Female Fitness and Nutrition During Menstruation and Menopause with Dr. Stacy Sims

Conversations for Health

Dr. Stacy Sims, MSC, PHD, is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance for women. She has directed research programs at Stanford, AUT University, and the University of Waikato, focusing on female athlete health and performance and pushing the dogma to improve research on all women. She is the author of the book ROAR, written to explain sex differences in training and nutrition across the lifespan. This book challenges the dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health and this paradigm shift is the focus of her famous TED Talk "Women Are Not Small Men”. Her latest book is called Next Level and is focused on crushing goals through menopause and beyond. Dr. Sims has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and several books and is a regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences.

The lack of research on women’s performance and nutrition has negatively affected women’s health for generations, but Stacy is on a mission to change that. She and I explore the sex differences in hormones as they relate to performance and how menstrual cycles can be used to a woman’s health benefit as an ergogenic aid. She offers recommendations for performance, supplements, nutrition, and recovery in both the follicular luteal phases and highlights the impact of hormonal changes on performance during perimenopause and postmenopause. We touch on supplements, intermittent fasting, and practitioner guidelines for guiding patients through life with confidence in their ability to lift weights, train effectively, and navigate every stage of reproduction with empowering knowledge and confidence.

I’m your host, Evelyne Lambrecht, thank you for designing a well world with us.

Episode Resources:

Dr. Stacy Sims - https://www.drstacysims.com/

Design for Health Resources:

Designs for Health - https://www.designsforhealth.com/

Designs for Health Practitioner Exclusive Drug Nutrient Depletion and Interaction Checker - https://www.designsforhealth.com/drug-nutrient-interaction/

Visit the Designs for Health Research and Education Library which houses medical journals, protocols, webinars, and our blog.

https://www.designsforhealth.com/research-and-education/education

Chapters:

00:00 Intro.

04:07 Why has there been so little research on women in the medical field, specifically in nutrition and exercise physiology?

07:00 Implications of the lack of research in women’s performance and nutrition.

08:38 Sex differences in hormones as they relate to performance.

13:00 Stacy’s ideal research study would be a transdisciplinary effort that incorporates a wide variety of testing for women.

16:20 Menstrual cycles can be used to a woman’s health benefit as an ergogenic aid.

20:17 Recommendations for performance, supplements, nutrition, and recovery in the follicular phase.

23:55 Stacy’s dietary recommendations for athletes that meet appropriate nutrition for the training.

26:40 Protein and carbohydrate intake guidelines during the luteal phase.

30:01 Current research on oral contraceptives and performance.

33:51 The impact of hormonal changes on performance during perimenopause and postmenopause.

38:45 Heavy weight lifting recommendations for whole life health and performance.

43:39 Training, nutrition, and supplement recommendation differences during perimenopause and menopause.

45:58 Tactics for practitioners to support patients in invoking effective change in sleep hygiene and physical training to increase mobility.

51:15 Creatine and other supplement recommendations for women.

54:30 Iron, estrogen, and testosterone in perimenopausal women.

55:55 Stacy’s supplement recommendations include adaptogens based on scientific research.

59:22 Intermittent fasting in women is an easy no for most women.

1:03:33 Stacy’s personal daily supplements, favorite health practices, and the ideas she has changed her mind about in recent years.

1:08:05 What Stacy wishes for her daughter as she grows up as an empowered woman.