Health Warning for Female Athletes

(Ivanhoe Newswire) ? Doctors have issued a warning for some female athletes. Unhealthy eating habits observed in ballerinas and runners can lead to health complications with long-lasting consequences.

When females don't eat enough to offset the energy they spend, they can stop menstruating (amenorrhea), putting them at risk for cardiovascular and bone density deficits typical of older, postmenopausal women.

Two separate studies examined the effects of amenorrhea on female athletes. The first focused on ballerinas, most of whom were in a calorie deficit. Twenty-seven percent were currently amenorrheic. Arterial ultrasound showed 64 percent of the dancers had abnormal artery dilation in response to blood flow.

A second study examined the effects of high-dose (10 milligrams/day) folic acid supplements in amenorrheic runners. Researchers found four to six weeks of supplementation resulted in improved vascular function among study participants. Not only did this reduce the women's cardiovascular risks, but participants also reported improved athletic performance.

SOURCE: Presented at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Seattle, Wash., May 30, 2009

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