body density
Item
- Title
- Investigating the effects of the menstrual cycle on body density
- Author(s)
- Sanders Fiona P
- Abstract
-
Objective - To investigate the relationship between body density and the menstrual cycle using air displacement plethysmography
Design - Once weekly repeated measurements of body volume and calculated body composition over a four week menstrual cycle using the BOP POD ADP system. The influence of the menstrual cycle on body density, body volume, weight, % body fat (%BF), fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) was investigated.
Subjects - A homogeneous sample of eighteen healthy female BCOM students, all of who fitted the strict inclusion criteria, with an age range between 19 - 34 years.
Method - Subjects were asked to fast for a four-hour period prior to testing in the BOD POD. The tests were conducted on the same day of the week each week for four consecutive weeks to ensure readings from each week of the menstrual cycle.
Results - Using repeated measures ANOVA there was a mean significant difference (P < 0.05) for weight (P = 0.0006) and a Multiple Comparison test showed a significant difference at weeks 1 - 2 (Mean difference -0.003, 95% CI of -0.37 to 0.36) and weeks 3 - 4 (Mean difference 0.00, 95% CI of -0.37 to 0.37). Repeated measures ANOVA also showed significant mean difference for %BF (P = 0.0061), FM (P = 0.0035) and FFM (P = <0.0001). A paired t-test was performed on the sum of the means of the raw data for weeks 1 + 4 and weeks 2 + 3 was significant (P = 0.016). Technical error of the BOD POD was assumed to be equivalent to 0.8% BF ± 0.3%.
Conclusion - The findings support the hypothesis that there is an overall effect of the menstrual cycle on body density. The density changes in FM and consequently FFM indicate a redistribution of TBW, making a case for the theory of an increase in extra cellular fluid during weeks 2 and 3, the periovulatory, phase of the menstrual cycle. %BF showed a significant gain of 2.5% BF. Whilst this is statistically significant it is not practically clinically significant due to error of 0.8% BF± 0.3%, therefore although there is significant change in %BF over the menstrual cycle the practical applications of this variable would not be used in a clinical scenario.
This study adds to the existing information on the influence of the menstrual cycle on body composition and provides further evidence to suggest a cyclical fluctuation in extra cellular fluid. - presented at
- British College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Date Accepted
- 0
- Date Submitted
- 1.1.1970 00:00:00
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 13652
- Inst-Identifier
- 1076
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Sanders Fiona P, “Investigating the effects of the menstrual cycle on body density”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed April 25, 2024, https://www.osteopathic-research.com/s/orw/item/1105