Skip to main content

Exercise-Induced Hypogonadism

Meaning

Exercise-induced hypogonadism is a clinical condition characterized by suppressed reproductive hormone levels, specifically low testosterone in men and low estrogen in women, resulting from excessive physical training without adequate energy intake or recovery. This state represents a functional adaptation where the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis downregulates to conserve energy under conditions of chronic physiological stress. It is a form of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea in women and often presents as secondary hypogonadism in men.