TY - JOUR T1 - The prevalence and impact of heavy menstrual bleeding among athletes and mass start runners of the 2015 London Marathon JF - British Journal of Sports Medicine JO - Br J Sports Med SP - 566 LP - 566 DO - 10.1136/bjsports-2015-095505 VL - 50 IS - 9 AU - Georgie Bruinvels AU - Richard Burden AU - Nicola Brown AU - Toby Richards AU - Charles Pedlar Y1 - 2016/05/01 UR - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/9/566.abstract N2 - The single most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia in the developed world in premenopausal females is the menstrual cycle.1 It is well recognised and reported that amenorrhoea and oligomenorrhoea are common in elite athletes typically as a result of relative energy deficiency;2 however, little is known about the prevalence of other menstrual abnormalities. Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB or menorrhagia) affects a quarter of the general population,3 yet no data exist for athletes or exercising women. It is possible that HMB might impact significantly on women's participation in sport. HMB can lead to fatigue, anxiety, reduced mood and energy levels with a negative impact on quality of life and productivity.4 Furthermore, iron turnover in exercising females … ER -