Female Athlete Triad: (Osteoporosis, Amenoria, Eating Disorders)
The Female Athlete Triad is a syndrome (collection of signs and symptoms) that links three health problems including: disordered eating, amenorrhea and osteoporosis. Girls may begin to skip periods if they are not getting adequate nutrition for the amount of exercise they do (energy availability). Periods also may be irregular. Stress lowers estrogen levels, which may cause skipped periods. Low estrogen levels and a lack of menstrual periods can lead to low bone mass (low bone mineral density) and stress fractures (small cracks) in their bones. The female athlete triad is defined as the combination of disordered eating, amenorrhea and osteoporosis. This disorder often goes unrecognized. The consequences of lost bone mineral density can be devastating for the female athlete. Premature osteoporotic fractures can occur, and lost bone mineral density may never be regained.
