The Future of Female Soldiers: Training, Nutrition, and Menstrual Health in Military Optimisation

In this episode, Dr Julie Greeves, principal physiologist for the British Army and expert in applied human physiology, shares groundbreaking research on female soldier health, injury prevention, and performance optimisation. Dr. Greeves unpacks the Women in Ground Close Combat research program, and explains what it tells us about physical performance, load carriage and reproductive health. Listeners from defence, sports, or health sciences will benefit from these insights, which can help tailor training and policies for women in demanding environments. We discuss the implementation of physical employment standards, the importance of nutrition, menstrual health and sleep for female soldiers, and the steps required to help women thrive in strenuous roles within the military.

Key Takeaways:

• Development and implementation of gender-specific physical employment standards and their impact on female recruitment.
• Physiological differences between men and women: skeletal structure, muscle mass, cardiovascular capacity, and susceptibility to injury.
• Injury risk factors: higher stress fractures and bone injuries in women, especially during initial training phases.
• Benefits of female physiology: metabolic advantages, increased fat oxidation during prolonged submaximal exercise, and potential to reduce injury risk with appropriate systems.
• The myth of training around the menstrual cycle and its practical, science-backed inaccuracy.
• Hormonal fluctuations, menstrual health, contraceptive use, and their impacts on performance and injury risk.
• The importance of micronutrients like iron and calcium for women in military settings.
• The role of sleep, stress, and the gut-brain axis in psychological health and performance, with sex differences in cortisol responses.
• Practical advice for individuals preparing for arduous training: targeted load carriage, resistance, nutrition, and tracking menstrual health.

Julie is the Head of Army Health and Performance Research in the British Army. After obtaining her doctorate in female physiology, Julie has spent over 25 years pioneering original research on musculoskeletal health and human performance in the military. Julie’s research has widely informed Army and Defence policies, and she was decorated with an OBE in 2017 for her scientific contribution to the opening of Ground Close Combat roles to women. Julie holds honorary Chair appointments at the School of Medicine UEA and UCL and has published over 140 original papers in peer-reviewed journals.

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-greeves-obe-facsm-60170a52/?originalSubdomain=uk
• https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RgILbTUAAAAJ&hl=en
• Arduous Training Guide for Women – coming soon!

00:13 Julie’s Career Journey and Current Role

02:06 Women in Ground Close Combat Research Program

04:39 Implementing Research Findings in the Army

08:41 Physical Differences and Injury Risks for Women

12:02 Benefits of Female Physiology in the Military

16:17 Training and the Menstrual Cycle

22:58 Analysing Data on Muscle Performance and Bone Health

23:12 Informed Decisions on Contraceptives and Training

23:57 Tactical Decisions Around Menstrual Cycle

24:17 Understanding RED-S in Military Context

25:13 Energy Deficiency and Logistical Challenges

26:52 Impact of Sleep on Reproductive Health

29:16 Psychological Health and Stress Responses

33:14 Nutritional Needs and Training Recommendations

36:09 Empowering Women Through Menstrual Health Tracking

38:33 Future Research and Implementation

42:46 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks