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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of PMS on aerobic, anaerobic, and cognitive performance in female combat athletes. Method: In this semi-experimental study with a repeated measures design, 20 female combat athletes (mean age: 24.5±2.1 years) were assessed during two phases of their menstrual cycle: the PMS phase (7-10 days before menstruation) and the non-PMS phase (days 7-14 of the cycle). Aerobic performance was measured using the Bruce treadmill test, anaerobic performance was assessed by the Wingate test, and cognitive performance was evaluated through simple and choice reaction time tests. Statistical analyses were performed using paired t-tests and Pearson correlation (p<0.05). Results: The findings showed a significant reduction in VO₂ max (6.2%), time to exhaustion, and a significant increase in maximal heart rate and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) during the PMS phase compared to the non-PMS phase (p<0.05). Anaerobic performance also declined, with a reduction in peak power (6.2%) and mean power (7.5%), an increase in fatigue index (16.2%), and lower blood lactate levels (p<0.01). Cognitive performance deteriorated during PMS, demonstrated by increased simple (16.7%) and choice (16.6%) reaction times, more errors, and decreased accuracy (p<0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between PMS symptom severity and VO₂ max reduction (r=0.72), as well as between blood lactate levels and reaction time (r=0.65) (p<0.01). Conclusion: PMS negatively affects aerobic, anaerobic, and cognitive performance in female combat athletes. These findings highlight the importance of considering the menstrual cycle phases in designing training and competition schedules for female athletes to optimize performance and prevent potential declines associated with PMS.

Background: Neuromuscular training (NMT) and supplementation with essential minerals such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) may enhance muscular reaction time (RT) and electromechanical delay (EMD). However, research on this topic, particularly among taekwondo athletes, is limited.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of NMT and Cal-Mg-Zn supplementation on RT and EMD in taekwondo athletes.Materials and Methods: Sixty athletes from a single taekwondo club in Tabriz, Iran, were randomly assigned to four groups of fifteen: Control, Ca-Mg-Zn, NMT, and Cal-Mg-Zn + NMT. NMT was conducted in 60 min sessions, four times a week, for six consecutive weeks, prior to main taekwondo training. RT and EMD were measured using electromyography before the intervention (T1), three weeks after (T2), and six weeks after (T3). Data were analyzed using SPSS with a confidence level greater than 0.95, employing repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests.Results: No significant differences in RT and EMD were observed among the groups at baseline (P> 0.05). In both post-test assessments, the Cal-Mg-Zn + NMT group exhibited significantly lower RT and EMD compared to the other groups (P< 0.05).Conclusion: The inclusion of NMT with zinc supplementation can effectively improve RT and EMD, thereby enhancing the athletic performance of taekwondo athletes.