losing your period--NOT eating disorder but BODY FAT

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone lost their period due to low body fat? So, not from starving yourself...i want to make that clear. It's obvious that your body will revolt when it's being starved. I am an "athlete" I suppose and have always been rather active. My menstrual cycle is completely screwed up and i've read about amenorrhea as a result of running and many endurance sports...so I think it's related to this.

What is your approx BF% if you know it?

What sports do you do?

How long has it been gone?

Have you spoken with a doctor about it? Are they concerned?

Replies

  • MollyDukes
    MollyDukes Posts: 233 Member
    I had a friend that purposely would lose weight before her period so that she would miss it completely. She was involved with water polo. If she would gain weight she would lose enough to be at 98 lbs and skip her period. I'm not saying what she did is healthy....Because she was doing it purposely.....but i have heard it being possible. If you have concerns bring it up with your doctor.
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    Yup I dont have a clue what bf% I am but I weigh 112 and am 5'3". I missed it competely month before last (had it jump started with meds) Then this month I spotted for 1 day and it was really light!
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    Oh and they dont want you to go over 60 days I believe there is some reason I cant remember but something to do with bone health?!
  • nokittyno
    nokittyno Posts: 293 Member
    When I lost some of my initial weight, (80lbs or so) I actually had no period for 4 years and a few months (yep, 4 years) they said it could of been to the weight loss in such a short span of time (under a year) but I ended up getting it. Then I missed it for almost 2 years, then it came back, then 200 days I missed it- then it came back. Finally they put me on Birth Control to regulate it (which worked) apparently I was low on Estrogen. I also know that (since I had gained some more weight, more muscle) it was more regular than when I was alot leaner. (maybe a tad too lean at the time, running 6-7x a week).
  • lonewolf620
    lonewolf620 Posts: 29
    I don't get them anymore thanks to my birth control I'm on- Depo Provera- it will be two years this coming August and I don't regret starting it. I don't miss my periods. The only period I've gotten since I've been on it was back in July when my classmate met his untimely death- that was just stress related. I also have missed them due to athletic training and such.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    yeah, i've been on birth control in the past. I am probably going back on it but i stopped so that my hormone levels could be checked and with birth control you can't get an accurate assessment of what's going on with your hormones. So, yeah...probably back on those next month.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I don't get them anymore thanks to my birth control I'm on- Depo Provera- it will be two years this coming August and I don't regret starting it. I don't miss my periods. The only period I've gotten since I've been on it was back in July when my classmate met his untimely death- that was just stress related. I also have missed them due to athletic training and such.

    sooo sorry about your friend. I hope you're coping well now. I used to do Depo..i HATE HATE HATE needles.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    I've skipped before due to low body fat. I was in the 12-14% range, with no ED. Stress may have also been a factor, but who can tell?
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
    I have, hadn't had one since June. I had been taking birth control pills awhile back, but had a very serious circulation related side effect/incident and stopped taking them immediately. My period just never came back. Personally, I don't miss it one bit, but I do want to be careful about any health repercussions. At this point I haven't seen a doctor recently enough to comment on whether or not they are concerned, but I guess I should get on that?

    My body fat is approx. 18-19.5% and I am at a healthy weight.

    I do a lot of athletic related things. Now that it's winter I'm mainly strength training, rock climbing and skiing, but in the summer I run, hike, mountain bike, and rock climb.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I have, hadn't had one since June. I had been taking birth control pills awhile back, but had a very serious circulation related side effect/incident and stopped taking them immediately. My period just never came back. Personally, I don't miss it one bit, but I do want to be careful about any health repercussions. At this point I haven't seen a doctor recently enough to comment on whether or not they are concerned, but I guess I should get on that?

    My body fat is approx. 18-19.5% and I am at a healthy weight.

    I do a lot of athletic related things. Now that it's winter I'm mainly strength training, rock climbing and skiing, but in the summer I run, hike, mountain bike, and rock climb.

    18% is low enough for many women to lose it...the human body is so weird. I'd definitely get that checked out and possible get a birth control that you won't have issues with.
  • scarletleavy
    scarletleavy Posts: 841 Member
    I have, hadn't had one since June. I had been taking birth control pills awhile back, but had a very serious circulation related side effect/incident and stopped taking them immediately. My period just never came back. Personally, I don't miss it one bit, but I do want to be careful about any health repercussions. At this point I haven't seen a doctor recently enough to comment on whether or not they are concerned, but I guess I should get on that?

    My body fat is approx. 18-19.5% and I am at a healthy weight.

    I do a lot of athletic related things. Now that it's winter I'm mainly strength training, rock climbing and skiing, but in the summer I run, hike, mountain bike, and rock climb.

    18% is low enough for many women to lose it...the human body is so weird. I'd definitely get that checked out and possible get a birth control that you won't have issues with.

