Serum carotene levels in female long-distance runners.
Hypercarotenemia has been associated with anorexia nervosa and hypothalamic amenorrhea. With the emergence of a spectrum of menstrual dysfunction, including anovulation in women runners, the hypothesis of hypothalamic amenorrhea in these patients has been formulated. Other authors have proposed exercise-associated amenorrhea to be distinct from hypothalamic amenorrhea based on endocrine profiles. Using carotene as an index test of hypothalamic amenorrhea, we have studied female long-distance runners (greater than 25 miles/week) and have found no difference in the carotene levels between ovulatory (midfollicular) and anovulatory runners. These data support other evidence that exercise-associated amenorrhea is distinct from hypothalamic amenorrhea.
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D000858:Anovulation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D001835:Body Weight; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007590:Jogging; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D009839:Oligomenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D012420:Running
D006728:Hormones; D002338:Carotenoids