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4.24.26 - Losing Your Period
Losing your period is not normal.
It’s not healthy.
And it’s not safe.
Despite what social media, and even some medical professionals, may suggest, it is not normal to lose your period, even if you are a highly active young woman.
It does not matter.
Losing your period (amenorrhea) is your body’s way of telling you that it is under stress and does not have enough energy to support normal function.
This often happens due to:
Undereating (low energy availability)
Overexercising
Or a combination of both
When your body does not have enough energy, it begins to conserve resources for survival.
If you won’t slow down, your body will do it for you.
When your body is under-fueled, it suppresses the reproductive system to conserve energy.
This leads to decreased estrogen levels and loss of the menstrual cycle.
This is known as functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). What I had.
It’s Not Just About Your Period.
Losing your period is not just about your cycle, it’s a sign that your body is shutting down non-essential functions.
This can lead to:
Hormonal imbalances
Slowed metabolism
Fatigue and low energy
Decreased bone density (risk of stress fractures)
Fertility issues
Some of these effects may be long-term.
If left unaddressed, low estrogen levels can lead to bone loss (osteopenia/osteoporosis), which may not be fully reversible.
This means the longer your period is absent, the greater the potential long-term impact on your health.
Your body is not failing you.
It is protecting you.
Losing your period is a signal.
NOT something to ignore, normalize, or brush off.
Your body is asking for:
more fuel
more rest
less stress
And the sooner you listen,
the sooner it can start healing 🤍
Sources
Mountjoy, M. et al. (2018). Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). IOC Consensus Statement.
De Souza, M. J. et al. (2014). Female Athlete Triad Coalition Consensus Statement.
De Souza, M. J. et al. (2019). Energy availability and reproductive function.
Endocrine Society (2017). Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Guidelines.
National Institutes of Health (NIH). Bone health and RED-S research.
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