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Menstrual disorders in athletes.

Leanne M Redman¹, Anne B Loucks

¹Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701-2979, USA.

Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)

|September 6, 2005

Summary

Menstrual disorders in athletes are common, especially in endurance sports, and can lead to infertility and bone loss. Inadequate energy intake during exercise is a key cause, necessitating dietary interventions.

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Area of Science:

Sports Medicine
Exercise Physiology
Women's Health

Background:

Menstrual disorders in female athletes are prevalent but not well-documented.
Incidences are higher in aesthetic, endurance, and weight-class sports, particularly in younger athletes with high training volumes and low body weights.
These disorders have significant health consequences, including infertility, low bone mass, and impaired physiological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the contributing factors and health implications of menstrual disorders in athletes.
To highlight the role of energy availability in exercise-induced menstrual dysfunction.
To emphasize the need for effective dietary interventions in athletic populations.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on menstrual disorders in athletes.
Analysis of factors associated with increased incidence (sport type, age, training load, body weight).
Examination of the morbid effects and potential causes, including energy imbalance.

Main Results:

Menstrual disorders are most common in specific sports and demographics.
Key morbid effects include infertility, reduced bone density, and impaired vascular and muscle function.
Inadequate dietary energy intake relative to exercise expenditure is a primary acquired cause.

Conclusions:

Menstrual disorders in athletes stem from varying susceptibility and exposure to disruptive factors.
Energy deficiency due to insufficient dietary compensation for exercise is a major contributor.
Further research is crucial for developing practical and acceptable dietary interventions for athletes.

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