Running & stopped periods

[bibbidybobbidyboo]

Hi everyone, I'm in need of some advice/perspective.

In April I started running for the first time ever. I did it mainly for mental health reasons - I'd been through an awful break up in October and needed something positive to focus on and get me out of bed in the morning. I had already lost quite a bit of weight post-breakup and been making generally healthier life choices (single so more time to exercise, fewer meals out or takeaways in) so running seemed like another good way to maintain that.

I've caught the running bug and now run around 4 times a week, between 5-10km a time. I am a healthy weight (slap bang in the middle of health BMI at 59kg & 5ft4 and I eat a varied and plentiful diet. The only thing is, my periods have disappeared - I haven't had one since June. Previously they were as regular as clockwork and I feel like the major change has to be the running. While it doesn't bother me too much right now (very far off trying for or even wanting kids) I'm worried about potential long-term health implications.

Does anyone have any experience of losing their period as a result of exercise and what did you do to get it back? Thanks so much for the advice!

I haven’t had it, but even if it’s not uncommon I think a quick check with your GP is warranted.

Congrats on improving your health and life

Could be many things, so you should get it checked out, but you may also find reading about Relative Energy Deficiancy in Sport (RED-S) useful.

blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2018/10/30/raising-awareness-of-red-s-in-male-and-female-athletes-and-dancers/

health4performance.co.uk/

How old are you? Might be early days of peri-menopause messing them up a bit.

Lots of info about exercise induced amenorrhea.

I would go see your gp about this. Are you sure you're not pregnant?

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm only 27 so doubt it's peri-menopause, and I went to a sexual health clinic back in August when the periods first disappeared to get my coil checked and they confirmed it was fine and that I wasn't pregnant. I think it must somehow be linked to the running but I'm confused because I didn't think I was doing enough for it to be bad for my health. I guess it's off to the GP I go!

Are you restricting your diet in any way? Losing your periods can be related to poor nutrition and how it affects your hormones. If you can get hold of her book Roar or search for her work, Dr Stacy Sims talks/writes quite a bit about this.

If it's the mirena coil then it can stop periods

Have a google of Dr Nicola Rinaldi/"No Period, Baby" and see if it might apply.

Thanks everyone.

It's the copper coil so I don't think it's that. Thank you for the links, I'll have a look at them all. Re:diet I eat normally - three solid meals a day, snack occasionally, meals out with friends and glasses of wine on the weekends. It's true that I've never done this much exercise in my life so I suppose there's a chance that my "normal" might not actually be enough any more, but I'm surprised because I feel like I eat a very average diet.