Like many things in life, too much of a good thing can cause problems, including exercise. Abnormal vaginal bleeding is a common sign of hormonal disturbances due to extreme workout routines. Easing up on your intensity level can help normalize your periods. While your exercise routine is a likely cause of your irregular bleeding, this symptom can be due to a variety of conditions, making it important to contact your doctor if your menstrual cycle changes.
Menstruation
Menstruation usually begins by the time a girl reaches age 16. While periods may be irregular for the first few months or years, most women experience regular periods that occur approximately every 28 days during the fertile years. Most disruptions to the normal cycle occur because of hormonal changes, such as those during pregnancy and menopause. Other situations, including intense exercise, can result in abnormal vaginal bleeding.
Exercise
Heredity plays a large role in menstruation. Some women may exercise at a strenuous, intense level without noticing any menstrual changes, while others experience the complete cessation of periods or notice spotting between periods. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone is a hormone produced in the hypothalamus gland that regulates the timing of menstrual periods, the UpToDate website explains. Strenuous exercise can upset the delicate hormonal balance within the hypothalamus, causing inadequate production of this hormone and resulting in abnormal vaginal bleeding. This hormonal imbalance can temporarily affect your ability to become pregnant.
Prevention
Reducing your level of exercise can help bring your periods back to normal. Cut back to about four to six workout sessions each week, performing your exercise for no more than 60 minutes at a time. This level of exercise will allow you to receive the benefits of regular exercise, such as reducing your risk of osteoporosis, lowering high blood pressure and helping you lose excess weight. If exercise is responsible for your abnormal bleeding, your periods should return to normal after a few months.
Other Causes of Abnormal Bleeding
Exercise is only one cause of irregular bleeding. Many women notice some disruption in their menstrual cycles during their reproductive years. Hormonal disruptions can also come from emotional stress brought on by work, family or personal situations. Besides hormonal changes, other factors, such as pelvic infections, cervical inflammation, uterine fibroids and cancer, can cause irregular bleeding to occur, the journal "American Family Physician" reports. An intrauterine birth-control device may also lead to abnormal vaginal spotting or bleeding. Your doctor may perform a series of tests, including a physical examination and hormonal blood tests, to determine the underlying cause of your menstrual irregularities.
