Physical health of the female athlete: observations, effects, and causes of reproductive disorders.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review without systematic methodology or quantitative synthesis
PubMed 11897893 · doi:10.1139/h2001-052
What was done
Narrative review summarizing findings on menstrual disorders in female athletes at the turn of the 21st century and developments reported over the subsequent 18 months, covering characteristics, clinical consequences, mechanisms, and treatment approaches.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data. It notes accumulating evidence that exercise does not suppress the reproductive system independently of its impact on energy availability, suggesting dietary intervention may reverse these disorders without reducing exercise.
Why it matters
It highlights low energy availability rather than exercise training stress as the key mechanistic driver of reproductive dysfunction in female athletes, pointing toward targeted nutritional management.
Limits
The abstract provides no quantitative data, sample sizes, or formal literature search methodology. As a narrative review, it is vulnerable to selection bias.
Cited by
- supports Exercise-induced amenorrhea in female athletes is caused by an overall shortage of available energy budget rather than intrinsic ovarian pathology.