Oral Contraceptives and Bone Health in Female Runners.
Abstract
Highly trained female athletes may experience loss of menses, low bone mass, and an increased frequency of stress fractures because of their participation in intense physical activity. Low serum estrogen levels are believed to be a principal cause of the bone loss. If so, re-establishing normal estrogen levels in these women should prevent or retard bone loss and decrease the incidence of stress fractures. This study is a two-year randomized trial of the effects of oral contraceptives on bone mass and stress fracture incidence among 150 female competitive cross country runners in the age range 18-25 years. The Coordinating Center is at Stanford University and bone mass in being measured at five sites: Massachusetts General Hospital, University of California Los Angeles, University of Michigan, Stanford University/Palo Alto VA Medical Center, and Helen Hayes Hospital in West Haverstraw NY. Athletes are currently being recruited from the areas around these five clinical sites, and to date 35 have been randomized. We are awaiting IRB approval to enter several others into the trial. Results will not be available until 2002.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA372214
Entities
People
- Jennifer L. Kelsey
Organizations
- Stanford University