This is the Female Athlete Triad-- something that I have read about in my college classes but thankfully never had to experience or see in real life. I felt like posting something basic about this here is absolutely necessary, because as a lady, and as a runner too, I feel like everyone should recognize this for themselves and for the people they love, just in case.
The Triad is a disorder that strikes athletes of any sort, but is really prevalent in sports where low body weight is encouraged or "the norm". In today's society this is pretty much everywhere really, but when you add athletics and a lot of activity in with the already obsessive drive for some women to be "skinny", you get a dangerous (and lethal!) problem such as the Triad.
Part one is the disordered eating-- either not eating enough to sustain your energy levels, or burning off every calorie you take in (I have witnessed this, now that I write it-- in junior high a swim team friend of mine used to eat dinner and immediately get on the elliptical for the rest of the evening, until she saw that she had "worked off" everything that she had eaten. She swam several hours a day as well, and was rather, almost painfully, thin). Using laxatives and diet pills falls into this category as well-- in essence, being obsessive about your figure, your body weight, and how to restrict or limit yourself, to the point of exhausting yourself often.
Part two is amenorrhea, or the loss of the menstrual period for more than 3 months. Exercising intensely and not taking in enough calories disrupts the hypothalamus (your body's regulator for hormones) and your body stops giving estrogen to your reproductive organs. This may not seem like the biggest of issues to some folks, but I assure you, it is. It also brings us to the third leg of the Triad.
Part three is the onset of osteoporosis. Yes, I am talking about the bone density disorder that increases your risk of breaks in major bones due to a lack of nutrients (and estrogen plays a big role in this as well!) and increase in the brittleness of bones. This is not something that happens later in life for those stuck in the Triad-- teens and young women are winding up with this in some cases. Since athletes endure a lot of skeletal stress, fractures are very common, sometimes ending their ability to compete.
Suffering from one part of this triad makes it likely to suffer from the others as well. They are interconnected, and should be taken seriously as soon as it's noticed.
There are several questions that you can ask yourself (or anyone you think might need help):
*Do you worry about your body weight or composition?
*Do you carefully limit and control what you eat?
*Do you worry that you have lost control of what you eat?
*Do you refrain from eating around other people?
*Do you have monthly cycles?
*Have you ever broken a bone or had a stress fracture?
* Do you avoid parties and social situations because of food or alcohol consumption?
* Do you feel inspired and try to emulate "thinspiration" photos or models?
*Do you weigh yourself more than a couple of times a week?
Some of these can be construed as "normal", but if it becomes an obsession or gets in the way of everyday life, please seek medical aid from your sports doctor, general practitioner, or even your OB/GYN. If you have a friend you are concerned about, speak with her gently about it-- don't accuse or freak out on her. Be supportive and helpful, and do some research on your own so you have as much information as you need.
Even among the group that most view as "extremely healthy", there are still some scary issues out there. Us ladies have to look out for one another-- things are tough for us in the body image department (as they are for you guys out there too-- photoshop and distorted images of models of both genders are making it increasingly difficult to feel fine with our bodies) and together we can support and show one another that
we are ALL gorgeous (thin, not thin, short, tall, whatever qualifier you want to use. ALL means every. single. person!) and strong for what our bodies are capable of!
If you feel like this might be you, and you need someone to reach out to and can think of no one, please, PLEASE contact me if you will.
I loved these ads when they came out, and I wanted to share them now as a reminder, for myself and anyone out here who needs it. There is so much "thinspo" (thin spiration, or photo boards out there of painfully thin women as "perfect" and "goals" for women, mostly younger like me) but strong is what we should remember. Our bodies carry us for miles, then go about a whole day just fine! Our legs are wonderful, as are our butts, and the rest of us too! We should praise them, and thank them, and love them wholly for what they are, not scold them and be angry with them for what they should not be. So, be kind to yourself, and encourage your fellow athletes (and non athletes for that matter), every day!
Both images courtesy of Nike
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