Whhop has created "cardiovascular amplitude" a new metric that measures cardiac changes through the menstrual cycle.
Whoop has developed a novel digital biomarker for menstrual cycle monitoring, according to a report in Nature.
The study, which lists Whoop SVP of Research Emily Capodilupo as an author, who appeared on the PULSE by Wareable podcast in 2024.
The team analyzed 1 million days of data and over 45,000 menstrual cycles from 11,590 participants, making it one of the largest investigations into cardiovascular changes across menstrual cycles. This highlights how understudied women’s health has historically been.
Whoop has introduced a new metric called “cardiovascular amplitude,” which measures fluctuations in resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate variability (HRV) throughout the menstrual cycle.
The study found that these metrics follow a predictable pattern during the menstrual cycle, with RHR reaching its lowest point and HRV peaking around day 5. RHR peaks around day 26, while HRV dips near day 27.
Researchers also found that these fluctuations were significantly reduced in participants who were older, had a higher BMI, or were using hormonal birth control.
So what? This indicator could help identify cycle irregularities, which may lead to serious health outcomes if left undetected. It could also aid in identifying perimenopause in the future, potentially demystifying the menstrual cycle.
Lead researcher Summer R. Jasinski suggests that this new metric could serve as “an easily accessible and reliable indicator of female reproductive hormones across the menstrual cycle.”
Wareable says:
As Will Ahmed, Whoop CEO, points out, “3% of medical research is focused on women’s health” — a vital area that remains chronically and criminally under-researched. Women’s health startups often have to conduct their own research in addition to developing products.
It’s no surprise, then, that such a significant piece of research has been undertaken by a wearables company. This could make Whoop and other wearables much more valuable, ultimately promoting better health outcomes for women in the future.