By: Abbey Roberts Athletes fuel to train and compete. A combination of training and nourishment can aid in performance improvements. Endurance athletes are at an increased risk of developing relative energy deficiency in sports or what is commonly referred to as RED-S. RED-S occurs when your total energy expenditure from training and competing is more than your intake. Over time this can result in not having enough energy left over for metabolic processes in the body such as bone health, immunity, hormones and a menstrual cycle. This is referred to as having low energy availability. The consequences of RED-S can be prevented by proper fueling. Energy intake also provides energy to perform your best during training and competing. RED-S shows a decrease in both iron and hemoglobin levels within two weeks of increased energy output. Iron helps the body produce red blood cells and hemoglobin is the part of these cells that help transport oxygen to muscles. Having too few red blood cells will decrease VO2max. VO2max is an important measure for all athletes, particularly as a measure of endurance capacity. Without adequate caloric intake you cannot sustain long periods of physical activity. Proper refueling after training and competing helps to avoid low iron, hemoglobin and maintains a higher VO2max (Jurov et al., 2022). Fueling properly means eating enough food for optimal performance. There are examples of how to accomplish this below. There is an increase in cortisol levels among athletes experiencing low energy availability. Cortisol is a hormone that the body releases when it is under stress. Naturally during periods of higher training our body will undergo higher stress. Athletes want to avoid high cortisol levels because they can lead to increased risk of fatigue, fractures and illness. High cortisol will also slow recovery times because it makes it harder for muscles to relax. However, proper fueling can decrease these levels of stress by promoting recovery and therefore the release of cortisol. Research shows that in some cases, these hormonal changes can be seen before performance impacts are noticed by athletes or coaches (Stenqvist et al., 2020). RED-S increases risk of bone injury because bone health is compromised when athletes are not consuming enough calories for their sport, recovery and growth. This along with the decrease in immunity could potentially lead to missed training sessions and competitions that could affect performance in the future. When making food choices remember that food is fuel and athletes fuel to compete. Include food in amounts that will help your endurance last and aid in improving your performance as an athlete. As training increases so should intake to appropriately match the amount of energy being used. A great way to ensure proper fueling is using the athlete's plate developed by the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (https://swell.uccs.edu/theathletesplate). This plate ranges and includes portions for following easy, moderate and hard types of training. It is also helpful to develop an eating schedule, with student athletes this can be difficult due to differing class schedules each day. A general rule is to eat something every three to five hours that includes at least two to three food groups. This could look like an apple with peanut butter or a cheese stick for a snack or grilled shrimp, asparagus and brown rice for dinner. Understanding the risk of RED-S and creating an atmosphere of support is important within collegiate athletics to prevent any harmful effects from taking place. Participating in endurance sports is hard work and it is essential to provide your body with the food that it needs to be successful in performing. References: Stenqvist, T. B., Torstveit, M. K., Faber, J., & Melin, A. K. (2020). Impact of a 4-Week Intensified Endurance Training Intervention on Markers of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) and Performance Among Well-Trained Male Cyclists. Frontiers in endocrinology, 11, 512365. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.512365 Jurov, I., Keay, N., Spudić, D., & Rauter, S. (2022). Inducing low energy availability in trained endurance male athletes results in poorer explosive power. European journal of applied physiology, 122(2), 503–513. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-021-04857-4 The athlete's plate®. The Athlete's Plate® | Sustainability, Wellness & Learning (SWELL). (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://swell.uccs.edu/theathletesplate
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April 2023
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