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Many women go extra miles to get lean such as following over-restrictive dieting or over-exercising. If you're one of them, beware! It may make you lose your periods. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) is the cause of irregular or absent menstruation for many women. It is associated with stress, weight loss, or excessive exercise or a combination thereof. This is a common side effect of being too lean, but those gorgeous, slim and trim bikini models would hardly talk about it. Former British bikini competitor Hayley Madigan was one of the few who exposed the dark side of the fitness industry.
Madigan ate just 800 calories and worked out for 2.5 hours a day during her days as a bikini competitor five years back, according to Business Insider. Madigan had a body idolized in fitness magazines as well as won various physique competitions, but it took a great toll on her mental and physical health. The model revealed that she didn't have a period for three years, but all the coaches and professionals in the fitness industry told her that it was normal.
"When I was competing (5 years ago) and extremely lean, I was told by other trainers that it's 'normal' to lose your period when you're this shredded and that it's okay and not detrimental to your body," Madigan wrote on Instagram.
But Madigan was suffering from functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, which should not be taken lightly. If left untreated, it can lead to infertility as well as osteoporosis and higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Women with FHA may also experience premature skin and hair problems.
When Hayley Madigan was suffering from FHA (left) and when she had regained her period (right).
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea occurs due to a hormonal imbalance mainly associated with stress, over-exercising, over-restrictive dieting or eating disorder (consuming too few calories), or not having enough body fat. Often FHA results from a combination of all these factors. It is characterized by absence of menstrual cycles for 90 days or more (or less than three in a year).
Both physical and emotional stress can interfere with the functioning of the hypothalamus and reduce the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that signals the ovaries to produce estrogen. And without estrogen, ovulation and menstruation stop, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Eating too little or exercises too much is perceived by the body as stress.
Fortunately, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is reversible with nutritional, psychological, and/or modified exercise intervention. You need to focus on the underlying cause of FHA and try to change your eating habit, stop over-exercising, or alleviate stress. Make sure you're not cutting down on fat too much and follow a balanced diet.
Psychological support, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), has also been shown to help some women with FHA.
Doctors may suggest short-term estrogen transdermal therapy in women who have not had return of menses even after this intervention. But experts do not recommend use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) for regaining menses or improving bone mineral density (BMD).
Low body fat percentage is actually really unhealthy, asserted Madigan who stopped taking part in bikini competitions in 2017 after finding that many other women in the fitness industry also had no periods. Madigan, who is now a healthy personal trainer, helps women regain their menstrual cycles. She has seen some women regain their cycles simply by replacing one workout a week with something calming like yoga or meditation. This means you should also give your body a day for rest and recovery.
"Health should come first and should be your priority over leanness!" Madigan wrote on Instagram.
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