Women have unique and evolving nutrition and hydration needs throughout their physically active years. Yet research on physical activity has historically been based on male physiology, leaving gaps in guidance for everyday physically active women. 

This webinar brings together Dr. Jessica Garay, a leading researcher in women’s health and nutrition, and Val Schoenberg, a women’s health dietitian, to explore evidence-based, practical strategies for supporting physically active women across the lifespan. Together, we’ll: 

• Understand the physiologic, hormonal, and metabolic changes across an active woman’s lifecycle from adolescence through menopause, and how these changes influence nutrition and hydration needs 
• Identify key nutrient and hydration needs to support physically active women’s performance,  recovery, energy levels, and overall health 
• Review emerging research on nutrition and hydration strategies for physically active women 
• Tailor evidence-based nutrition and hydration strategies for active females at different life stages 
   

Presenters: 

Rebecca Randell, PhD 
Associate Principal Scientist, Life Sciences 
PepsiCo 
 

Jessica Garay, PhD 
Associate Professor, Dept of Nutrition and Food Studies 
Syracuse University 

Val Schonberg, MS, RD, MSCP, CSSD, FAND 
Registered Dietitian 

Funding from non-CPE revenue for CPE planning, development, review, and / or presentation has been provided by PepsiCo. The speakers received compensation from PepsiCo for their participation. Any  opinions or scientific interpretations expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of PepsiCo, Inc.
 

Nutrition and Hydration Strategies for Active Women awards 1.25 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration's CPEU Prior Approval Program.

Q&A

During the live webinar, the speakers received so many great questions—more than we had time to address. After watching the webinar recording above, check out these additional insights from our speakers in the bonus Q&A below.

Q: What are the main nutritional challenges when working with postmenopausal active women, and do you do any lab testing or measure any blood biomarkers with this cohort to help with nutrition and hydration recommendations?
 

Val Schoenberg, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, MSCP, FAND: The most common nutritional challenge I see in active postmenopausal women is inadequate energy intake. Many women in this group exercise at high levels but underestimate the amount of fuel needed to support their activity, while others intentionally restrict food in response to body composition changes that often occur with menopause. Over time, this can lead to chronic under fueling, fatigue, and impaired recovery. Supporting adequate energy intake, along with sufficient protein and key micronutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, is essential for maintaining muscle mass and bone health when estrogen levels decline.
 

While nutrition guidance is primarily based on dietary assessment, training load, and symptoms, laboratory data can sometimes help inform care. In collaboration with a physician, useful markers may include an iron panel, thyroid tests, lipid panel, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (Vitamin D), and a comprehensive metabolic panel with a DEXA scan when bone health is a concern.

Q: Are there any generalized recommendations on the best time of day to exercise based on the female hormonal cycle, and do those recommendations change in each phase of the cycle?
 

Dr. Jessica Garay, PhD, RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND: There are no current guidelines regarding a specific time of day to exercise during each phase of the menstrual cycle. A small number of earlier studies investigated this and did not find any meaningful differences in time of day across the phases for moderate and high intensity exercise ^1,2. An individualized approach is best – identifying the ideal time when a female is physically and mentally prepared to exercise will contribute to a consistent, successfulworkout regimen.

1. Galliven, E.A., Singh, A., Michelson, D., Bina, S., Gold, P.W. and Deuster, P.A., 1997. Hormonal and metabolic responses to exercise across time of day and menstrual cycle phase. Journal of Applied Physiology, 83(6), pp.1822-1831.
2. Horton, T.J., Miller, E.K., Glueck, D. and Tench, K., 2002. No effect of menstrual cycle phase on glucose kinetics and fuel oxidation during moderate-intensity exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 282(4), pp.E752-E762.

Q: What are the evidence-based recommendations for using electrolyte drinks? They have become very popular to people of all stages of life as promoted as improving hydration, suggesting better than just water.

