The Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine reported in its May 2010 issue an improvement in vascular function in young amenorrheic athletes when supplemented with folic acid. Amenorrhoea, the sessation of normal periods, is common among young female athletes who have low calorie intake and body fat. These women often stop menstruating or have irregular cycles due to a drop in estrogen levels. Because of estrogen’s protective effect on the heart prior to menopause, a drop in estrogen correlates with a risk of developing early heart disease. The prevalence of amenorrhea in the 3 million female high school athletes and 23 million women runners is estimated at 44 percent, which puts a significant number of women at risk of vascular dysfunction.
The small trial study by Anne Hoch, DO, professor of orthopedic surgery of the Medical College of Wisconsin and her associates, included 10 menstruating women and 10 amenorrheic women between the ages of 18 and 35 who ran at least 20 miles per week. The women were given 10 milligrams oral folic acid daily for 4 weeks. Brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before and after the treatment period to assess vascular function. "The earliest sign of heart disease can be measured by reduced dilation in the brachial artery of the arm in response to blood flow,” Dr Hoch explained. “Reduced vascular dilation can limit oxygen uptake and affect performance.” There was no placebo-controlled control group in the study.
While amenorrheic women had FMD values that were similar to postmenopausal women at the beginning of the study, vascular function normalized after 4 weeks of supplementation with folic acid. No change was observed in the menstruating women.
“This study demonstrates that brachial artery FMD, an indicator of vascular endothelial function, improves in amenorrheic female runners after short-term supplementation with folic acid.” is the stated conclusion. Larger, more controlled, studies will be necessary to confirm the conclusions. However folic acid is recommended for women who might become pregnant so all young women should take the amount recommended by their health care provider, often 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams).
Please note: The information here is not to be followed as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with your physician or primary health practitioner for information regarding your own personal health and necessary treatments.
