Woman in Her 20s Loses Menstruation After High-Intensity Workouts Six Days a Week: "Female Hormone Levels Like Those in Their 50s"

"Excessive Exercise Causes the Brain to Halt Ovulation and Menstruation"

A woman in her twenties from China reported that her menstrual period stopped after engaging in high-intensity exercise six times a week. An obstetrician-gynecologist diagnosed her with 'exercise-induced amenorrhea.'

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According to the South China Morning Post on January 12, a 23-year-old woman, identified as Ms. A, living in Zhejiang Province, China, performed high-intensity workouts for 70 minutes, six times a week, with the goal of losing weight. However, her menstrual flow gradually decreased, and during her last period, it ended after just two hours. A hospital examination revealed that her female hormone levels had dropped to those typically seen in women in their fifties.

Fan Bing, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Zhongshan Hospital in Zhejiang, determined that Ms. A's symptoms were caused by exercise-induced amenorrhea. This condition occurs when energy expenditure far exceeds energy intake. Dr. Fan explained, "When the body senses an energy crisis, it temporarily shuts down reproductive functions for survival. The secretion of gonadotropins from the brain decreases, leading to lower female hormone levels, and ovulation is halted, which can delay or stop menstruation."

Dr. Fan added, "This type of amenorrhea is reversible, so if you adjust exercise intensity and restore energy balance, menstruation can return. To maintain a normal menstrual cycle, body fat percentage should be at least 17%." However, she emphasized that if body fat percentage exceeds 32%, the hormonal balance can also be disrupted, resulting in irregular periods.

Liu Haiyuan, a doctor at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, warned, "Losing more than 15 kilograms in a short period significantly increases the risk of amenorrhea." He also pointed out, "Taking health supplements containing female hormones without medical consultation can raise the risk of breast cancer." Dr. Liu advised that, in this woman's case, it would be best to stop high-intensity exercise for at least two to three months and instead engage in gentle activities, such as yoga, three to four times a week to help the body recover.