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- $Unique_ID{BRK01867}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Excessive Dieting and Infertility}
- $Subject{Excessive over diet Dieting infertile Infertility sterile sterility
- period periods menstruation menstruations menses anorexia nervosa amenorrhea
- body weight fat hormone hormones ovulate ovulation disorder disorders problem
- problems eat eating food}
- $Volume{}
- $Log{
- The Menstrual Cycle*0009101.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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- Excessive Dieting and Infertility
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-
- QUESTION: I am quite worried about my sister, who has been a dieter for much
- of her life. Now she has carried it to an extreme, has lost more than 35
- pounds, and looks like a toothpick. She confided to me that her periods have
- recently disappeared as well. Does this mean she is sterile? Can anything be
- done to correct her problem? I would appreciate any information that you can
- provide.
-
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-
- ANSWER: Perhaps the least studied and most common of eating disorders in
- women is that of excessive dieting. Excessive dieting is defined as an eating
- pattern that leads to a sudden and dramatic weight loss, accounting for at
- least 10 percent of the total body weight. This is not the same as anorexia
- nervosa, which has a whole collection of psychological symptoms related to an
- overconcern with food and weight that are not found in the excessive dieter.
- The periods stop (amenorrhea) when weight drops to a level that is 12 to 18
- pounds below the ideal body weight (roughly 10-15 percent) or when about 1/3
- of the body's fat stores have been used up.
- When this has happened the hormone control of ovulation and menstruation
- is affected. Whether this is due to the stress of the weight loss on the body
- and mind or just to the fat loss is still unclear. However, ovulation is
- interrupted, rendering the person infertile (a better term than "sterile" to
- describe the situation).
- The good news is that this condition is completely reversible, and that
- when the patient regains weight, the periods and ovulation will return. The
- point at which cycles recur is variable but can be hastened by eliminating
- stress factors in the life of the patient as well. This may require some
- special care in centers which specialize in the treatment of eating disorders.
- It is easier to accomplish when the patient admits that a problem exists, but
- when denial plays a role in the patient's psychological makeup, in patient
- treatment at the treatment center may be advisable. Your concern and caring
- may be the necessary link in bringing your sister's condition back to a more
- normal state.
-
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-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-