You may have heard about The Female Athlete Triad before but have you heard about the new kid on the block, RED-S? (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport)
RED-S is defined as inadequate energy from food to support physiological systems i.e. heart, lungs, muscles, brain etc. Approximately 50-60% of athletes are affected by RED-S, especially those who burn lots of energy. It happens when athletes don’t eat enough to match their energy burning needs and has been closely associated with stress fractures, colds, fatigue and irregular menstrual cycles.
The good news is that it can be easily reversed and by doing so can improve your performance, wellbeing and overall health outcomes. It can sometimes be tricky to spot in athletes so best to talk to your sports dietitian, sports physician, exercise physiologist or s&c coach.
