Athletic Amenorrhea: Too Much of “A Good Thing?”
Submitted by Fit and Female Blog
Exercising is a “good thing” and so is being lean, but there is a point at which (like anything else in life) you can have too much of a good thing…
I received a letter today from a young woman who read my book, Fit + Female. She has written me before, but today she wrote and told me about the fact that she has not had her period — in two and half years!
Given her very active lifestyle and relatively low body weight, I am guessing that she may be suffering from athletic amenorrhea. But, I’m not a doctor, so I strongly let her know that I think she needs to see a good OB/GYN and a good registered dietitian (RD) immediately to find out what’s going on and remedy the situation ASAP.
So in the interest of educating anyone else out there who might be facing a similar situation, I thought I would explain a bit about what athletic amenorrhea is, it’s causes and risks.
What is it?
“Amenorrhea” is defined as not getting your period for 3-6 months in a row. “Athletic amenorrhea” is prevalent in female athletes who engage in rigorous or excessive exercise — and do not eat enough to fuel their active lifestyles. This results in a drop in body fat to levels that are too low for that individual (usually somewhere below 16% depending on the person). Once the body fat is too low, the ovaries (which need a certain amount of body fat in order to function properly) stop producing estrogen and menstruation ceases.
Why is that dangerous?
When estrogen is too low, it reduces bone mineral density. This can lead to osteopenia and then osteoporosis where bones are at serious risk of fracturing easily. Left untreated athletic amenorrhea has been linked to: psychological issues and reduced athletic performance, fertility problems, even heart disease and cancer.
How is it treated?
A complete physical is necessary to rule out other medical problems. Birth control pills may be prescribed to increase estrogen levels and restore hormone balance. Food intake will need to be increased (and activity levels decreased) to facilitate an appropriate and healthy body fat level at which the ovaries will again begin to work properly. Calcium supplementation of at least 1500 mg per day is also important to improve bone mineral density and reduce the risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis.
Next steps?
If you or someone you care about are very active, very lean and not having regular menstrual periods PLEASE see your doctor immediately and begin taking steps to resolve this situation. The long term consequences to your health can be devastating if not taken seriously!
Geralyn Coopersmith, MA, CSCS is an exercise physiologist, certified personal trainer and the creator of The Best Me Ever, a comprehensive weight loss and wellness system just for women
December 24th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Hi there,
I am really wondering if you can help me out. I exercise like crazy - I run at least an hour every single day - and I’ve got secondary amenorrhea. I’ve always suspected something like athletic reasons for it, but my weight just does not explain it. I am 127lbs and 5′3 - which is completely normal. I am even a little chubby in some areas. I definitely have enough fat on me to induce a period. I don’t know why I have amenorrhea. I’m 19 now and I haven’t had a period since I was 14. Let me know what you think.
Thanks,
Aletheia