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[Effect of specific training on menstruation and bone strength]
1Klinisk fysiologisk/nuklearmedicinsk afdeling, Amtssygehuset i Herlev.
Ugeskrift for Laeger
|August 26, 1998
Summary
Female athletes undergoing intense endurance training, particularly those with low body weight goals, experience higher rates of secondary amenorrhoea. This condition can negatively impact bone mineral density, increasing fracture risk.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Secondary amenorrhoea is prevalent in female athletes engaged in strenuous endurance activities and weight-sensitive sports.
- The multifactorial etiology is strongly linked to energy balance, with training volume and intensity playing significant roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between secondary amenorrhoea in athletes and its impact on bone mineral content.
- To explore potential differences in bone mineral density effects across various athletic disciplines.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on female athletes with secondary amenorrhoea.
- Analysis of studies examining bone mineral content, particularly in the lumbar spine.
- Comparison of findings across endurance athletes, gymnasts, and rowers.
Main Results:
- Long-term amenorrhoea is associated with reduced bone mineral content, potentially irreversible, especially in long-distance runners.
- Athletes in gymnastics and rowing show less pronounced effects on lumbar bone mineral content despite similar amenorrhoea incidence.
- Specific training modalities may offer a protective influence on bone health.
Conclusions:
- Secondary amenorrhoea in athletes is a significant concern for bone health, necessitating careful monitoring.
- The type of athletic training may modulate the skeletal consequences of amenorrhoea.
- Stress fractures in amenorrhoeic athletes warrant comprehensive bone mineral status evaluation.