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Researchers Raise Concerns about Early Athletic Training for Girls
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Posted on: 11/30/1999
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Researchers in the Netherlands are studying what causes bone loss in female endurance athletes. To do this, they monitored bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. The femoral neck is between the shaft of the thighbone and the round ball at its top. All women in the study were in good health and trained at least seven hours each week. Most were long distance runners.
The women were divided into three groups based on their menstrual status. Group one had less than six menstrual cycles in the last 12 months. This group is called amenorrheic. The second group had 10 to 13 menstrual cycles in the last 12 months. None of the women in this group used oral contraceptives. These women are called eumenorrheic. The last group, called estrogen supplemented, were using oral contraceptives.
Women in each group took a pill every day for two years. The pill was either vitamin K or a placebo made of cornstarch. Everyone was asked questions about their training status, age, dietary habits, and use of medications and food supplements.
After two years the bone density decreased in all three groups. Taking vitamin K didn't seem to help. There was a very high rate of bone loss in the femoral neck. Bone loss in the spine wasn't significant. The decrease in bone density was most noticeable in the amenorrheic group.
The researchers conducting this study conclude that intense training can have a negative effect on bone density. Vitamin K supplements don't prevent bone loss. Taking estrogen supplements may help, but it won't solve the problem.
They also point out that amenorrhea is a big risk factor for bone loss. Most of the amenorrheic athletes in this study started training at a much younger age than the women who were eumenorrheic. This means girls in endurance athletics who start at a young age are at a greater risk for bone loss than girls who start later. And if they have a long athletic career, the risk of higher bone loss is even greater.
What can be done to prevent bone loss in female endurance athletes? These authors say that something more than estrogen therapy must be found. Early, intensive training is not advised. More study is needed to find the best methods of training and treatment for this problem.
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References:
Lavienja A. J. L. M. Braam, PhD, et al. Factors Affecting Bone Loss in Female Endurance Athletes: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study. In The American Journal of Sports Medicine. November/December 2003. Vol. 31. No. 6. Pp. 889-895.
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