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The Female Athletic Triad: Disordered Eating, Amenorrhea, and Osteoporosis

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The Active Female

Abstract

The female athlete triad is defined as the interrelationships among energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density. These dynamic components may transcend towards various clinical manifestations including eating disorders, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. The occurrence of low energy availability, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, alone or in combination, poses deleterious health risks to physically active girls and women. Deficits in energy intake may be acquired through excessive energy expenditure; however, disordered eating habits have been a tremendous concern and a risk factor for the female athlete triad. Therefore, clinicians and health care professionals must be highly aware of its prevalence for prevention. Low energy availability, with or without disordered eating, disrupts physiological function by suppressing the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis leading to functional amenorrhea. Additionally, recent literature has shown disturbances in endothelial function and may compromise the cardiovascular system. The prevalence of stress fractures has been linked to poor bone health and a severe risk factor for osteoporosis. The appropriate diagnosis and management is crucial to ameliorate health and quality of life. Recommendations have been made by various leading organizations, such as the American College of Sports Medicine, to successfully manage this syndrome. However, specific evidence-based guidelines are still being conducted. Nevertheless, solid background knowledge of the interrelationships of the various components of the triad is necessary for the allied health professional.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, Texas Tech University, 3204 Main Street, Lubbock, TX, 79409, USA

    Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM P.D.

  2. School of Allied Health Sciences: Physical Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 3601 4th Street MS 6294, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA

    Andrew Cisneros M.S., NSCA, CSCS

Authors
  1. Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM P.D.
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  2. Andrew Cisneros M.S., NSCA, CSCS
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Correspondence to Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM P.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Exercise and Sport Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb Ph.D., F.A.C.S.M., A.C.S.M., P.D. (Professor of Exercise Physiology) (Professor of Exercise Physiology)

  2. Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Reid L. Norman Ph.D. (Professor and Chair) (Professor and Chair)

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Lubbock, TX, USA

    Mimi Zumwalt M.D. (Associate Professor Head of Sports Medicine) (Associate Professor Head of Sports Medicine)

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Robert-McComb, J.J., Cisneros, A. (2014). The Female Athletic Triad: Disordered Eating, Amenorrhea, and Osteoporosis. In: Robert-McComb, J.J., Norman, R.L., Zumwalt, M. (eds) The Active Female. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8884-2_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8884-2_12

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