Why your body goals may not be period friendly
And what you can do about it
In a world booming with topics and trends such as clean eating, revenge body and the all so famous- #bodygoals; it’s easy to get caught up and consumed by fitness, exercise regimes and portion control.
Now you may wonder why I use the words ‘caught up’ when fitness and portion control are undeniably great habits to develop. However, less widely discussed is the effect of exercise, weight gain and weight loss on periods.
Studies reveal that weight loss and weight gain can both cause periods to stop or become irregular, as can intense exercise over a long period of time. Considerable exercise can put the body under significant amounts of stress which can thus affect the menstrual cycle.
Secondary amenorrhea; (which is the absence of periods for at least 3 months following previous normal menstruation); is assumed to be a sign that the body is extremely fit, a consequence of adapting to high levels of exercise.
My experience
I experienced secondary amenorrhea late last year. I lost my menstrual flow for a time frame of 6 months due to my exercise regime.
I would go swimming for 45 minutes four times a week, do cardiovascular or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) six days a week for at least an hour and jog for half an hour at least once a week. I also considerably cut down my meal portions and restricted my carb intake.
It took some time for my periods to disappear just as it tooktime for me to notice that they were gone. Nevertheless, when I eventually came to the realization that I had lost my flow, I wasn’t the least bit bothered. In fact I was glad that I no longer had to deal with the hassle of my periods.
Nevertheless, when aunt flow didn’t make her appearance for several months I became worried and decided to Google it (funny how Google is always the first response to an unknown, right?)
That’s when I came across amenorrhea caused by vigorous exercise regimens and diet restrictions. I have to admit I was over the moon when I read that it is a sign that the body is extremely fit! But the side effects were alarming.
Is amenorrhea dangerous?
Over a period of time, amenorrhea can most definitely lead to health complications.
So does exercise cause menstruation to stop?
Exercise itself doesn’t cause menstruation to stop; it’s the mismatch between energy consumed and energy used resulting in low energy availability. As a result someone’s exercise expenditure causes them to tap into the energy they need to run their body’s day-to-day processes.
Low energy availability can occur due to many reasons- dietary changes/restrictions, intense or prolonged exercise and/or stress.
See, when your body doesn’t have enough energy to sustain your systems, it shunts energy away from non-essential ones like reproduction, growth and bone development.
As a result, the hypothalamus; a region in the brain; slows or stops the release of hormones that control ovulation.
Why your period is important
I am pretty sure that most women like me would thank the heavens as they would rather not deal with the hassle of their periods; however, periods are a vital sign of health- especially of bone health.
Your period acts as a sign that your body’s systems are running smoothly. Your periods can also point out long-term health problems.
If you lose your periods, you may be on your way to losing bone. How?
Osteoporosis- a disease in which bone density is decreased leaving your bones vulnerable to fracture.
Missing periods is a sign of decreased estrogen levels, and lower estrogen levels can lead to osteoporosis.
Even if bones don’t fracture, low estrogen levels during the peak years of bone-building i.e. between 20 and 30 years can affect bone density for the rest of your life as bone growth lost during these years may never be regained.
From that point on you maintain what you have and begin to lose bone as part of the aging process.
Some 20-year-old female athletes are said to have the bones of an 80-year-old woman!
What you can do to get your period back
If you are suffering from (or are afraid of suffering from) secondary amenorrhea due to your fitness regime then it’s time to make some changes.
· Increase your meal portions or better yet consult a nutritionist to ensure your planned meals are sufficient quantity and nutrition-wise
· Adjust your exercise regimen if it’s too intense.
This is however different for everyone i.e. what maybe intense exercise to one person and cause them to lose their flow may not be intense exercise to you
· Ensure your diet is rich in sources of vitamin D and Calcium for bone development.
Supplements are a great way of ensuring your body is getting enough minerals and vitamins.
· If the amenorrhea still persists then consult a doctor as it may be caused by underlying complications
