Question of the Day

The condition of missing or not having periods is called amenorrhea. There are many reasons it may occur and the first step should always be to consult with a medical professional to diagnose the condition and ensure there is not something more serious going on. From a nutrition and training perspective, there are a few reasons this will happen in younger women ...
The first condition is simply low body fat. Your body requires fats to produce and regulate hormones. When a woman's body fat is too low, the body no longer can maintain proper hormone balance and the result can be missed periods and lack of ovulation.

Excessive stress can also trigger this condition. While this is often associated with lower body fat, you may develop this condition even at higher body fat levels if you are experiencing large amounts of stress. Marathon training is an example of training that can create high levels of physiological stress, and this combined with improper nutrition, inadequate recovery, and/or psychological stress can trigger the condition.

Finally, lack of certain nutrients may also be to blame. The most common nutrients responsible are zinc, iron, and healthy fats.

Again, let me emphasize first and foremost that while amenorrhea is typically not a serious health condition, it is always recommended that you consult with your medical professional to help determine the cause and form a plan for appropriate treatment. Lifestyle changes that may positively impact the condition include:

• Adequate fat intake. I always recommend that women consume between 20 - 30 percent of total calories from fats, predominantly healthy fats.
• A quality, pharmaceutical grade multivitamin.
• Adequate recovery — it is important to eat a solid, balanced menu while allowing proper recovery after training
• Increase body fat — if your body fat levels are extremely low, raise them enough that you are comfortable with your physique but not so low that you lose your ability to ovulate

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