Effect of Menstrual Cycle on Body Composition

Objective: to evaluate the changes on body composition before and after menstruation by bia and antropometric measurements. material-methods: the study was executed in 31 healthy women who had natural menstruation cycle and didn’t use oral contraceptive. measurements were taken in two times in 1-4 days before menstruation and at the day after the end of menstruation. waist, hip, chest and mid-upper arm circumferences were measured. body composition was determined by bia. results: women aged 22 ± 3 years had 27.8 ± 1.6 day average menstruation period. before menstruation, statistically significant increases were determined as 0.4 ± 0.69 kg in body weight, 0.6 ± 0.72 kg in total body water, 0.8 ± 1.05 kg in fat free mass, 1.4 ± 1.51 cm in chest circumference, 1.6 ± 2.54 cm in waist circumference and 0.9 ± 1.17 cm in hip circumference; but only body fat ratio was decreased because of the increase in total body water(p<0.05). body fat ratio was increased significantly after menstruation (p<0.05). nevertheless, no statistically significant difference has been observed in waist/hip ratio and mid-upper arm circumference in pre-post menstruation (p>0.05). conclusion: it was determined an increase in body weight and fat free mass, but a decrease in body fat ratio before menstruation, due to the increase of total body water. it was concluded that body composition analyses might not accurate in menstruation time.