    Yeah, I'm gonna go to the doctor pretty soon and see what he says, but I think I'm done with the hormonal birth control for good. I'm hoping to get a bit lower bf%, so I'm hoping he doesn't say I need more fat on me. That would be sad.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    Ever since I lost my weight and became a fitness instructor my periods have been wack. They used to be very consistent and came very early. Since all the working out I have missed some all together or they have gone long inbetween. Im sure it's workout related.
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    Last time I was checked I was about 20% bodyfat no clue what I am now!
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
    Last time I was checked I was about 20% bodyfat no clue what I am now!
  • n_unocero
    n_unocero Posts: 445 Member
    I don't have them now due to my depo shot, but back in high school i would get mine twice a year....once during the 2 week off season after softball and before basketball and once during the 2 week offseason after basketball and before softball lol.
  • onefitdiva
    onefitdiva Posts: 331 Member
    As soon as I got to the 19% body fat mark and that was 9 months ago, have not checked it since, anyway my period started coming every 6 to 9 weeks and only lasting 2 days and was super light. My doctor said I was ok physically but put me on the birth control pill anyway to see if it would help me get it monthly. It did....damn.....I liked the lack of them! Anyway it is common for athletic women to have this issue but I would go get checked out anyway.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Some cultures of the world women only get 4 periods/year. This is great because they also have less cancer!

    Anyway, please talk to your doctor ASAP. This is nothing to mess with. I learned from my Mom having cancer that you just should not wait to see a doctor if you have concerns. Ever. There's only 1 YOU.
  • jennajava
    jennajava Posts: 2,176 Member
    I know someone who "lost her period" because she was literally working out too much, according to her doctor. I guess there's a fine line of what's too much, maybe? Anyway, she had trouble getting pregnant because of this. She backed off a little, and wham-bam, conceived.
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
    last month I was a week late, i thought it maybe cos over exercised that week thinking I'd burn more calories off if my metabolism was naturally higher the week before, it never came had awful 2 weeks of cramps and cravings and finally (weirdly) after water had come back off so I thought it wasn't coming it arrived a few nights later at like.. nearly midnight!!

    I wasn't sure if it was cos of too much exercise of cos I'm 42 and maybe peri-menopause?.. I didn't know you could skip periods form losing weight just before it!

    my body fat is still at lower end of 30 (was 39) so has gone down but not enough I think to stop my periods?
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
    the problem with not getting your period is that you will build up the lining of the endometrium (which normally sloghs off during menses). If you dont shed this lining, you can get a build up of cells and this can lead to endometrial cancer...Also if you are not getting periods because either estrogen or progesterone is too low you are at risk for osteoporosis and heart disease.
  • tunktunk5583
    tunktunk5583 Posts: 76 Member
    I was just wondering about this yesterday.

    I am on BC but I didn't get my "period" this week and I am a little worried (for that 1% chance of getting pregnant). This is the first time I didn't get it while on BC. My BF is about 18% at the moment and I'm at around 116lbs.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    I don't have them now due to my depo shot, but back in high school i would get mine twice a year....once during the 2 week off season after softball and before basketball and once during the 2 week offseason after basketball and before softball lol.

    makes perfect sense. rest = period. exercise = no period.

    I have seen a doctor BTW. They're doing tests to make sure everything is working okay despite the lack of menstruation. We'll see but I think it's just exercise/BF % related.
  • bethdris
    bethdris Posts: 1,090 Member
    Not sure on the body fat percent. but my last period was Sept of 2011..The dr contributes it to my big weight loss in 2011 (96 pounds), but Im not sure thats why. I have been maintaining since late Aug. They ran blood tests and everything came back fine. If I don't get it by March, Im suppose to call them again. We will see!! Glad to see Im not the only one in this boat!! :)
  • fevre
    fevre Posts: 60 Member
    Hey everyone, it might be valuable to do a bit of research on Female Athlete Triad... caused primarily by too much exercise and not eating back enough of your exercise calories, the three symptoms are low energy (from not enough food, though it should be specified that even athletes who DO NOT have anorexia can still meet this), loss of period, and osteoporosis caused by the lack of period. It's pretty dangerous, and one of the big problems involved with it is that people who show the symptoms tend to be on athletic teams (hence the name) and assume that if it's happening to all of them, then it's okay - but it's dangerous!

    Also remember that men's body fat percentage is very different from women's, as a woman's body REQUIRES a certain amount of body fat.
  • MaggieFit622
    MaggieFit622 Posts: 64
    I once didn't have my period for a whole year and then I took BC for a while in order to get it. But I stopped the BC b/c of the effects it had on my body...so now I have it every other month. I just contribute it to low BF. I have a percentage of 19 or 20%.
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    conversely, i stopped getting mine with too MUCH body fat.
  • busterbluth
    busterbluth Posts: 115 Member
    Hey everyone, it might be valuable to do a bit of research on Female Athlete Triad... caused primarily by too much exercise and not eating back enough of your exercise calories, the three symptoms are low energy (from not enough food, though it should be specified that even athletes who DO NOT have anorexia can still meet this), loss of period, and osteoporosis caused by the lack of period. It's pretty dangerous, and one of the big problems involved with it is that people who show the symptoms tend to be on athletic teams (hence the name) and assume that if it's happening to all of them, then it's okay - but it's dangerous!

    Also remember that men's body fat percentage is very different from women's, as a woman's body REQUIRES a certain amount of body fat.

    This.

    I would definitely get checked out by a doctor. I didn't have a period for a long, long time and am going to ask my dr for a DEXA (bone density) scan next week. My mom developed osteoporosis at a very young age.
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