Effects of carbohydrate supplements on exercise-induced menstrual dysfunction and ovarian subcellular structural changes in rats

• Published in: Journal of sport and health science 2014-09, Vol.3 (3), p.189-195
• Main Authors: Zhao, Can, Liu, Xiao-Li, Hong, Run-Xiao, Li, He, Li, Rena, Wang, Ren-Wei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbohydrate supplement; Estradiol; Estrous cycle restrain; Follicular subcellular injury; Ovary; Progesterone; Rats; 功能障碍; 卵巢; 大鼠模型; 月经周期; 碳水化合物; 细胞结构变化; 补充剂; 运动性
• ISSN: 2095-2546; 2213-2961
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2014.04.006

Background： Exercise-associated menstrual dysfunction （EAMD） is a common health problem in female athletes as a part of female athlete triad （FAT）, a condition related to low energy availability. In this study, we explored the possibility that carbohydrate supplements can improve the status of EAMD and prevent exercise-induced ovarian injury in a FAT rat model. This research aimed to provide experimental evidence with regard to the relationship of energy intervention and EAMD. Methods： Forty-five female Sprague-Dawley rats （2 months old） were randomly divided into five experimental groups： control group （C）, 9-week exercise as model for EAMD （E）, post-EAMD recovery group （R）, oligosaccharide intervention group （O）, and glucose intervention group （G）. All rats were sacrificed at the end of 9 weeks. Serum samples were collected for measuring gonadotropin releasing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 1713-estradiol and progesterone levels. The ovaries were taken for investigation of exercise- and carbohydrate-induced follicular subcellular structure changes. Results： Exercise induced irregular menstrual cycles and ovary subcellular structural damages, such as swollenness of mitochondria in rats from groups E and R. Both glucose and oligosaccharide supplements restored well-differentiated mitochondria in the ovarian follicular cells, and a significant improvement of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi in swollenness in theca cells in groups O and G compared to groups C, E, and R. There was no difference in mitochondria subcellular structural changes between groups O and G. Group E showed attenuation of serum levels of 17β-estradiol and progesterone compared to C. There were no differences of 17β-estradiol serum levels among groups O, G, and R, while group G showed a lower level of progesterone than C. Conclusion： Female adult rats with 9-week continuous exercise can cause menstrual dysregulation as a model for EAMD. Post-EAMD intervention with glucose and oligosaccharide intake can normalize the menstrual cycle, restore the follicular subcellular structure, and reverse the exercise-induced reduction of ovary sex hormones. It suggests a positive feedback of hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis might be involved in the molecular mechanisms of energy intake in treating EAMD.