How can under eating, over exercising, high stress events and losing your period as a result, potentially contribute to poorer heart health? The science is surprising and it isn't being talked about enough. My guest today sheds light on all of these. It's important information that's not getting out to many athletes and coaches.

Today’s guest Dr. Chrisandra Shufelt is an expert in women’s heart health and menopause, Dr. Shufelt is Professor and Chair of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Senior Consultant at the Mayo Clinic Women’s Health, and Associate Director of the Women’s Health Research Center at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Shufelt is awomen’s health internist with fellowship training in vascular biology and women’s health and a certified menopause practitioner. She’s the immediate past president of the North American Menopause Society where is now on the board of trustees.

Her NIH-funded research focuses on young women with hypothalamic amenorrhea evaluating the impact on immune and vascular health.

During this podcast we discuss:

• The effect of early and late onset of a female's first period on future heart health.

• How losing your period from over exercise, under nutrition or high stress events could impact bone health.

• How estrogen impact vascular health and how this can impact your performance as an athlete.

• Early and late menopause, hormone replacement guidelines and considerations.

• Hormone replacement for bone health in young female athletes with amenorrhea.

• Prevalence of amenorrhea in athletes.

• Estrogen throughout your lifespan and how this relates to heart health.

• Dr. Shufelt's NEW STUDY and how to join because she is recruiting athletes NOW.

There's so much to learn in this episode. EVERYONE should listen, male or female, coach, parent or athlete.

To learn more about Dr. Shufelt's study (women 18-40 who have missed more than 3 periods in a row due to stress, over exercise or under nutrition) call the study coordinator at this number: 904-953-9805.

You can follow Dr. Shufelt on twitter here: https://twitter.com/cshufeltMD

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And with that, let’s jump inside the podcast!