Effects of a 10-Week High-Intensity Interval Training Programme on Biochemical and Hormonal Responses in Elite Female Futsal Players

August 19, 2026 updated by: Shimal Hamza Hamad, Soran University

Temporal Dynamics of Biochemical and Hormonal Responses to Interval Training in Elite Female Futsal Players: A 10-Week Longitudinal Analysis Across Menstrual Cycle Phases

This study aims to investigate the biochemical, hormonal, and physiological adaptations to a 10-week periodized high-intensity interval training (HIIT) programme in elite female futsal players. The study will examine changes in aerobic fitness, blood lactate kinetics, muscle damage biomarkers, inflammatory markers, and reproductive hormones throughout the intervention. In addition, the influence of menstrual cycle phases on these physiological responses will be evaluated to improve understanding of sex-specific training adaptations and recovery. The findings are expected to contribute to evidence-based, individualized training and recovery strategies for female futsal athletes.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Female futsal is a high-intensity intermittent team sport requiring substantial aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Despite increasing participation of women in competitive sports, limited evidence exists regarding the biochemical and hormonal adaptations to structured interval training, particularly across different menstrual cycle phases. This prospective longitudinal study will recruit 32 elite female futsal players who will participate in a supervised 10-week periodized HIIT programme consisting of lactate threshold training, anaerobic intensification, and sport-specific interval training. Physiological assessments will include VO₂max, lactate threshold, blood lactate kinetics, creatine kinase, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, cortisol, and reproductive hormones. Menstrual cycle phases will be monitored using validated menstrual tracking methods and hormonal confirmation. Outcomes will be assessed repeatedly throughout the intervention to determine temporal adaptations and the influence of menstrual cycle phase on training responses and recovery. The results are expected to support individualized, evidence-based training prescription for female athletes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

32

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Iraq
    • Erbil Governorate
      • Soran, Erbil Governorate, Iraq, 44008
        • Soran Univeristy

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female futsal players aged 18-30 years.
  • Regular menstrual cycles.
  • Participants willing to complete all scheduled testing sessions across the study period.
  • Participants able to safely participate in the prescribed physical-performance testing and training programme.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Irregular menstrual cycles or diagnosed menstrual disorders.
  • Use of hormonal contraceptives or hormone therapy within the past 6 months.
  • Current musculoskeletal injury or any medical condition affecting physical performance.
  • Use of medications known to influence menstrual function, hormonal responses, or physical performance.
  • Use of performance-enhancing drugs or medications known to influence hormonal or biochemical responses.
  • History of endocrine, cardiovascular, or metabolic disorders.
  • Failure to complete all scheduled testing sessions.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Female Futsal Players
Female futsal players will undergo repeated standardized performance testing during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Assessments include agility, sprint speed, repeated sprint ability, explosive power, balance, and aerobic fitness. All participants receive the same testing protocol, and no therapeutic intervention is administered.
Behavioral: Repeated Futsal Performance Testing Across Menstrual Cycle Phases Intervention Description Participants will undergo standardized futsal-specific performance assessments during different phases of the
Female futsal players will undergo standardized physical performance testing during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Assessments include agility, sprint speed, repeated sprint ability, explosive power, balance, and aerobic fitness. The study involves repeated performance assessments only, and no drug, device, surgical procedure, or therapeutic intervention will be administered.
Other Names:
  • Futsal Performance Testing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Change from Baseline in Maximum Oxygen Uptake (VO₂max)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 10
Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂max) measured during a graded incremental treadmill exercise test with respiratory gas analysis. Unit of Measure: mL·kg-¹·min-¹.
Baseline and Week 10
Mean Change from Baseline in Velocity at VO₂max (vVO₂max)
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 10
Velocity at VO₂max (vVO₂max) measured during a graded incremental treadmill exercise test. Unit of Measure: km/h.
Baseline and Week 10
Mean Change from Baseline in Lactate Threshold Velocity
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 10
Lactate threshold velocity determined during incremental exercise testing. Lactate threshold velocity is defined as the running velocity corresponding to the lactate threshold. Unit of measure: km/h. Higher values indicate improved aerobic endurance.
Baseline and Week 10
Mean Change from Baseline in Resting Blood Lactate Concentration
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 10
Resting blood lactate concentration measured from venous blood samples collected under standardized resting conditions before exercise. Unit of Measure: mmol/L. Lower concentrations indicate improved metabolic efficiency.
Baseline and Week 10
Mean Change from Baseline in Lactate Clearance Rate
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 10
Lactate clearance rate calculated as the rate of decline in blood lactate concentration from serial post-exercise measurements obtained during standardized recovery. The calculated clearance rate is reported as one value in mmol/L/min. Higher clearance rates indicate improved metabolic recovery.
Baseline and Week 10

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Serum Creatine Kinase (CK) Concentration at Predefined Recovery Time Points
Time Frame: Baseline; immediately post-exercise; 24 hours; 48 hours; and 72 hours
Serum creatine kinase concentration measured at baseline and predefined post-exercise recovery time points. Repeated CK concentrations are evaluated across the predefined sampling time points. Unit of Measure: U/L.
Baseline; immediately post-exercise; 24 hours; 48 hours; and 72 hours
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)
Time Frame: Baseline; immediately post-exercise; and recovery period
Serum interleukin-6 concentration measured as an indicator of exercise-induced inflammatory response. Unit of Measure: pg/mL. Lower resting concentrations and appropriate acute exercise responses indicate improved inflammatory regulation.
Baseline; immediately post-exercise; and recovery period
Serum Cortisol
Time Frame: Baseline; menstrual phase-specific assessments; and Week 10
Serum cortisol concentration measured to evaluate physiological stress responses associated with high-intensity interval training. Unit of Measure: µg/dL.
Baseline; menstrual phase-specific assessments; and Week 10
Serum Estradiol
Time Frame: Phase-specific assessments during the intervention
Serum estradiol concentration measured to characterize hormonal status during different phases of the menstrual cycle. Unit of Measure: pg/mL.
Phase-specific assessments during the intervention
Serum Progesterone
Time Frame: Phase-specific assessments during the intervention
Serum progesterone concentration measured to confirm menstrual cycle phase and evaluate hormonal responses during the intervention. Unit of Measure: ng/mL.
Phase-specific assessments during the intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Creatine Kinase (CK) Recovery Half-Life
Time Frame: Immediately post-exercise through 72 hours
Time required for serum creatine kinase concentration to decrease by 50% during the post-exercise recovery period. Unit of Measure: hours.
Immediately post-exercise through 72 hours
Area Under the Concentration-Time Curve of Serum Creatine Kinase (CK)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exercise through 72 hours
Area under the serum creatine kinase concentration-time curve calculated from serum CK concentrations measured during the post-exercise recovery period. Unit of Measure: U/L·h.
Immediately post-exercise through 72 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Soran University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 2, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 31, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 14, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 19, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 19, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SORANU-HIIT-2026-001
  • Ethics Approval Number (Other Identifier: Soran University Institutional Review Board)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

A decision regarding sharing de-identified individual participant data collected in this study has not yet been finalized. If data sharing is approved, only de-identified data may be considered for sharing after study completion, subject to institutional policies, ethical requirements, participant confidentiality, and applicable data-protection requirements.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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