OVARIAN IMPAIRMENTS OF FEMALE RECREATIONAL DISTANCE RUNNERS DURING A SEASON OF TRAINING

This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between the level of training and the impairment of ovarian Function among female recreational distance runners, and its reversibility. Thirty-six fema le distance runners self-recorded, for 7 consecutive days each month, the duration and distance of daily running from October 1989 to May 19 90 in Great Britain. During the last 3 months of the survey, saliva sa mples were taken for progesterone assay and a subsample was measured f or body composition. No trend in weight loss was observed over the sea son of training. Amenorrheic (AM) and oligomenorrheic (Oligo) runners had a significantly lower body mass index than eumenorrheic (EU) and i rregularly menstruating (IM) runners. The amenorrheic and oligomenorrh eic subjects did not show any rise in progesterone, at any time, durin g the 3 months of sampling. The eumenorrheic subjects showed evidence of a rise in progesterone, though the mean level was always significan tly lower than that of sedentary controls. The most severely impaired runners (AM and Oligo) ran more than EU or irregularly menstruating ru nners in this sample, had lower body weight, a younger age and had a s ignificantly lower body mass index (BMI). They tended to run faster du ring training sessions than those with apparently normal menstrual cyc le or just irregular periods. It is suggested that low BMI, which is a n indicator of body energy stores, reflects the intensity of regular t raining runs among female athletes with a stable body weight. It is po ssible that repeated elevations of bt ta-endorphins or other suppresso rs of gonadotropin release, secreted above a level of training commonl y exceeded by long distance runners, when concurrent with energy restr iction, could contribute to impairment of menstrual cycle.