Can Olympic athletes take birth control pills?

Can Olympic athletes take birth control pills?

According to the Sports MD website, there are “contraindications [specific situations in which a drug or procedure should not be used because it may be harmful] to using hormonal birth control methods in athletes at all levels”.

Can female athletes take the pill?

The Menstrual Cycle and Oral Contraceptives So common, in fact, some coaches and athletic trainers recommend female athletes use hormonal birth control, which they think can minimize the potential changes in performance by keeping hormones stable.

Does hormonal birth control affect athletic performance?

But hormonal birth control pills come with some potential side effects for athletes including weight gain, muscle loss, and decreased performance.

Does estrogen affect athletic performance?

However, unlike bone and muscle where estrogen improves function, in tendons and ligaments estrogen decreases stiffness, and this directly affects performance and injury rates. High estrogen levels can decrease power and performance and make women more prone for catastrophic ligament injury.

What is the best birth control for runners?

The Upside: A copper IUD like Paragard (10 years) is hormone free and encourages period regularity without much risk of weight gain while the IUD Mirena (5 years) lessons period cramps and heavy flow, an enticing offer for the runner who risks the incident of a heavy period and cramps on race day.

What do female Olympic swimmers do when on their period?

Tampons are the usual go-to for periods for most individuals, not just swimmers. They’re typically easy to insert and remove. And someone almost always has one that you can use if you’re in need. While I currently use a menstrual cup, I used to use tampons while swimming and going about other activities.

Do Olympic gymnasts menstruate?

Many elite women gymnasts, and some other endurance athletes like distance runners, are amenorrheal, or experiencing a significant delay in the onset of menstruation and puberty. It is routine for top-flight gymnasts to begin menstruating years later than other girls.

Does the pill make you run slower?

Byun. Of the research that has been done, some suggests that birth control use may have small negative effects on things like strength gains, Vo2 max, and aerobic capacity in elite athletes. But other studies haven’t backed up these claims—and none have actually looked at speed as an outcome.

Can you still build muscle on birth control?

Women not taking oral contraceptives gained more than 60 percent more muscle mass than those on the pill. There were other changes noted in participants on the pill, including reduced concentrations of the hormone DHEA, which Lee explained, is an anabolic hormone and therefore builds muscle.

Why do female athletes have low estrogen?

Fat is the tissue in your body that stores energy. If you lose too much fat, your body will make changes to try to save energy. You will lose muscle mass and your estrogen levels will decrease. Decreasing estrogen levels can affect your periods and put you at risk of weakened bones and stress fractures.

What are the key hormones for an athlete?

What Are The Key Hormones For An Athlete?

• Growth Hormone (GH) Growth hormone supports healthy body composition and bone health.
• Thyroxine (T4) Thyroxine (T4) regulates the rate of metabolism as well as bone health.
• Oestrogen. Oestrogen is an ovarian response hormone and is released by the ovaries.
• Testosterone.
• Cortisol.