Any changes in normal hormone levels can lead to menstrual dysfunction, especially in athletes. This can be caused by overtraining, stress, dieting and weight loss. Typically, menstrual dysfunction occurs when the amount of energy used by athletes exceeds the amount of energy taken in through nutrition.
The absence of menstruation is also a key symptom of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). It is a condition that can affect elite and non-elite athletes and is characterised by low energy availability due to a calorie deficit.
An estimated 25 percent of female elite athletes report chronically missing their periods, and some analyses of ballerinas and long-distance runners suggest the problem is even more prevalent in those groups.
The intense physical training of those involved in rhythmic gymnastics is associated with delayed development of the normal menstrual pattern, with menarche being delayed by as much as 1.5–2.0 years.
Not eating enough calories can cause menstrual periods to become irregular (oligomenorrhea) or stop (amenorrhea). In the young athlete who isn't eating enough calories, menstrual periods may not start when they should. Primary amenorrhea occurs when menstrual periods don't start before 16 years of age.
Without the proper energy balance, girls can experience menstrual irregularities and have an increased risk of stress fractures. Even with regular weight-bearing exercises, an amenorrheic athlete is two to four times more at risk for a stress fracture than an athlete who gets regular periods.
Athletes have low metabolic rates, particularly if they are amenorrheic. Thus, the altered metabolic state associated with marginal energy intake of the trained athlete can be associated with changes that signal the reproductive system (such as low leptin) and lead to menstrual dysfunction.
Most competitive swimmers and other swimmers rely on tampons when it comes to managing their periods while swimming. And according to a recent Knix study, they're the second most popular period product in general. Tampons have the advantage of being familiar.
Rigorous exercise undertaken by young girls, combined with a negative energetic balance, is related to substantial physiological changes in a competitor's body, often leading to hormonal imbalance manifested by: delayed puberty, delayed menstruation, menstrual disorders, and even long-term secondary amenorrhoea.
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.
Infertility due to exercise-induced amenorrhea can be treated with fertility medications, but if a woman is underweight, optimizing body weight by improving nutritional intake before trying to get pregnant is the preferred approach.
“Amenorrhea 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,” says Patton. During amenorrhea, your metabolism slows way down — so slow, you stop ovulating to conserve energy.
Factors Leading To Amenorrhea
Some of the factors which lead to the irregular occurrence of the menstrual cycle, include the following: Low body fat (below 12 percent). Early pre-pubertal athletic training.
Tampons are a common choice for many dancers and gymnasts for a lot of the same reasons as the menstrual cup – they're invisible under a leotard. If your teen is comfortable with using tampons, this can be a good option.
Amenorrhea is a common occurrence among many female athletes, particularly fitness competitors or bodybuilders since they are required to get down to such low body fat levels.
Some gymnasts may experience what's considered primary amenorrhea, meaning they have not started their period by 15 ½ years of age. This is usually due to inadequate energy availability for high level athletes.
Protection. On heavy days, Streicher suggests doubling up: Wear a tampon and a thong panty liner in your leotard for additional, unbulky protection. Then, layer your tights over your leotard, or, if your studio allows it, wear dark-colored, fitted shorts.
DANCING subjects the toenails to quite a bit of trauma. This often results in conditions such as ingrown toenails, infections, bruising, thickening and fungal infections. Sometimes the nails can drop off altogether. Prevention is best but sometimes problems still occur, requiring a visit to a podiatrist.
For so many years, most ballet dancers have opted for tampons or wingless pads when it's period time. However, that's not always a great idea. At the end of day, there are known side effects to using tampons, such as Toxic Shock Syndrome.
Use a tampon, sponge, or cup while swimming
If you can't or don't want to use a tampon or alternative product like a sponge or menstrual cup, you have a few options. If your flow is light, you can wear absorbent swimwear or a dark-colored suit to prevent stains.
Fact: You can – and you should. Pads might not be the best option, since they'll absorb water till they're soaked, and could get weighed down or fall out. Plus, they might be visible through your bathing suit. On the other hand, tampons are convenient and safe to use in water.
Can you go swimming with a pad? Swimming on your period with a pad is not advised. Pads are made out of absorbent material that soaks up liquids within seconds. Submerged in water like a pool, a pad will completely fill with water, leaving no room for it to absorb your menstrual fluid.
High levels of physical activity leave minimal energy to maintain the hormonal requirements for fertilization. However, the decrease in fertility is temporary and restores when weight is gained. Low body fat can also cause irregular periods or periods to stop, which indicates that the body is not ovulating.
Hypothalamic amenorrhea is a prevalent disorder in young women that occurs at the peak of reproductive life. While it remains a diagnosis of exclusion, medical professionals should be aware of the long-term health consequences of low estrogen levels that go beyond the reproductive system.
Amenorrhea occurs in 3.4 to 66 percent of female athletes, compared with only 2 to 5 percent of women in the general population.