In this Classic Cecil column He speculates that large breasts hinder training so few large breasted women move up to the higher levels of competition.
I worked on a small study years ago on this very subject. I’m afraid I don’t have a reference, since it was 1974 and I can’t keep tract of yesterday’s newspaper.
The research Fellow, who headed the study, speculated that adrenal testosterone might be the reason female athletes lose so much breast tissue when they train at a competitive level. She also wanted to know if the amenorhea associated with intense training was mediated by adrenal testosterone.
Our first, and most difficult step, was finding subjects just starting to ramp up their training to the competitive level. There just weren’t that many female athletes in those days.
We were finally able to come up with 5 subjects. They were between 18 and 23. All had breasts in the B to D range. They had all been joggers or had participated in high school athletics for at least the prior 2 years. Their body fat ranged from 29% to 33% All had regular periods. One had been amemorheic in high school where she ran cross-country track. None were on systemic birth control. None of them had ever been pregnant.
The researcher and her team followed these women for 5 years, measuring serial body fat, estrogen and testosterone levels, as well as thyroid function indicators.
During the first year or so, their body fat went down to 18%-22%. The one who had been amenorheic in the past became so again. Her estrogen level dropped slightly, with no measurable change in testosterone. (Remember, this was in the stone age, levels were ball park at best.) She started with the smallest breasts, which changed only slightly. The other 4 had no changes in hormone levels, however, all four reported a drop of at least one cup size.
In the second year two others stopped having periods with a slight decrease in estrogen. By this point, breasts had all but vanished from all 5. I don’t think Mammogram was mainstream yet. It would have been interesting to see how much breast tissue they actually lost.
By 2.5 years all had ceased menses.
The third year all five had slight elevations in their adrenal testosterone, and significant drops in estrogen levels.
At the end of the five years, the researcher came to the conclusion that adrenal testosterone did indeed play a part in the defeminization seen in olympic level female athletes.
I don’t believe the study was ever repeated. Of course, I move out of the research area all together about then.
The study was truly inconclusive, because of the small test population and the lengthy study period. I am puzzled that her research was never built upon.
Anyway, my two cents.
Very interesting. Any idea what biological mechanism would be responsible for this? Assuming Cecil’s numbers were right about a breast being 80% glandular tissue and only 20% fat, then these women were losing glandular tissue. Tissue which would be necessary to feed offspring(as far as biology is concerned at least). Becoming amenorrheic seems to be a biological reaction to having insufficient body fat to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Perhaps breast tissue loss would occur as a biological response to percieved strain? If the individual was on the move a lot and the fat intake was extremely low it may indicate a scaricity of resources or overabundance of predators in the area. Ceasing menses would be the first step and if the conditions persist then you’re probably not going to need those baby feeders either. Perhaps this was selected for in some distant past where humans were on the move a lot and a woman who did NOT cease menses could slow down the group or fall behind as she had to care for an infant and thus fall prey to famine or predation? Women whose breasts reduced, on top of being amenorrheic, may have a larger advantage in an extremely migratory life.
:wally WHEN A WOMAN EXERCISES A LOT – HER BREASTS SHRINK. PERIOD. I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE MY BREAST SIZE CHANGES ACCORDING TO MY WEIGHT. WHEN I GET VERY THIN I HAVE TO CHANGE BRAS AS WELL AS PANTS N’ EVERYTHING ELSE. ASIDE FROM THE GLANDULAR TISSUE TO FAT RATIO, ITS VERY RARE THAT A WOMAN CAN KEEP HER BREASTS WHEN SHE’S BUILDING SO MUCH MUSCLE, OR LOSING SO MUCH WEIGHT. ITS JUST ONE A’ THOSE STANDARD FACTS OK MEN? :smack:
First of all, please don’t shout.
Secondly, your reply is no different than saying “Because I’m the Mom.” I was pointing out, that because weight loss does not affect other glandular tissue, there must be a specific reason. I was sharing a scientific study.
Thirdly. I’M A WOMAN! Take a Paxil, sister. :dubious:
A black belt in two years isn’t much of a black belt, unless she’s an amazing athlete with lots of time on her hands to train in an art with a teacher that made an exception or hands out bad bb. I think being in great shape is not the same as being in olympic shape. Of course, the problem with studying this topic is partially self-selection.
Oh my GOD! You’re so right! However did you know! You’re completely right!.
Well, except for the being completely wrong part. But otherwise, spot-on!
Since you ask so very politely, however, I can say that it was a matter of between five and twelve classes a week, closer to 16 a week in the months preceding her belt test, and working out at least an hour a day outside of class.
Yes, lots of time. Yes, a tremendous commitment to achieving a goal. Yes, she’s a “real” blackbelt.
There are some pleasantly curvy world-class female sprinters. The ones I’m thinking of especially are Jamaican. They aren’t huge on top, but they’re not flat.
Although Venus and Serena are examples of athletes with huge boobs, there aren’t many others who are even close to their size.
I always just assumed weight change effects breast size. (Some more anecdotal evidence): whenever I gain weight, my breasts get a little larger- when I lose weight, my breasts get smaller. This usually varies from my bra getting a smidge loose or tight in the cups, to me having to go out and buy the next cup size up/down.
Breasts are only 20% fat? I would assume that number would fluctuate as your over all body fat decreases or increases.
Of course, I move out of the research area all together about then.