RED-S and Female Athlete Considerations
What is RED-S and why should we be concerned?
RED-S stands for relative energy deficiency in sport. Which essentially under-fueling to meet the demands of your sport. This happens a lot in gymnastics, dance, crossift, running, etc.
Why should we care?
Being in the state can lead to issues with fertility, recurrent muscular injury, impairment in bone health, and impact fatigue and low mood.
(Statuta, Asif & Dresdner, 2017)
Other symptoms might also include (Mountjoy, et al., 2018):
Recent weight loss
Loss of appetite, disordered eating, or a history of eating disorders
Participation in high demand, weight or aesthetically driven sport (e.g. dance, gymnastics, jockeys, boxing etc.)
Slow or stunted growth in children and adolescents
Recurrent coughs, colds and cases of flu
Recent irritability, mood swings, or a history of mental illness or increased stress
Poor judgement, poor coordination, decreased athletic performance
Low iron or anaemia
Changes in or absence of a menstrual cycle in adults or a delayed or absent onset of puberty in adolescents
History of stress fractures
Recurrent or unhealed injuries
Feeling tired, run-down or exhausted
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
The hallmark sign of RED-S is lack of mensuration. This becomes more challenging because some women are not menstruated due to forms of hormonal birth control and may not not that their cycle is disrupted or that they are in RED-S.
Because of this it crucial to make sure that female athletes are fueling appropriately. If you have been feeling some of the symptoms mentioned above, it’s take to talk to health care provider.
What Are RED-S Treatment Options?
Treatment options are based on the signs and symptoms each individual has. Best case scenario is a multi-disciplinary approach and could include the following:
Sports Dieticians, to address food-related behaviours
Physical Therapists, for injury management and rehabilitation advice
Exercise Physiologists, for reconditioning and modification of training/performance tasks
GPs and Team Doctors, to manage symptoms, prescribe medication and order tests, and clear for return to sport
Sports Psychologists and Psychiatrists, to help develop coping skills and address the thinking and beliefs around the current behaviours which led to RED-S
Endocrinologists, to help address hormonal imbalances
Gynaecologists and fertility specialists, to address hormonal and reproductive concerns
Cardiologists, where heart function has changed
Immunologist, to assist with the immune system and allergy concerns
