What health problems can the Female Athlete Triad cause in the future?
Each of the three conditions (disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis) is a serious problem that needs medical care and can cause problems in the future. Even if you only have one or two of the conditions, it is important to talk about them with your health care provider. For example, athletes can be eating a healthy diet and yet still skip menstrual periods and be at risk of osteoporosis. Disordered eating can cause heart problems such as an irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness or fatigue, fainting, and loss of concentration with schoolwork and athletics. Amenorrhea is a sign that your body is not functioning properly. The biggest concern is that the low estrogen levels may result in osteoporosis. Preventing osteoporosis is very important for teens. The teen years are the most important time in a girl’s life for developing normal, strong bones. Girls should add HALF of the bone mass that they will have for their lifetime during their teen years. Very little bone mass is added
