title: Treatment of athletic amenorrhea with a diet and training intervention program.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science & Physical Education, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-0404, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Dueck
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Matt
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Manore
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Skinner
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone