What is it called when female athletes lose their period?
Athletic amenorrhoea is when elite or excessive exercise suppresses the release of oestrogen, causing periods to stop.
Athletic amenorrhea is considered to be caused by an inhibition of the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis leading to estrogen deficiency due to caloric restriction (3, 4). We have also proposed essential hyperandrogenism as an alternative mechanism behind menstrual disturbance in athletes (5, 6).
Not eating enough calories can cause menstrual periods to become irregular ( oligomenorrhea ) or stop ( amenorrhea ). In young athletes who aren't eating enough calories, menstrual periods may not start when they should. Primary amenorrhea occurs when menstrual periods don't start before 15 years of age.
Amenorrhea that is related to athletic training and weight fluctuation is caused by changes in the hypothalamus. These changes result in decreased levels of estrogen. Amenorrhea in the female athlete triad may be classified as primary or secondary.
Exercise amenorrhoea is a medical condition in which women involved in heavy exercise experience absence of menstruation of varying periods of time. It occurs because of neuroendocrine dysfunction and is usually reversible.
What is amenorrhea? Amenorrhea is when you don't get your monthly period. It can be temporary or permanent. Amenorrhea can result from a change in function or a problem with some part of the female reproductive system.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS causes relatively high and sustained levels of hormones, rather than the fluctuating levels seen in the normal menstrual cycle.
- Thyroid malfunction. ...
- Pituitary tumor. ...
- Premature menopause.
Absence of a woman's monthly menstrual period is called amenorrhea. Secondary amenorrhea is when a woman who has been having normal menstrual cycles stops getting her periods for 6 months or longer.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is a diagnosis of exclusion that is common in female athletes, particularly those participating in aesthetic sports (ballet, other dance genres, figure skating, and gymnastics) and endurance sports (cross-country running).
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation. Oligomenorrhea refers to infrequent menstrual periods.
How do athletes treat amenorrhea?
American Medical Society for Sports Medicine
Treatment includes increasing caloric intake and/or decreasing energy expenditure (exercise) to restore normal menses, which can take up to 12 months or longer.
Myth 6: Amenorrhea means that you cannot get pregnant.
Amenorrhea should never be used as the only form of birth control. While it is much less likely that an athlete with FHA will be able to get pregnant, ovulation (egg release) can happen especially as someone is further along in the process of recovery from FHA.
Accumulated evidence suggests athletic amenorrhoea to be related to energy deficiency or to the eating disorders that are prevalent among athletes. The long-term consequences of amenorrhoea are premature osteoporosis and increased risk of musculoskeletal injury.
In most women with amenorrhea, the ovaries do not release an egg. Such women cannot become pregnant. ), and an increased risk of heart and blood vessel disorders. Such problems occur because in women who have amenorrhea, the estrogen level is low.
Primary amenorrhea caused by late puberty usually does not need to be treated. The condition will go away on its own. For primary amenorrhea caused by genetic abnormalities, treatment depends on the problem. For example, if the ovaries are not functioning properly, you may be given supplemental ovarian hormones.
Amenorrhea Treatment: Increase Caloric Intake
Fortunately, studies have shown that exercise-associated amenorrhea (EAA) can be eliminated with a simple increase in caloric consumption, generally within three to 12 months after an intervention is made.
Another common practice among sportswomen is taking birth control pills. In one study, about half of athlete respondents revealed that they were using hormonal contraceptives. Doing so helped them control the frequency of their cycle, its timing, and the intensity of menstrual bleeding.
It is theorized that the mass of body fat relative to lean body weight is a critical factor in the onset of secondary amenorrhea. This condition is clinically defined as the absence or suppression of menstruation from any cause other than pregnancy or menopause.