Does exercise cause spotting?

Exercise, diet, weight changes, stress, illness, sex, pregnancy, age, hormonal changes, ovulation, and medications can all cause bleeding in between periods. This list covers every women out there. Most women have had spotting in between a period some time or another in their lives. I recently have lost 43 pounds and I exercise  now. I never spot in between periods and I actually am spotting today. But my body is going through changes right now. Also me and my husband have not had sex in like 2 months and we had sex this weekend. So yes things are getting woken  up I guess you can say. I am also 41 so I could be perimenapause. Who knows take your pick of why I am spotting right now. I dont think simple spotting is anything to be alarmed about. I think its more normal then abnormal to spot in between periods because pretty much anything and everything can cause it. If break through bleeding does concern you then go see your OBGYN to ease your mind. Hope this helps!!

Hi ladies! So glad I found this thread after my Google search. I've just started exercising hard core like walking 5 miles at least 3-4 times week. I'm 5'9" and weigh about 245. I'm 31 and have a 3 year old and a 6 month old both via c-section. Just had a period almost 2 weeks ago and got home from an intense work out and started spotting. I've never spotted between periods before, not pregnant, not on bc, and I'm not cramping or anything else. This makes me feel so much better!

When you exercise, particularly running, you can place your body under an extreme amount of stress. When your body becomes stressed it released a stress hormone called cortisol which will effect the estrogen and progesterone levels in your body. These hormones control menstraution. This short term stress you are putting your body under causes a hormone imbalance and results in spotting. This is normal and not a cause for concern. Long term stress (constant excessive exercise like in preoffessional atheletes or any other form of stress) will also alter your hormones but result in the absence of a period.

My advice is to run a bit less or a bit slower until your becomes used to the exercise.   

This too is my issue. And I am a extremely picky eater. Who's also allergic to coffee btw. So....needless to say, no coffee. No energy drinks. Just straight-intensified training/workouts. And I spot! All the time! I'd spoken to my doctor who'd informed me that it was a combination of my hormones being unbalanced (in which he'd recommended birth control); and my suffering from anemia. He'd also explained to me that the severity of it is that once your body is deprived of blood to that severity, as to where your spotting after routine exercising that that is a severe indication of anemia. He'd also warned that that level of anemia would lead to a decrease in bone marrow and calcium throughout the years. He'd prescribed me birth control and extra iron ^_^

i keep having this everytime i jog i do get the cramp pains like a period :( just having it now and i did do a little running after my nephew but looks like i will have to stop it.  but i never got this with some fitness dvds like body combat 60 but i did with insanity but that is high intense workout so looks like walking is for me.

As anyone suffered with bacterial vagnoisis on here?

I am so glad I found this thread. Actually I am having the same problem and I don't know why and how I have this pinkish discharge after I work out. I am very active with sports for the past 4 years and now that I am concentrating with running that this happened. I don't know what is wrong or if there's something wrong. Just like you girls I need an answer. I am 24 BTW and not sexually active. It's weird but I am relieved that I'm not the only one experiencing this.

relieved to see this site.. i have the same issue.  i've been running/jogging for about a year and a half - a somewhat light routine of 20 mins/6 days per week.  it's not as strenuous as some of the other routines I see on here, but I too have begun experiencing spotting between periods..  thanks for sharing everyone

i have been facing this problem since last 3 months..i am in my mid 20's and virgin,.before i used to do same rigorous workout for 1 hour but never faced spotting problem...then in middle i stopped workout for 2 years and ofcourse gained weight..then recently i started doing same exercise ...after exercise there was spotting (very light and brownish red kinda) and it last for a day..the next day again continued after exercise ...one thing i noticed that spotting problem occurs only when i exercise ...it's so frustating and scaring..:(

i have the same problem as you too. older den u by 2 yrs and not on pills and not sexually active. i usually have spottings in between mens cycles (usually goes away in a few days by itself) but i went for a scan before and there was nothing wrong. recently i went to cycle for 3 hours then i also felt discharges coming out. i seldom exercise.

and this time round the spotting is like much heavier den normal and last for more days. i am not sure if the exercise cause the spotting to be heavier this time round. don't know if i should see a doctor or not too

I know this article is old but hopefully it can help someone out there. Just like a lot of you, I am an avid runner. I've been running for over a decade (distance and speed); additionally I participate in crossfit. I've experienced spotting on and off since I began working out consistently. This alarmed me because sometimes is can be heavy and sometimes it's light spotting but can last for days. I've seen so many doctors because I want to be healthy and workout but I was afraid that I was causing damage in some way. Long story short, doctor after doctor, after being checked for any abnormalities the one thing that makes sense is bodily stress. Anytime I have a long run or an intense workout, I bleed (every now and then it's just a regular workout). To me it's the same as mental stress causing a period to not come or stay for a month. When I went through Basic mitary training (boot camp for some) there were two females in my flight who had their periods for the entire 6 weeks due to stress!!!! Others, like myself did not get a period until months after BMT again because of stress. So rest easy ladies :) please be sure to take care of yourself and see a gyno to check for real abnormalities; otherwise, you're just pushing your body to the limits... and think that's a good thing ;)

I have the exact same problem you have. I gave being trying to conceive snd nothing. Everytime I work out, run, clean the entire house which can be prhyically draining I bleed. I had polyps removed about four years ago. Since I was 15 my periods have always being irregular. I have not being able to get pregant and the Dr's say there's nothing wrong. Obviously there is. I am 34 and running out of time. The only think I belive now is that based on my body inducing periods after work outs and so on, I believe my womb mat be too weak, or maybe the abnormal bleeding causes me to not be able to get pregnant.

Hi did you have spotting non stop for most of the month? or just occasional? thanks

I spot after swimming. I can run and do other exercises. But if I swim I will spot. But if I use a pool to swim in I am fine. But creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes all cause me to spot for a day or two after. I really don't understand that. Why wouldn't a pool have the same effect? I started getting my period when I was 11 and I'm now 22. I do have a baby who is almost one. But it has been like this for a few years. Sit can't be complications from having a child.

I'm 49 and my periods have always been as regular as clockwork. I've never been one to exercise but a couple of months ago I took up jogging. I've gone from being able to jog to the end of the street to 6.6km (4 miles) yesterday. The most I do is twice a week and I'm pretty slow so I'm definitely not exercising excessively. I've never, ever had spotting but have recently had 2 incidents, the last one yesterday and both came immediately after coming back from a jog. So far it's not been much - just a smear of blood like you get when you're coming on. So far, this has not developed any further ie I've not had any more bleeding/a proper period. Then for the first time last month, my period didn't start and I'm still waiting. My first thoughts were that 'it's the menopause' but after reading threads like this, I'm wondering if it's down to the jogging. Has anyone else my age had a similar experience?

Oh my Gosh! Thank you. I too started to train real hard and experienced pink spotting. I think this is normal.