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Extreme Exercise & Overtraining Can Put Bones At Risk
The following are excerpts from the National Institutes of Health
Are you exercising too much? Not eating enough to offset your calorie burn? Have your periods become irregular or stopped? If so, you may be putting yourself at high risk for several serious health problems, your ability to remain active, and your risk for injuries. You also may be putting yourself at risk for developing osteoporosis, a disease in which bone density is decreased, leaving your bones vulnerable to fracture.
Why Is Missing My Period Such a Big Deal?
Some athletes see amenorrhea (the absence of menstrual periods) as a sign of successful training. Others see it as a great answer to a monthly inconvenience. And some young women accept it blindly, not stopping to think of the consequences. But missing your menstrual periods is often a sign of decreased estrogen levels. And lower estrogen levels can lead to osteoporosis, a disease in which your bones become brittle and more likely to break.
Further, during exercising you also lose calcium through perspiration. Typically moderate exercise for up to 45 min does not markedly increase calcium intake requirements. You should simply look to maintain the daily recommended requirement for your age bracket. For the extreme athlete, however, obtaining calcium above the recommend daily allowance may well be required.
Usually, bones become brittle and break when women are much older, but some young women, especially those who exercise so much that their periods stop, develop brittle bones, and may start to have fractures at a very early age. Some 20-year-old female athletes have been said to have the bones of an 80-year-old woman. Even if bones don't break when you're young, low estrogen levels during the peak years of bone-building, the preteen and teen years, can affect bone density for the rest of your life
How Can I Tell if Someone I Know, Train With, or Coach May Be at Risk for Bone Loss, Fracture, and Other Health Problems?
Here are some signs to look for:
- missed or irregular menstrual periods
- "unhealthy-looking" thinness
- extreme or rapid weight loss
- frequent intense bouts of exercise (e.g., taking an aerobics class, then running five miles, then swimming for an hour, followed by weight-lifting, etc.)
- "I can't miss a day of exercise/practice" attitude
- exercising despite illness, inclement weather, injury and other conditions that might lead someone else to take the day off
How Can I Make Needed Changes to Improve My Bone Health?
If you recognize some of these signs in yourself, the best thing you can do is to make your diet more healthful, and that includes consuming enough calories to support your activity level. It's best to check with a doctor to make sure your missed periods aren't a sign of some other problem and to get his or her help as you work toward a more healthy balance of food and exercise. Also, a doctor can help you take steps to protect your bones from further damage.
What Can I Do if I Suspect a Friend May Have Some of These Signs?
First, be supportive. Approach your friend or teammate carefully and be sensitive. She probably won't appreciate a lecture about how she should be taking better care of herself. Share a copy of this publication with her or suggest that she talk to a coach or doctor about the symptoms she's experiencing.
I'm Still Not Convinced. If My Bones Become Brittle, So What? What's the Worst Thing That Could Happen to Me?
Brittle bones may not sound as scary as some other fatal or rare disease. The fact is that osteoporosis can lead to fractures. It can cause disability. Imagine having so many spine fractures that you've lost inches in height and walk bent over. Imagine looking down at the ground everywhere you go because you can't straighten your back. Imagine not being able to find clothes that fit you. Imagine having difficulty breathing and eating because your lungs and stomach are compressed into a smaller space. Imagine having difficulty walking, let alone exercising, because of pain and misshapen bones. Imagine constantly having to be aware of what you are doing and having to do things so slowly and carefully because of a very real fear and dread of a fracture, a fracture that could lead to a drastic change in your life, including pain, loss of independence, loss of mobility, loss of freedom, and more.
But osteoporosis isn't just an "older person's" disease. Young women also experience fractures. Imagine being sidelined because of a broken bone and not being able to get those good feelings you get from regular activity.
Link to Full Article Information:
Fitness & Bone Health For Women: The Skeletal Risk of Overtraining (NIH)
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Published by circle of health (formerly nw | health and bone)
Copyright © 2007 Thompson Brands. All rights reserved.
circle of health does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. circle of health compiles information from a variety of public sources to provide individuals with the tools to actively and naturally promote bone health and other related women's health issues. We encourage the broad use of the web to provide additional information. Consult your physician or other health professional in regard to specific medical conditions. |
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