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Thread: Calling the girls!

  1. #1

    Lightbulb Calling the girls!

    I need help from my fellow female forumites please. Apologies in advance for getting personal, but I am really interested in your experiences of training affecting your menstrual cycle.

    I had always considered that females would have to be training to elite standards before menstrual cycle would be detrimentally affected. I have very irregular, infrequent periods but, as I say, had not really considered that my training would be an influencing factor in this. Recently I have developed a stress fracture. These are much more common in female athletes who have irregular periods because of the hormonal influences on bone density.

    It has made me wonder whether I should take the issue of my periods and hence my bone density more seriously and I'd really love your opinions and experiences on the subject. Are your periods regular? Have any of you suffered stress farctures? Those mums amongst you, do you think your fertility was affected positively or negatively by running?

    I fully understand if you would rather not discuss this on the forum in front of the men! So feel free to PM me if you'd rather

    JLS
    I only run so I can eat cake Oh...and drink cider

  2. #2
    Senior Member Chugger's Avatar
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    Re: Calling the girls!

    Welll done! A really good thread for an exchange of views!
    From chatting with my clubmates and reading a couple of articles, I can tell you that the hormone stuff does make a difference (even Liz Yelling admits that there is a day a month where she just feels that she cannot run).

    The research into the "Female athletic triad" states that there is a close link between osteoporosis, eating disorder and loss of menstruation in young female athletes.
    The loss of regular periods seems linked to the availiability of energy (not to do with body weight/fat). This promts the question: are you taking in sufficient nutrients? (Protein seems to be very important too, as that is what hormones are made of.)

    On a personal level: the premenstrual bit is a minefield and I feel awful the day before (racing at this point is always a disaster). The changes in physiology mean that you are already operating with an increased respiratory rate and it feels much harder to do a descent pace.

    Have you had a bone density scan? Or could you have an underlying issue of absorbtion (such as a wheat/gluten allergy?) We should aquire our peak bone mass in early adulthood and any absorbtion issues will have long term effects.
    Does any of this help/make sense???

  3. #3

    Re: Calling the girls!

    this is a good thread i do agree.

  4. #4

    Re: Calling the girls!

    Quote Originally Posted by Chugger View Post

    The research into the "Female athletic triad" states that there is a close link between osteoporosis, eating disorder and loss of menstruation in young female athletes.
    The loss of regular periods seems linked to the availiability of energy (not to do with body weight/fat). This promts the question: are you taking in sufficient nutrients? (Protein seems to be very important too, as that is what hormones are made of.)

    Have you had a bone density scan? Or could you have an underlying issue of absorbtion (such as a wheat/gluten allergy?) We should aquire our peak bone mass in early adulthood and any absorbtion issues will have long term effects.
    Does any of this help/make sense???
    Thanks for that Chugger,

    I have come across a fair amount of info on the female athletic triad too. Those who know me would laugh at the idea of me having an eating disorder but I do have kind of 'disordered' eating. Your suggestion about protein has crossed my mind, I'm going to make an effort to include more. Someone else also suggested fats, in terms of their role in nutrient absorption, I try to stick to a very low fat diet 90% of the time, so again I'm going to add a bit more olive oil for a while. I think I am marginally on the wheat intolerance spectrum, haven't really researched this much though, so will look into it more.

    As for my bone density, no I haven't had a scan but I plan to talk to my GP about it. I'm not convinced he'll take it all that seriously which is why I wanted other peoples experiences.

    I think most of us can relate to having bad runs at some point during our cycle. Its just one of those things I suppose, I certainly don't plan my racing calender around it

    JLS
    I only run so I can eat cake Oh...and drink cider

  5. #5
    Master and MR
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    Re: Calling the girls!

    Quote Originally Posted by justlovestretching... View Post
    I need help from my fellow female forumites please. Apologies in advance for getting personal, but I am really interested in your experiences of training affecting your menstrual cycle.

    I had always considered that females would have to be training to elite standards before menstrual cycle would be detrimentally affected. I have very irregular, infrequent periods but, as I say, had not really considered that my training would be an influencing factor in this. Recently I have developed a stress fracture. These are much more common in female athletes who have irregular periods because of the hormonal influences on bone density.

    It has made me wonder whether I should take the issue of my periods and hence my bone density more seriously and I'd really love your opinions and experiences on the subject. Are your periods regular? Have any of you suffered stress farctures? Those mums amongst you, do you think your fertility was affected positively or negatively by running?

    I fully understand if you would rather not discuss this on the forum in front of the men! So feel free to PM me if you'd rather

    JLS
    just love stretching a good thread, one of our lady members developed a stress fracture whilst marathon training and she was found to have a calcium defeciency.
    feel a bit weird posting but you could be suffering from a lack of calcium

  6. #6
    Master and MR
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    Re: Calling the girls!

    oh sorry should have added that she was prescribed boron, apparantly this speeds calcium metabolism more.
    apart from that im a bit out my depth
    hope this helps
    not many men forumites offering advice
    hope you get sorted
    daz

  7. #7

    Re: Calling the girls!

    Quote Originally Posted by daz h View Post
    feel a bit weird posting but you could be suffering from a lack of calcium
    Quote Originally Posted by daz h View Post
    not many men forumites offering advice
    Thanks for that Daz,

    Yeah I think an appointment with the GP is looking necessary, I'll find out about Boron and whether that might be a solution.

    As for male forumites, didn't mean to exclude you from this thread, feel free to chip in your opinions, all welcome

    JLS
    I only run so I can eat cake Oh...and drink cider

  8. #8
    Senior Member socks's Avatar
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    Re: Calling the girls!

    Quote Originally Posted by daz h View Post
    not many men forumites offering advice
    ... probably just as well !!!!!

  9. #9
    david
    Guest

    Re: Calling the girls!

    There appears to be a lot of evidence that for women the reduction in body fat caused by exercise leads to a lowering of oestrogen level which in turn causes irregular periods and reduces the body's ability to absorb calcium. Eating excesive amounts of protein and fibre can also adversely affect calcium absorbtion. The answer seems to be to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods, limit protein intake to 15-20% of total calories and don't get obsessive about reducing body fat below a sensible, healthy level.

  10. #10
    Master and MR
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    Re: Calling the girls!

    Quote Originally Posted by socks View Post
    ... probably just as well !!!!!
    not me im a modern man socks

    i know that you can get priliminary amnenorrea( not sure if thats spelt proper )
    and secondary amnenorrea.
    may be wrong but its okay as a rule if your periods stop or lessen whilst takin the pill or medication but if your not takin medication and they stop it could be more serious
    so GP if they have stopped and your not on medication

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