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Response of Plasma Endorphins to Physical Exercise in Eumenorrheic and Amenorrheic Female Athletes

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Endorphins in Reproduction and Stress

Abstract

It is well known that strenuous exercise may impair luteal function and cause anovulation and amenorrhea (Bullen et al. 1985). The suppression of the hypo-thalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis in exercise-associated amenorrhea is well established (Prior 1985; Ronkainen et al. 1985) but the exact cause is still unclear. Increased release of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and β-en-dorphin in the central nervous system has been proposed to be mechanisms through which stress inhibits secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH; Petraglia et al. 1986, 1987).

Research supported by grants from the Academy of Finland and from the Paul Foundation, Finland.

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Laatikainen, T., Hohtari, H., Rahkila, P. (1990). Response of Plasma Endorphins to Physical Exercise in Eumenorrheic and Amenorrheic Female Athletes. In: Distler, W., Beck, L. (eds) Endorphins in Reproduction and Stress. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75797-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-75797-6_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-52736-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-75797-6

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