Oral Contraceptives and Strength Development in Female Athletes

It has been hypothesized that the combination oral contraceptive agents (OCAs) with high androgenic activity could have positive effects on muscular strength gains. Potential mechanisms by which OCAs may enhance athletic performance include increasing growth hormone levels in response to exercise, attenuating delayed-onset muscle soreness, and reducing the incidence of traumatic injuries by reducing premenstrual symptoms.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of combination oral contraceptive agents (OCAs) on strength and torque production in collegiate women softball and water polo athletes who participated in a 12-week strength development program. Thirty-one women collegiate softball and water polo players were divided into experimental, and control groups. All subjects participated in the same supervised 12-week preseason strength development program. One-repetition maximum bench press (1RMBP), 10-repetition maximum leg extension (10RMLE), isokinetic peak torque bench press (IKBP), and isokinetic peak torque leg extension (IKLE) data were collected at weeks 0 (pre-test), 4, 8, and 12 (post-test). Significant increases in strength and torque production over time were identified regardless of group for 1RMBP, 10RMLE, and IKLE. No significant differences in IKBP torque production occurred during the 12-week strength training program. No significant differences in 1RMBP, 10RMLE, IKBP, or IKLE occurred between the OCA users and the non-OCA users groups.

It was concluded that, within the limitations of the study, the use of combination OCAs did not provide sufficient androgenic effect to increase strength gains beyond the stimulus of the training protocol.

Nichols A, Hetzier R, Villanueva R, Stickley C, Kimura I. (2008). Effects of combination oral contraceptives on strength development in women athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(5): 1625-1632.