Treatment of athletic amenorrhea with a diet and training intervention program.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 15-week diet and exercise intervention program on energy balance, hormonal profiles, body composition, and menstrual function of an amenorrheic endurance athlete. The intervention program reduced training 1 day/week and included the use of a sport nutrition beverage providing 360 kcal/day. Three eumenorrheic athletes served as a comparison group and were monitored over the same 15-week period. The amenorrheic athlete experienced a transition from negative to positive energy balance, increased body fat from 8.2 to 14.4%, increased fasting luteinizing hormone (LH) from 3.9 to 7.3 mIU/ml, and decreased fasting cortisol from 41.2 to 33.2 micrograms/dl. The eumenorrheic subjects showed a 0.4% reduction in body fat, a decrease in follicular phase levels of LH from 7.9 to 6.5 mIU/ml, and no change in cortisol. These results suggest that nonpharmacological treatment can contribute to reestablishing normal hormonal profiles and menstrual cyclicity in amenorrheic athletes.
Dueck
C A
CA
Department of Exercise Science & Physical Education, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-0404, USA.
Matt
K S
KS
Manore
M M
MM
Skinner
J S
JS
D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001823:Body Composition; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology
D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone