Dr. MJ Bazos MD,
Patient Handout
Sports and Women
Athletes: The Female Athlete Triad
What is the female athlete triad?
The female athlete triad is a disorder that has
3 parts. It affects (1) your eating habits, (2) your menstrual periods and (3)
the strength of your bones. If you have the female athlete triad, you've stopped
eating normally. Your menstrual periods have stopped or have become irregular.
You may also have osteoporosis. This is a disease that makes your bones thin and
weak. Without treatment, the loss of bone strength may last forever.
What are the risk factors for female
athlete triad?
- Being a competitive athlete
- Playing sports that require you to check your
weight often
- Not having time to spend with your friends
because your sport takes up all your free time
- Exercising more than is necessary for your sport
- Being pushed by your coach or your parents to win
at all costs
What
are the signs of female athlete triad?
Some symptoms of the female athlete triad are
weight loss, absent or irregular periods, fatigue and stress fractures.
Why should I worry about this now,
while I'm young?
If you don't have periods for more than 3 to 4
months, it can hurt your bone strength. You start to lose strength in your bones
after only a few months with no periods.
How is the female athlete triad
diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask you some questions and do a
physical exam. Your doctor may ask you about your periods, exercise patterns and
eating habits. Your doctor may also ask you if you take any medicines such as
birth control pills, laxatives or diet pills.
How is the female athlete triad
treated?
Your doctor will talk with you about changing
the way you eat and the way you exercise. After you make only a few changes,
your regular periods should come back. If not, your doctor may talk with you
about taking some medicines such as birth control pills or hormones (like
estrogen and progesterone) to stop your body from losing any more bone strength.
How can I keep the female athlete
triad from happening?
- Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet
- Exercise in moderate amounts
- Tell your doctor about any changes in your
periods