Dr. Jessica Garay, PhD, RDN, CSSD, CSCS, FAND: Recent research has investigated the impact of various beverages on urine production and overall fluid balance, leading to the creation of a “beverage hydration index^3,4”. These studies have identified drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes to be more effective than plain water at improving hydration status of the participants at rest. However, the majority of studies have been conducted in predominately male subjects. We need more research with female participants in order to better understand the impact of these drinks on hydration status, particularly at different phases of the menstrual cycle.
Currently there are many different ready-to-drink products and powdered mixes available providing carbohydrates and electrolytes. A practical strategy is to identify what type of beverage an individual is most likely to consume adequate amounts of and then find ways to incorporate that beverage throughout the day. Considerations need to also be made for the calorie and micronutrient contribution of the beverages to the individual’s overall daily needs in order to avoid excess intakes.
 

3. Maughan, R.J., Watson, P., Cordery, P.A., Walsh, N.P., Oliver, S.J., Dolci, A., Rodriguez-Sanchez, N. and Galloway, S.D., 2016. A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(3), pp.717-723.
4. Millard-Stafford M, Snow TK, Jones ML, Suh H. The Beverage Hydration Index: Influence of Electrolytes, Carbohydrate and Protein. Nutrients. 2021; 13(9):2933. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13092933

Q: Is there an 'official' definition of sports drink? Does it need to contain a certain amount of carbohydrate? 

Rebecca Randell, PhD: The primary aim of fluid intake during physical activity is to prevent excessive dehydration (defined as >2% loss of body mass due to fluid deficit) and excessive changes in electrolyte balance to ensure that exercise performance is not compromised. The main objective of a sports drink is to replace water loss through sweating. However, a sports drink might also include additional ingredients that will help with fluid retention, absorption and provide energy, in the form of carbohydrate.

Carbohydrate is included in sports drinks because it facilitates fluid absorption. In addition, carbohydrate intake is important for maintaining blood glucose concentrations and supporting carbohydrate oxidation, particularly when endogenous carbohydrate stores are being depleted during prolonged or intense exercise. The recommended amount of carbohydrate is 5-10%. Higher carbohydrate concentrations can impair the fluid absorption process by slowing gastric emptying and
may cause GI distress. However, this depends on the type of carbohydrate used, as beverages formulated with multiple transportable carbohydrates can improve gastric emptying and carbohydrate delivery even when total carbohydrate intake is relatively high.
 

The presence of sodium enhances palatability and stimulates the physiological drive to drink. The inclusion of sodium also helps maintain extracellular fluid volume, including plasma volume. The recommended amount of sodium to be included in a fluid-replacement beverage¹ during exercise is 20-30 mmol/L. Individuals with particularly high sweat rates or high sweat sodium concentrations may require greater electrolyte intake to adequately replace losses.
 

The need for carbohydrate and electrolyte inclusion in sports drinks ultimately depends on the specific exercise demands, such as intensity and duration, as well as environmental conditions, including temperature and humidity.
 

1. Baker LB, Jeukendrup AE. Optimal composition of fluid-replacement beverages. Compr Physiol. 2014 Apr;4(2):575-620. doi:10.1002/cphy.c130014. PMID: 24715561. Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39(2):p 377-390, February 2007. | DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597. Institute of Medicine. Water. In: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Sodium, Cholride, Potassium and Sulfate, Washington, D.C: National Academy Press, pp. 73-185, 2005.

Q: Do you have any strategies for helping clients meet their nutrient requirements when physically active, but have a desire to lose weight or aren't seeing the results they're hoping for? Any tips for physically active women as they go through menopause and see changes in metabolism and weight gain?
 

Val Schoenberg, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD, MSCP, FAND: Many physically active women who want to lose weight assume that eating less will improve performance or health, but restrictive eating often backfires by impairing recovery, increasing fatigue, disrupting sleep, and triggering cycles of cravings or overeating. One of the most helpful strategies is to shift the focus from weight to supporting the body’s needs for performance, recovery, and long-term health. In practice, this means prioritizing diet quality, establishing consistent meals and snacks throughout the day, and ensuring adequate protein and carbohydrate intake to support training and muscle maintenance.
 

It’s also important to set realistic expectations about body composition changes that occur across the lifespan, including during menopause. For women who are already active and generally eating well, the desire to lose weight may also be influenced by body image concerns that deserve thoughtful attention. When women focus on adequate fueling and sustainable habits rather than restriction, they are more likely to maintain the strength, energy, and resilience needed for an active and healthy life.