What causes the amenorrhea in those diagnosed with the female athlete triad?

Amenorrhea that is related to athletic training and weight fluctuation is caused by changes in the hypothalamus. These changes result in decreased levels of estrogen.

What effect does amenorrhea in athletes have on stress fractures?

Amenorrheic athletes have 2 to 4 times greater risk for stress fracture than their eumenorrheic counterparts. Low bone density also puts these women at risk for suboptimal peak bone mass acquisition.

What athletes have osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis in athletes is sports specific; there is a much greater incidence in appearance sports, such as diving, figure skating, gymnastics, synchronised swimming, and ballet. Endurance sports, which involve distance running, particularly in marathon runners.

Is osteoporosis common in athletes?

The severity of bone loss ranges from osteopenia to frank osteoporosis. In female athletes, a higher incidence of osteoporosis is due to a decreased rate of bone accretion in youth, often as a result of hormonal deficiency and/or excessive exercise.

What causes amenorrhea in female athletes?

Amenorrhoea is the absence of menstrual periods. Women who are elite athletes or who exercise excessively on a regular basis are at risk of developing athletic amenorrhoea. Causes are thought to include low levels of body fat and the effects of exercise-related hormones on the menstrual cycle.

What is female athlete triad osteoporosis?

The female athlete triad is a condition seen with increasing frequency in young athletes and is characterized by the triad of amenorrhea, disordered eating and osteoporosis. The triad is caused by an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure and can be associated with significant medical morbidity.

What is the cause of stress fracture in female athletes?

Although both intrinsic and extrinsic factors can contribute to stress injury etiology, the female athlete triad–negative energy balance leading to menstrual irregularity, and reduced bone mineral mass–is a significant contributor to the incidence of stress fractures in the female athlete.

Why do athletes get osteoporosis?

Lack of periods disrupts the body’s bone-building processes and weakens the skeleton, making bones more likely to break. In the most severe cases, young female athletes can develop osteoporosis as a result of disordered eating and menstrual dysfunction.

What causes amenorrhea?

Common causes of primary amenorrhea include: Chromosomal or genetic problem with the ovaries (the female sex organs that hold the eggs). Hormonal issues stemming from problems with the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland. Structural problem with the reproductive organs, such as missing parts of the reproductive system.