Amenorrhea

Hi. I am a 20 year old female that is 5'8'', and weighs 122-124lbs. I exercise every day at the gym on the elipitical for 60-90 minutes. I am not weak or look starved, but rather fit. Also, I rarely get sick, so I have no problems with my immune system. Overall, I am happy and energized pretty much all the time. However, my recent problem is that I have stopped having my periods. I am not sure what is causing this problem. My Omron Body Fat percentage checker says I have body fat of 14%, which seems sufficient according to my research. I am not really "underweight" either, but I just don't understand why I have stopped having my period all of the sudden. I have heard that many female athletes, especially long distance runners, have problems with amenorrhea, and that recent research indicates that body fat is not the culprit, but rather the lack of calories available, aka starvation mode. However, doesn't this mean that everyone who loses weight would be missing their periods? Why do you think that I have lost mine? I have skipped last month, and I should have had a period this month, but it has not happened. I am worried and concerned, but my OBGYN says that I should just take birth control, which I am not sure I should or should not do. I have heard that taking birth control can make it even harder to have periods again when you get off the pill. Any inputs/insight/experiences would be appreciated. Thanks.

You may just be too active and undernourished for your body's set point, where your body wants to be to maintain homeostasis including reproductive function. Whether or not you think you're starved can sometimes be irrelevant to what the body wants for us. 60-90 minutes is an awfully long time, what some might consider too excessive.

you're hilarious. 124 gives you a bmi of 18.8 - underweight,

and 14% bodyfat seems accurate does it? ha

you are underweight and your Bf% is too low. both result in... Taadaaah ammenorrhea.

But the thing is, I did have my periods even when I was 120lbs. I think that right now, I might have amenorrhea not because of my body weight or BF% but because of calorie deficits...I have read that recent studies indicate that this may be the primary reason. However, I don't FEEL hungry and I feel healthy...I eat when I need to....and I am not losing weight...so how do I know whether I am in starvation mode? I read that you have to feel tired/get sick easily/etc to be in starvation mode.... Any athletes out there with this type of problem?? I have always done 60 min/day but did increase to 90min/day, but it's not overly vigorous exercise...just the elliptical. I am pretty sure that the elliptical doesn't burn THAT much calories...

There are athletes who don't intend to eat "less" but they do.

I'm a runner, and if I were to keep running 50 miles per week and eating, say, only 2000 calories, as Fidget may chime in and agree, that is a calorie deficit.

Either way, I say you need to cut back a little on the exercise and gain about 5 pounds if you want to have healthy ovaries.

bethany is spot on

Your body is too malnourished to maintain a pregnancy , so it shuts down its reprocuctive system ... nature knows best.

Original Post by fidget84:

you're hilarious. 124 gives you a bmi of 18.8 - underweight,

and 14% bodyfat seems accurate does it? ha

you are underweight and your Bf% is too low. both result in... Taadaaah ammenorrhea.

Umm a BMI of 18.8 is not underweight. the healthy range is 18.5-24.9. In some countries a BMI of lower than 18.5 is even considered healthy. She is very thin, yes, and close to being underweight, but no cigar. 

To the OP: I would guess that you should tone down a little on the exercise. I think if you stop getting your period that it's your body's way of telling you to gain some weight. It may only be 5lbs that you need to gain, but I do think you should cut down exercising to maybe 30 minutes a day and try to exercise. Good luck :)

Hi there,

I'm in the exact position as you are. I exercise about 4-5 times a week and I eat very healthy. I have tons of energy aswel! But I haven't had my periods in more than a year... I'm working really hard on getting them back! I've tried to gain some weight, tried to cut back on the exercise,..., nothing helped! So now I'm seeing doctors on a regular basis. And it seems like there are different factors who can play a role. Traumatic experiences, depression, low BF%, and even problems with 'thethyroid gland'. You should go to the doctor and get your blood checked! My thyroid gland isn't working as it should and this might also be 1 of the reasons why I haven't had my peroid! I'm doing some test at the moment (taking hormones). I'll keep you posted :)!

Greetz,

LN

I too was the same as you, I was 5 3 and 107 with a bmi of 19.5 and body fat of about 12%. I worked out 5-6 days a week with lots of weights and cardio, I felt fit and healthy with lots of energy but no period. My period disappeared for a year even though I felt like I was healthy, I had o period so obviously I wasn't!

You will need to cut back on exercise and gain some body fat, your body has a set point where it will stop menstration and shut down the reproduction system as it cant support a pregnancy. I cut down on exercise and regained back to 118 where I previously was and my period has returned. My cycles are long but each one gets shorter so I guess my body is still healing, you may only need a couple of lbs for it to restart.

Original Post by jcl76:

Umm a BMI of 18.8 is not underweight. the healthy range is 18.5-24.9.

 Technically correct and some people can be at the very lowest end of that range and be absolutely healthy in every respect.  However, a woman with a  BMI below 19 is at significantly higher risk of amenorrhea - especially if she's lost weight to get there.  That is why the 'normal healthy weight-range' of 20-25 is recommended to keep a woman out of this risk-zone

thank you so much for the input! It's frustrating for me because I eat healthy, exercise, but yet, I am technically not "healthy" because I am not getting my periods!!!  :'(

I have another question. How can you be in calorie deficit when you are not losing any weight?

Because your metabolism has slowed down from undereating. Your body perceives a famine and acts to protect fat stores and prevent weight loss - it's a survival mechanism. Losing your period is part of that; your body believes you have too little energy and fat available to be able to nourish a baby, so your periods stop until you're a healthy weight again.

Whether or not a BMI of 18.8 is healthy for very few people or not is kind of besides the point... If you're not getting your period at this weight, that's a very very strong indication that this weight is not healthy for you. Having a (dubiously) healthy BMI does not mean that you personally are healthy at that weight.

That's the whole point of having a range; some people will naturally be healthy at a BMI of 20, other people will naturally be healthy at a BMI of 25. Having a range does not mean that all people will be healthy at a BMI of 20; it simply indicates that some people may be.

I note that you say you are "technically not healthy" because you're not getting your periods. I think you're looking at this the wrong way round. Your weight may or may not be "technically healthy", but you definitely are not at this weight. Remember that loss of periods can lead to osteoporosis, infertility and arthritis... These are real problems that happen to real women, don't think you are an exception. I don't say this to be snarky but because it happened to me. What's a few pounds more to avoid these problems?