Stress and Absent Cycles
It haS become a common misconception that only women struggling with eating disorders and high perfOrming athletes are experiencing loss Of their cycles.
Now, it is true that loss of cycleS, or cycle Disturbances, is quite commOn amongst athletes and those suffering with eating disorders (especially anorexia nervosa). However, it is PossibLe to lose ones Menstrual cycle even when you’re at a healthy weight and with a healthy percentage of body fat. Even if you’re not exercising (much, or even at all).
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is a common form of secondary amenorrhea resulting in estrogen deficiency in women who are in their reproductive years (have reached menarche, and is still premenopausal).
Hypothalamic Amenorrhea is a reversible disorder, and the cause of this disorder is related to psychological stress, excessive exercise, disordered eating or a combination of these factors. It’s a stress related imbalance that results in suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis.
Physical and emotional stress both affects the functioning of the hypothalamus, which connects the brain to the endocrine system. When under stress, the hypothalamus goes to sleep, halting the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH signals the ovaries to produce estrogen, among other things. Without sufficient estrogen, the body ability to ovulate and menstruate will be greatly affected.
The resulting loss of estrogen has profound effects on many systems throughout the body including cardiac, skeletal, psychological and reproductive, such as:
Loss of bone mass and lower peak of bone accumulation
Increased risk of injury and decreased physical performance
Changes in mental health and well-being
Implications for overall health
Implications with gut health
Endothelial dysfunction, vascular resistance
stress shows up in different ways in our lives. When we are stressed over a long period of time, the body believes we are in danger. To preserve energy, the body responds by slowing down its metabolism as a way to adjust and survive. When the body experiences a lot of stress, be it from exercising too much, eating too little, or from too much stress in oir daily lives, it will slow down the production of the typical “female hormones” (the ones we need to stay healthy and are in charge of the Menstrual cycles). Other hormones, such as cortisol (the stress hormone) is being produced in larger quantities.
Non-essential bodily functions (that are not crucial to survival, such as the menstrual cycle) are switched off in order to conserve energy. Again, the body does this as it believes it’s under threat and needing to conserve energy to survive.
To recover from HA, we must look at all the potential stressors in the woman’s life. Sometimes it’s as simple as eating a little more and/or moving a little less. More often than not, it is necessary to take a deep look into the person’s lifestyle, understand their thought patterns, address potential trauma and heal their relationship with their bodies. From there, we can begin to being the body back into balance, ensure adequate rest and calm the nervous system.
