How is amenorrhea linked to the female athlete triad?
Amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstrual bleeding) are both side effects commonly seen in athletes. Because the menstrual cycle results from hormonal interactions, any reduction in these hormones can affect the athlete’s menstrual cycle. The prevalence of amenorrhea has been reported to be fairly high in the athletic population with some published reports as high as 66%. This is a concern because amenorrhea in the general population is between 2% – 5%. In many athletes, it is difficult to separate extreme exercise from disordered eating as the primary cause of amenorrhea. One of the side effects of anorexia is amenorrhea. However, it is also common to see amenorrhea in women with intense exercise regimens but who have normal eating patterns. There are two theories as to the cause of exercise-induced amenorrhea in athletes. The first is that the extreme demand of energy on the body versus the amount of calories consumed creates an “energy-drain” that leads to hypothalamic dys
