I don't want to be disrespectful, I just don't understand your point. Is it your conjecture that working hard causes hypothyroidism? I don't know enough to comment at a scientific level but does that make sense? Sometimes tired is just tired.

Please help me understand your thoughts. I'm not dismissing them (I can't), I just don't understand them.

Hi Jeff,

As a person who has been called a molecular immunologist (or at least played one on TV), I would not say that there would be a resulting autoimmune disease. This would not make much sense; as it has been shown in many studies the depression of the immune system with high work loads. If you are proposing that the hormones from the birthcontrol are causing a differential effect on regulatory t-cells as a result of the increased workload, then that would be something interesting to study, but VERY difficult to tease apart. You would have to go into oxidative stress, interplay with hormone levels, endogenous vs. introduced hormones (and any differences which could result)....well, Im sure that I could go on for quite a while, and I would bet that someone smart could even say something intelligent; but in the end, it would be chasing your tail due to the complexity of the immune system...Just talk to an immunologist or two, and you will know what I mean. They will tell you a lot of 'stuff' but at the end of any discussion, it will come down to the fact that there are just too many multifactorial unknowns to the system to really tell what changing one thing will do. OK, now that I have just said a whole bunch of nothing; I would go back to the first thing...I really dont think that there is any autoimmune component to this.

Stephen J

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I believe my local reality has been violated.
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Happiness = Results / (Expectations)^2

How can you possible conclude that women who podium (and are on hormonal contraception) do not sleep well nor have adequate sex drives due to adrenal stress and 'autoimmune' induced thyroid dysfunction?

Even IF these women ALL have thyroid antibodies and decreased thyroid levels, perhaps it is that combination of factors that allowed them to become elite - ie they self selected. Additionally adrenal stress will mimic thryoid disease, so unless thyroid antiboides are supporting your 'thesis' it smacks of junk science.

this thread totally didn't go where i was hoping it would.

Another direction, but still not what you were hoping for....

Has anyone investigated the interaction of eating wedding cake and wearing gold/diamonds on one's ring finger? What effect does this have on testosterone? I'm guessing high levels of training have nothing to do with it.

Without a shadow of a doubt as a group they are as horny as any other group of women you can name.
Cheers,
Scott

Voice of wisdom and experience! And they have more endurance ;-) ...

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Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
http://www.worldofswimrun.com

With all due respect, you've gotten things a bit confused.

Yes libido is mostly testosterone controlled.

Sex drive is not directly related to total body fat (an interesting world THAT would be if it were true! hee hee) but rather fat is a precursor to hormones, estrogen in particular as you mentioned, and that is an indirect link to sex drive.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Even if you take the autoimmune disease part out, it's still a good question. This topic pops up on occasion around here - we've had several threads about it. The link between training, physiological factors associated with that training + hormones + diet + meds + ??? is quite complex to tease out, and it's fascinating.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

.... given the sleepless night after the awards/k-swiss party I would say no!!!! ;)

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bikefitasia.com

But is this merely anecdotal, or is it the result of a scientific study, and thereby repeatable? If this is from your own research, please describe it, giving particular attention to materials and methods.

Or if it's just anecdotal, we'll settle for some anecdotes.

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Over 4.5 years bike crash free.

Without a shadow of a doubt as a group they are as horny as any other group of women you can name.

ST comes through again! Who needs a bunch of scientists doing studies when we have real people in the field doing the hard work and reporting back. ;)

Chrissie! Chrissie! Are you out there? Please, please respond!!!

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Damn, that's a cold ass honkey.

"Chrissie! Chrissie! Are you out there? Please, please respond!!! "
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I wonder if Virginia Berasategui reads ST?

Damn...I wish I had paid more attention in my college Spanish classes ;)

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

But I think that you are missing the point that I was so convolutedly making. The point is that it is not a good question, as it is not pointed enough. If it were focused to tease the small bits and pieces out it would be a start; but there is just not enough basic knowledge of the system as a whole that doing the kind of study that you are suggesting would be kind of worthless, as it would be a small 'n' and not provide any significant advance on the understanding of the system and how it really works. If I were a reviewer for a grant which proposed what you are suggesting, it would definitely not make the cut. Im not trying to be a killjoy, just looking at the question in a scientific light which attempts to make advances in understanding, rather than just generating data which may or may not agree with a notion, but really does not add to a deep comprehension of how things work.

Stephen J

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I believe my local reality has been violated.
____________________________________________
Happiness = Results / (Expectations)^2

.....she speaks english ;)

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I wonder if Virginia Berasategui reads ST?

Damn...I wish I had paid more attention in my college Spanish classes ;)

Haim

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bikefitasia.com

Endurance athletes have a higher sex drive. Sorry if this was said I'm in class on my iPod and didn't want to read every post

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USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach

ST comes through again! Who needs a bunch of scientists doing studies when we have real people in the field doing the hard work and reporting back

In this case, I'm willing to donate my body to science....for the betterment of all mankind...and womenskind, too.

In this case, I'm willing to donate my body to science....for the betterment of all mankind...and womenskind, too.

We'll be the judge as to whether your body is for the betterment of womenskind. Please post a pic and the Womens of ST will decide.

scott is definitly right, elite womens athletes in my experience have very healthy sex drive!!!!

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Jonathan Caron / Professional Coach / ironman champions / age group world champions
Jonnyo Coaching
Instargram

If this is a serious question...
One reason is so women can know (and manipulate) EXACTLY when they will have their period. Comes in handy when planning a race season, for sure.

X2 to that.......

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-Brad Williams
Website | Twitter: @BW_Tri |Instagram: @BW_Tri | Strava | Co-Founder & Coach at: KIS Coaching
Partnered with: Zoot Sports | Precision Fuel &Hydration | ISM

Many moons ago I was at a race in Atlanta...big race at that. One of the ProW folks who was married to a ProM stud (no names but both are/were quite famous)...but anyways, the ProW was found in a back hall of a convention center on top of a U23 kid - rodeo style. Watching from a distance we see and hear her grab said U23's shirt at the neck and tell him in a not so nice way "You are not going to come until I tell you that you can come"....a look of terror washed over the face of the U23 a this ProW stud(ette) who was with out doubt trottleing him with some massive power in her elite legs....

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

"Many moons ago I was at a race in Atlanta..."
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Why do these things always seem to happen to you? You need to write a book ;)

Haim

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"Sometimes you need to think INSIDE the box!" -- ME
"Why squirrel hate me?"

haha classic.


just another point. Healthy people have healthy awesome sex.

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USAT Level II- Ironman U Certified Coach