{"id":14876,"date":"2022-05-27T06:58:41","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T11:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/?p=14876"},"modified":"2025-01-20T09:34:24","modified_gmt":"2025-01-20T15:34:24","slug":"%d0%bf%d0%be%d1%87%d0%b5%d0%bc%d1%83-%d1%83-%d1%81%d0%bf%d0%be%d1%80%d1%82%d1%81%d0%bc%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%ba-%d0%bf%d1%80%d0%be%d0%bf%d0%b0%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%8e%d1%82-%d0%bc%d0%b5%d1%81%d1%8f%d1%87","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/ru\/why-do-female-athletes-lose-their-period-exercise-induced-amenorrhea\/","title":{"rendered":"\u041d\u0435\u0442, \u044d\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e, \u043a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430 \u0443 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0442\u0441\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043e\u043a \u043f\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0434\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u043c\u0435\u0441\u044f\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435: \u041a\u0430\u043a \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0435\u0436\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043e\u043f\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439 \u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0438, \u0432\u044b\u0437\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0444\u0438\u0437\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u043d\u0430\u0433\u0440\u0443\u0437\u043a\u0430\u043c\u0438 "},"content":{"rendered":"\n

According to a prevalent myth, it\u2019s normal for young female competitive athletes to lose their periods, also known as experiencing exercise-induced amenorrhea. The truth is, while it may be common to lose one\u2019s period because of over-exercise<\/a>, under-eating<\/a>, or a combination of both, it is neither normal nor healthy. In order to optimize young female athletes\u2019 health, we need to teach them how to train with their female bodies in mind; that is, to train like women<\/em> rather than like men. Cycle syncing is a powerful way for female athletes to work with, rather than against, their bodies as they train and perform competitively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What causes exercise-induced amenorrhea? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a Cleveland Clinic article<\/a>, registered dietitian Katie Patton commented, \u201cAmenorrhea can be a sign of exercise-induced anorexia related to energy deprivation from not eating enough, from exercising too much, or from a combination of the two.\u201d As indicated by this telling article<\/a> in Runner\u2019s World<\/em>, amenorrhea indicates a profound mismatch between calories consumed and energy expended. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mismatch<\/em> is the key, rather than some specific amount of daily or weekly exercise or calories burned, that tips a woman into amenorrhea. If a woman consistently eats hundreds of fewer calories than she burns and she has inadequate fat stores, her body goes into energy-conserving starvation mode. The brain no longer sends signals for normal, healthy hormonal processes like ovulation and menstruation. According to Patton, \u201cfemale athletes who are most susceptible to restricting calorie intake are those who are involved in excessive exercise, play sports that require weight checks or are involved in sports that benefit from a leaner body composition [think runners or soccer players].\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is losing your period from exercise really that big of a problem? <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, not having a period isn\u2019t so much the problem with exercised-induced amenorrhea. The bigger issue concerns what a lack of periods likely indicates: If a woman isn\u2019t having her period, she\u2019s very possibly not ovulating. Not ovulating is not good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we\u2019ve covered extensively in the past, ovulation<\/a> is an indicator of overall health in the body. Ovulation is so important that it\u2019s considered a fifth vital sign<\/a> for women, and with good reason. Ovulation impacts your brain and emotional health as well as your bones, heart, and immune system, as we\u2019ve covered at length here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a>, and here<\/a>, and summarized succinctly in this short video<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, amenorrhea isn\u2019t typically a standalone problem in female athletes, but rather one of a trio of concerning, interconnected health conditions that make up the \u201cFemale Athlete Triad<\/a>\u201d (the other two are bone loss\/osteoporosis and disordered eating). Retired elite runner Lauren Fleshman shared in a \u2018Dear Younger Me\u2019 blog post<\/a>, \u201cIf you get to the dips and valleys and fight your body, starve your body, attempt to outsmart it, you will suffer. You will lose your period. You will get faster at first. And then you will get injured.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effects of the Triad can plague women long-term. And while little research has been done on the topic, one wonders whether exercise-induced amenorrhea can cause long-term reproductive problems such as hormonal deficiency-related infertility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birth control compounds the problem(s)<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, most mainstream articles touching on exercise-induced amenorrhea fail to mention that hormonal birth control, which some women experiencing amenorrhea are placed on to \u201cregulate\u201d their cycles<\/a>, can make things much worse\u2013not to mention the fact that hormonal birth control can\u2019t actually \u201cregulate\u201d your cycle at all, and that pill bleeds will disguise the fact that you’re not regularly ovulating and menstruating as you should. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Birth control pills have a side effect<\/a> of decreased bone density<\/a>, leading to increased risk of fracture, which athletes experiencing amenorrhea are already at risk for. This is particularly concerning since women\u2019s bone density should actually be at its peak during their early to mid 20s. In 2019, The New York Times<\/em> ran a piece<\/a> on elite runner Mary Cain, once called \u201cthe fastest girl in America.\u201d Cain shared her story of suffering emotional and mental abuse by her coach in Nike\u2019s elite running training program. Put on hormonal birth control to lose weight, Cain experienced five broken bones in three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s more, hormonal birth control use can deplete key nutrients<\/a> including Vitamins C, B2, B6, folate, Vitamin E, Magnesium, Selenium, and Zinc. These nutritional deficiencies can be particularly pronounced in this population that is already malnourished to some extent, as evidenced by the amenorrhea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, hormonal contraceptive use has been linked to new onset of depressive and even suicidal symptoms<\/a>, and the risk is highest in teens and young women. The compounding effect of taking medications that negatively impact one\u2019s mental health on top of existing struggles with disordered eating and tremendous pressures to perform athletically (and academically as well, in the case of high school and college athletes) can be disastrous. Track star Cain was pushed to the brink, cutting herself and suffering from suicidal ideation before quitting the Nike program and gradually beginning to heal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoiding exercise-induced amenorrhea with nutrition tailored for the needs of the female body<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Besides stopping (or never starting) hormonal birth control use, female athletes can take proactive steps to maintain a healthy weight and eating habits. For optimal health, registered dietitian Katie Patton suggests<\/a> that female athletes:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n