title: The role of endogenous opiates in athletic amenorrhea.
abstract: We hypothesized that menstrual disturbances in female athletes arise from opioid-induced abnormalities in gonadotropin and/or prolactin (PRL) secretion. To investigate this hypothesis, we measured luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and PRL levels in eumenorrheic and amenorrheic athletes during thyrotropin-releasing hormone and gonadotropin-releasing hormone tests at baseline, after naloxone infusions, after exercise to exhaustion, and after similar exercise during naloxone infusions. Contrary to our hypothesis, amenorrheic runners did not have significant alterations in basal, postexercise, or stimulated hormone levels compared with eumenorrheic runners. In addition, opioid blockade by naloxone did not enhance gonadotropin release by amenorrheic athletes.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado Health Science Center, Denver.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sanborn
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofeldt
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Robbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004723:Endorphins / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D009270:Naloxone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone