ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the change in elbow flexor isometric torque at different phases of the menstrual cycle in humans. The subjects were six eumenorrheic females (age 22.0±3.5yr ; height 156.5±3.3cm ; body mass 50.2±4.9 kg) . The serum luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol and progesterone levels, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), integrated electromyographic activity (iEMG), interpolated twitch torque, evoked contractile properties, anthropometric parameters and Profile of Mood States (POMS) were measured at three different phases of the menstrual cycle, i. e., the menstrual, ovulatory and luteal phases. The MVC was significantly higher in the ovulatory phase than in the menstrual and luteal phases (P<0.05) . The iEMG, calculated voluntary activation and anthropometric parameters did not change significantly over the menstrual cycle. The MVC/iEMG ratio (electromechanical efficiency) and the evoked peak torque were also significantly higher in the ovulatory phase than in the menstrual and luteal phases (P<0.05, P<0.01) . In the menstrual phase, the fatigue and anger subscale score of POMS were significantly higher (P<0.05) and the vigor subscale score was significantly lower than in the other phases (P<0.05) . These results indicate that the variation in MVC observed over the menstrual cycle may be related to the intrinsic contractile properties rather than neural or psychological factors.