SAT-008 Do Psychological Factors Influence Exercise Related Amenorrhea?

Abstract

Purpose: The etiology of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) can involve both metabolic and psychogenic stressors. The role of metabolic stress has been described in exercising women who develop FHA secondary to chronic energy deficiency attributable to inadequate dietary intake in the face of exercise training. The potential for psychological factors to contribute to exercise-related FHA is unknown. Methods: In our cross-sectional comparison of exercising women ((n=61), exercise ≥2 hours/week, age 18-35 years, BMI 16-25 kg/m2, we tested whether psychological factors discriminated participants who were deemed eumenorrheic or had FHA as confirmed by physical examination, health history, metabolic and endocrine screening, menstrual calendars and daily urinary collection for reproductive hormone metabolites. Body composition, energy balance, and metabolic and endocrine parameters were assessed in addition to psychological factors (Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale, Brief-Resilient Coping, Daily Stress Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Profile of Mood States (POMS), Beck Depression Inventory) and eating behaviors (Eating Disorder Inventory-2, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire). Results: Exercising women with FHA had a significantly lower BMI (20.2 vs 21.5 m/kg2, p<0.05), less body fat (22.8 vs 25.8%, p<0.05), and a lower fat mass (56.2 vs 58.3 kg, p<0.05), compared to eumenorrheic women. Fasting total triiodothyronine (75.4 vs 89.8 ng/dL, p<0.001), leptin (5.2 vs 9.0 ng/dL, p<0.01), and the ratio of actual to predicted resting metabolic rate (0.84 vs 0.92, p<0.01) were significantly lower in FHA women. FHA women demonstrated a greater drive for thinness (2.9 vs 2.1, p<0.05), greater dietary cognitive restraint (11.3 vs 7.4, p<0.001), and displayed more dysfunctional attitudes, i.e., need for social approval (39.1 vs 33.7, p<0.05) compared to eumenorrheic women but there were no differences in perceived stress, depression, mood states, brief resilient coping, or daily stress (p >0.05). Notably, FHA women displayed a significant positive correlation between need for social approval and indicators of stress (PSS: r=0.50), depression (Beck: r=0.59), and mood (POMS-depression/dejection: r=0.55), which was not apparent in eumenorrheic women. Additionally, EDI-drive for thinness was significantly positively correlated with many of the variables associated with stress (PSS: r=0.47), depression (Beck: r=0.51), dysfunctional attitudes (r=0.55), and mood disorders (POMS-depression-dejection: r= 0.37; tension/anxiety: r=0.44)(all p<0.05). Conclusion: In exercising women, psychological factors do not overtly discriminate reproductive status; however, in women with FHA, there appears to be a higher need for social approval and restrictive eating behaviors may be related to underlying indicators of psychological stress and depression.US DoD PR054531