Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Menstrual patterns in ultramarathon runners.

M A Van Gend1, T D Noakes

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of Cape Town.

South African Medical Journal = Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde
|December 5, 1987
PubMed
Summary

Female ultramarathon runners experience short-term menstrual irregularity during intense training. Chronic menstrual dysfunction is uncommon and linked to lifestyle factors, not solely running.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Low carbohydrate high fat ketogenic diets on the exercise crossover point and glucose homeostasis.

Frontiers in physiology·2023
Same author

The lateral batting backlift technique: is it a contributing factor to success for professional cricket players at the highest level?

South African journal of sports medicine·2023
Same author

Use of social media by health professionals in South Africa.

South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde·2017
Same author

Brain oxygenation declines in elite Kenyan runners during a maximal interval training session.

European journal of applied physiology·2017
Same author

The universities of Stellenbosch/Cape Town low-carbohydrate diet review: Mistake or mischief?

South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde·2016
Same author

Altered Serum Lipoprotein Profiles in Male and Female Power Lifters Ingesting Anabolic Steroids.

The Physician and sportsmedicine·2016

Area of Science:

  • Sports Medicine
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Women's Health

Background:

  • Female athletes may experience menstrual dysfunction.
  • Ultramarathon running places significant physiological and psychological demands on athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the menstrual status of female ultramarathon runners.
  • To compare their menstrual patterns with pre-running status and a sedentary group.
  • To identify factors associated with menstrual dysfunction in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Examined menstrual status in 70 female ultramarathon runners not using contraception, pregnant, or menopausal.
  • Compared current menstrual status with pre-running status.
  • Compared with a sedentary control group.

Main Results:

  • Chronic menstrual dysfunction (oligo- or amenorrhoea) incidence was 9%, similar to pre-running status and slightly higher than sedentary controls (7%).
  • Short-term menstrual irregularity affected 41% during intensive training/competition, normalizing post-stress.
  • Factors associated with chronic dysfunction included younger age, early running start, high weekly mileage, low body weight, prior irregularity, and high performance.

Conclusions:

  • Ultramarathon runners experience two types of menstrual dysfunction: short-term stress-induced irregularity and chronic dysfunction.
  • Chronic dysfunction appears linked to lifestyle, personality, body type, and nutritional status.
  • Menstrual patterns generally normalize when intense training/competition stress is removed.

Related Experiment Videos