Massachusetts General Hospital

Athletic girls more likely to have impaired bone structure if menstrual cycle stops

05/Jun/2011

Young female athletes who have stopped menstruating have a weakening in the quality of their bone structure that may predispose them to breaking a bone, despite getting plenty of weight-bearing exercise, a new study finds. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston.

"Given the high number of young women and girls involved in athletic activities and the fact that up to 24% of young female athletes may lose their periods, this finding represents a significant public health concern," said Madhusmita Misra, MD, the study's principal investigator.

Link to full Endocrine Society release.