Women experience a wide range of hormonal transitions throughout life –from puberty and the menstrual cycle to pregnancy, menopause, and aging. These changes have effects on physiological systems and can affect exercise capacity, physical performance, and recovery. Despite growing interest in sex-specific research, female hormonal dynamics remain underexplored in sports and health. Current studies have illuminated some physiological impacts of hormonal fluctuations, but much remains to be addressed, especially regarding sex-specific adaptations and their implications for athletic training and overall health.

This Research Topic aims to bridge a significant gap in understanding how hormonal transitions across the female lifespan influence physical performance, exercise capacity, and recovery. Despite increasing awareness of sex-based physiological differences, female-specific hormonal dynamics remain underrepresented in sports science and health research. This underrepresentation limits the development of evidence-based, individualized strategies for training, rehabilitation, and health optimization in women. By focusing on key hormonal milestones –such as puberty, menstrual cycle phases, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause– this collection aims to elucidate the physiological mechanisms through which endocrine fluctuations impact musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and metabolic responses to exercise. Furthermore, it seeks to explore the role of hormonal therapies and endocrine disorders in shaping performance outcomes.

We welcome interdisciplinary contributions from fields such as exercise physiology, female endocrinology, hormonal adaptations, sports science, and rehabilitation. Submissions that address knowledge gaps and promote inclusive, evidence-based approaches to women’s health and performance are especially encouraged. Submissions should emphasize scientific rigor, innovation, and relevance to exercise science, endocrinology, and women’s health. Interdisciplinary and translational studies are particularly encouraged. This Research Topic invites original research articles, reviews, systematic reviews, and perspectives that explore how hormonal responses shape physical performance in women across different lifespan stages. Topics may cover the effects on exercise performance of the menstrual cycle, adaptations during pregnancy and postpartum, perimenopause and menopause, hormonal therapies, and endocrine disorders. Specific themes include, but are not limited to:

• Menstrual cycle phase-related adaptations

• Pregnancy and postpartum physiological changes

• Effects of perimenopause and menopause on exercise capacity

• Hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy

• Influence of endocrine disorders (e.g., polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid dysfunction) on performance

• Sex-specific training and recovery strategies

• Methodological approaches to study female hormonal physiology

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Hormonal responses in women across the lifespan and their impact on physical performance