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Podcast: Fix My Running
Episode: Irregular Periods in Female Runners with Mark Hutson, Researcher in Exercise Performance & Nutrition
Description: Irregular periods are extremely common among female runners. However, just because something is common, it doesn't mean that it's normal. Menstrual cycle disturbance can be an early warning sign of something called low energy availability. This is when the athlete is burning more calories than they're taking in.
This situation drives the body into a kind of crisis mode during which it will only focus on short-term physiological processes such as movement and respiration. Processes related to longer-term physiological health are temporarily put on hold. One of these processes would be the maintenance of bone health. This...