What You Need to Know About Running and Your Period
There is a lot of misinformation out there about periods and how one’s period affects running. To help us unpack the science, we spoke to Dr. Marci Goolsby, a primary sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery in the Women's Sports Medicine Center.
Timing
Myth: It isn't good for me to run during my period.
Truth: You can run during your period.
It’s not uncommon to be told, “Don’t exercise during your period.” However, this just isn’t true.
Sometimes exercise can even mitigate some of the symptoms, as getting moving can relax muscles, including those that cause cramps.
No matter where you are in your menstrual cycle, your body is strong, capable, and ready to log some miles.
Myth: l won't have a good workout or race result during my period.
Truth: You can run a personal best while on your period.
When we think about periods, we often think of the symptoms, such as bloating or cramps. However, the driver behind your period is your hormones, such as estrogen. There is no solid evidence that performance is impacted during one’s period!
Still, period symptoms are real. “Everybody has unique experiences and symptoms with their periods," said Dr. Goolsby. As a result, she emphasized, “No one should feel bad about feeling off from their cycle. It's okay to adjust your training days if your ‘readiness’ is impacted by your symptoms.” Dr. Goolsby recommended that if you experience heavy bleeding or painful periods that impact your ability to stay active, talk to your doctor to get help.
Nutrition
Myth: Missing your period is a sign that you're fit.
Truth: Missing your period is often an unhealthy sign.
In the world of distance running, regularly missing your period was sometimes misunderstood by athletes and coaches as an indicator of fitness. In reality, it should be understood as a potential sign of an underlying condition that needs to be addressed. “If you don't get your period or have irregular periods, this is often a sign of an imbalance between your nutrition and your exercise,” said Dr. Goolsby.
When the energy intake from nutrition is not enough for the amount of energy spent on exercise and daily activities, your hormone system is suppressed. This inadequate fueling can lead to the abnormalities seen in menstruation and the negative effects on the bones thus increasing the risk of stress fractures, other broken bones and early osteoporosis. The interrelated components of energy, periods and bones is referred to as the Female and Male Athlete Triad. This may also impact other functions in the body as described in the related Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S) syndrome. If you have missed three or more periods in a row, talk to your doctor, since this issue, known as amenorrhea, can predispose you to injury and other issues. It’s important to address amenorrhea early.
Holistic Health
Myth: Taking birth control pills is a solution to irregular or absent periods.
Truth: Being on a birth control pill does not "fix" the problem.
Make sure your physician is taking a holistic approach to your care, said Dr. Goolsby. “Being on a birth control pill does not ‘fix’ the problem,” she noted, “and nutrition education is a key part of the treatment.”
Being on a birth control pill does not correct the reason for the periods becoming irregular or nonexistent, which is the underlying imbalance between nutrition and exercise. It is critical to address this issue through nutrition and exercise education, as being on birth control pills does not protect against other consequences such as stress fractures and impaired performance.