Spotting is normal now and then, especially for women approaching menopause or those with irregular periods. Post-workout bleeding may be related to the workouts themselves or an underlying problem.
Heavy training sessions and spotting after training
According to Harvard Medical School, a vigorous exercise routine can result in anything from spots between periods to a lighter or heavier flow of your month time. Both the exertion itself and the resulting weight loss sometimes cause changes in the hormones that lead to spotting and other menstrual changes.
What, if any, treatment you receive for post-exercise bleeding depends on your life stage. Pre-menopausal women who still want to keep to their heavy exercise schedule may be prescribed birth control pills to regulate hormone function.
Hormone replacement therapy may be appropriate for postmenopausal and perimenopausal women. Alternatively, the prescription for hormone therapy may be changed if the woman was currently on one type when the problem of spotting after the exercise began.
Your doctor may also suggest that you change your exercise and diet routines if they have led to excessive weight loss. Do not stop exercising altogether but instead, change the pattern to see if the bleeding after exercise prevents.
Is the “Newbie” factor at stake?
Bleeding after exercise can occur in women who have previously been somewhat inactive. Throwing yourself back into a routine can be a bit of a shock to your system.
Research suggests that even women who do not take hormonal contraception or pre-menopausal may experience hormonal changes after becoming active again. Intense exercise can reduce the amount of certain reproductive hormones, resulting in either delaying your period or spotting between periods.
Look for chain reactions
If spotting is a chronic problem after exercise, it may be more than fluctuating hormones that cause bleeding. “Overtraining” sometimes leads to a chain reaction that starts with chronic fatigue, also referred to as “low energy availability.”
Your body is forced to deprive itself of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. In addition, other nutritional deficiencies can develop from heavy workouts, which cause problems such as iron deficiency anemia.
These deficiencies can lead to spots after exercise and other irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Your doctor may order blood tests to confirm any defects related to the spotting problem. In that case, cutting back on workouts and taking supplements may be the answer.
Track your symptoms carefully
If you notice stains on the toilet paper after urinating, it may come from a regular phenomenon known as exercise-induced hematuria. In this case, spots come from traces of blood in your urine rather than from uterine bleeding.
This syndrome is also known as “running bladder” and often manifests as blood in the urine after exercise. Your GP can rule out other causes if the spots do not disappear within three days after a heavy workout.
Exclude other causes
There may be an underlying condition that explains the bleeding after exercise. In other words, you would see spotting even without exercising, but the extra twists made during workouts make the stain more pronounced. Potential causes of unusual menstrual activity include:
Polyps can appear on the vulva or vagina and are especially common for women in their 40s.
You may also notice changes such as thinner hair on the scalp but more hair on the face and body.
Thickened uterine lining is not uncommon in certain stages of life. Hormonal changes during menopause can cause the uterus lining to thicken, sometimes causing spots.
Cervical or cervical cancer is a rare but potential cause of spots after exercise or other times when you do not have your regular period. There is just one more reason to visit your doctor and rule out this possibility.
Other causes can include thyroid problems, stress, and side effects from medication. Ask your GP about any spots after exercise, especially if the problem is persistent.
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