Doctors, educators and even employers say that exercise will improve your health. There seem to be endless benefits to adding a little sweat equity to your daily routine, yet little is mentioned about potentially negative side effects, particularly for women. It's not uncommon to experience irregular menstrual cycles when exercising, but it's good to understand what's happening to your body and if it's a cause for concern.
Identification
During a woman's menstrual cycle, the luteal phase occurs from the time of ovulation to the beginning of the next menstruation. In a normal menstrual cycle the luteal phase lasts about 12 days. Luteal phase defect, or LPD, is a shortened length of time from ovulation to menstruation and is caused by three underlying issues: insufficient follicle development, corpus luteum failure and an inadequate endometrial lining. These problems may occur singularly or together. There is evidence suggesting a relationship between exercise and luteal phase defect.
Expert Insight
The "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" journal published an article focusing on exercise and its effects on a woman's menstrual cycle. Researchers found that recreational athletes experienced a 48 percent incidence rate of luteal phase defect during their menstrual cycles over the course of three months. The study also found that LPD makes up the highest proportion of menstrual cycle disruptions, up to 79 percent, in women who are considered active. Further studies are needed to evaluate what preventive measures may help reduce LPD in active women.
Long-Term Significance
More information is needed to ascertain the long-term impact of untreated luteal phase defect. The immediate concern may be infertility: Becoming pregnant is reliant upon a proper endometrial lining, a healthy egg available for fertilization and a corpus luteum providing the necessary progesterone. With LPD some or all of these criteria are compromised, dramatically impacting a woman's ability to conceive. According to a study in "The New England Journal of Medicine," 24 out of 28 previously inactive college women, who participated in strenuous exercise for the study, experienced luteal phase defect. Once the study was complete and the subjects returned to their previous lifestyles, their menstrual cycles returned to normal.
Considerations
Exactly what intensity level of exercise causes luteal phase defect is unknown. The "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" study mentions women who participated in exercise ranging from recreational to strenuous activities, but it does not identify a particular sport or exercise. The second study from "The New England Journal of Medicine" does note that participants ran four miles daily, working up to ten miles, and also included several hours of sports, which is high-intensity training. A third study found that sports encouraging thinness, such as running or gymnastics, experienced a higher rate of menstrual disruption. Consequently, you should visit your doctor if you suspect exercise is causing luteal phase defect, and determine what changes you may want to make to your fitness regimen to promote a normal menstrual cycle.
References
- INCIID.org: Luteal Phase Defect
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Menstrual Disturbances in Athletes: A Focus on Luteal Phase Defects; De Souza, Mary Jane; September, 2003
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Induction of Menstrual Disorders by Strenuous Exercise in Untrained Women; Bullen, et al; May, 1985
- "British Journal of Sports Medicine"; Participation in leanness sports but not training volume is associated with menstrual dysfunction: a national survey of 1276 elite athletes and controls; Torstveit, et al; March, 2005
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