Active Community: Message List - amenorrea

Re: amenorrea

guest — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 20:07:00 GMT

Menstrual disfunction, a.k.a. amenorrhea is very comon in marathon runners, endurace training etc.To make sure you understand definition amenorrhea is lack of 3 or more consecutive periods. In some published studies it was occuring in 47% of marathon runners. There is no simple scientific explanation why it happens, one of the reason is loss of fat. In order for normal menstrual cycle to occur, body fat should be 22% while most of the long distance runners have less (fat cells store estrogen). Second reason could be that ACTH and corstisol are increased which then in turn lowers stimulating/releasing hormones, shutting down central impulse for estrogen production.

With all this said, there is importat point here. Do not assume that your amenorrhea is connected to running. It could be sign of something more serious and it should be addressed with your physician or your gyn.

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Re: amenorrea

guest — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:24:00 GMT

No birth control, and I checked again tonight by testing - no pregnancy. I guess I will just keep waiting and see what happens. I guess it has to do with activity level and eating. I eat enough, and I eat really healthy. Lots of fruit and veggies, not a whole lot of fats, but essentials like olive oil when cooking. This is a whole new world for me!

Re: amenorrea

guest — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:11:00 GMT

I totally agree with lontach!!

The one point I was going to mention when I first read the post was that if you have been on birth control for a significant amount of time that could also be the culprit. But upon re-reading I figured that was probably not the case due to hubby's surgery.

Re: amenorrea

guest — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 02:06:00 GMT

Sorry for being flip. I'm sure it's not healthy (does anyone else wonder about the long-term effects of that pill that takes you down to 4x a year?) but I'm also certain that if it happens I'll normalize again. I eat healthy and sleep well, and fortunately fertility is not an issue for me.

lml

Re: amenorrea

guest — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:38:00 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by ladymoonlite:
My guess is that it's just related to the increased activity. I'm hoping it will happen to me! !http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|src=http://www.coolrunning.com/forums/smile.gif|border=0!

Are you really?

Have you any idea the (possibly long term and irremediable) damage that the shut down of estrogen production does to your bone density? You know the way that women post-menopause get osteoporosis? That's because estrogen fixes calcium in your bones.

If you are not receiving adequate nutrition, your body acts to preserve itself by shutting down non-vital functions, like reproduction. Estrogen production shuts off. No period. Yippee!, you say.

No, Not yippee. Osteopenia, which is the lessening of bone density, is what results. And the result is stress fractures and outright breaks, just like your 80 year old female relations.

If you are a healthy, non-pregnant female runner between menarche and menopause, you are supposed to be fertile. Your desire to lose your period through running is a desire to become infertile. Yes, your periods will probably resume when you start getting adequate nutrition - this has happened to women in times of war and famine for millenia. But there is no certainty that your bones ever recover.

This is what is known as the female athlete triad. It's the combination of inadequate nutrition, amenorrhea and loss of bone density. You do not need to have an eating disorder to have disordered eating - you simply need to be eating too little to support what you're asking your body to do at the same time as its normal functions - like being able to support a pregnancy.

So think again about whether you want this to happen.

And read what the American Association of Family Physicians[/URL" target="_blank"> say about the triad. Yes, it's common. No, it's not normal.

If you, or anyone you know, is missing periods like this, it's a huge red flag. Coaches often think it's no big deal - and tell their athletes this. They couldn't be more wrong. If their male athletes were becoming infertile, with longterm damage to their skeletons, would they be as dismissive?

That being said, there is more than one possible reason for missing periods.

Go to your doctor.

If zhe doesn't think it's important, find another doctor.

You only get one skeleton.

Re: amenorrea

guest — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:51:00 GMT

my guess is just change in activity levels. But a question to ask is are you eating enough?

Re: amenorrea

guest — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:49:00 GMT

Yup, a week late here too, and it just came.

Also had missed it one month and had it very light one month.

Not sure how it will go after my body adjusts to the running. I used to be a three day chick in high school, not sure if it was age, or activity. It would be nice to go back to that,

Sue

Re: amenorrea

guest — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:44:00 GMT

My guess is that it's just related to the increased activity. I'm hoping it will happen to me!

Re: amenorrea

guest — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 22:42:00 GMT

don't assume the vasectomy worked.....

amenorrea

guest — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 21:26:00 GMT

ok, i started running 4 months ago. i am up to about 25 miles a week and suddenly i have no period. i am not pregnant (my husband had a vasectomy - 5 months ago) and have been regular until this point. i am about a week past due. anyone???