Hypothalamic Amenorrhea and Hidden Nutritional Insults

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether abnormal nutrition is an associated event in idiopathic hypothalamic amenorrhea.

METHODS: Eighteen amenorrheic subjects were compared to 36 normal controls using endo crine, nutritional, and psychological evaluations.

RESULTS: Controls were closer to their ideal weight (97.2 versus 89.7%; P < .05) than amenorrheics despite similar ages and heights. Amenorrheics denied eating disorders; however, our evaluation showed more eating disorders (55 versus 26%; P < .05), higher scores on a scale of eating behavior (22.28 versus 10.36; P < .001), twice as much fiber intake (26.14 versus 14.69 glday) and less fat intake (20.7 versus 27.10 g/day) (P < .001), more aerobic activity (85 versus 58%) despite expending fewer calories per day (2303.7 versus 2576.7 kcal/day; P < .05), and similar caloric intake.

CONCLUSIONS: Significant abnormalities suggest that a greater percentage of hypothalamic amenorrhea occurs on a nutritional basis than previously suspected and should be searched for in depth. (J Soc Gynecol Invest 1994;1:84-8)

Keywords

Hypothalamic amenorrhea nutrition eating disorders psychological stress.

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