‹ Back

 

 

WHAT IS RED-S?

RED-S stands for 'Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports'. To put simply, it basically refers to a condition where an athlete doesn't consume enough calories to meet the energy demands of their sport and training regime. This energy imbalance can have an negative impact on an athletes overall health and performance, especially in the long-term... 

 

WHO DOES RED-S AFFECT? 

RED-S can affect both male and female athletes of any age and ability but is particualrly prevelant in younger athletes, especially females. Athletes involved in weight-sensitive sports generally are at a higher risk of developing RED-S. These sports include Gymnastics, Ballet, Boxing and Endurance Sports such as Distance Running / Cycling where there is often an emphasis on staying 'lean' or maintaining a particular bodyweight as it is thought to improve performance...

 

WHAT CASUES RED-S?

There are numerous factors that can trigger the on-set of 'RED-S' and these are mostly psychological. Simple cues such as telling an athlete they are 'really strong' or 'super lean' in the form of a compliment can actually cause a negative shift in the athletes mindset. Here are a few real life examples that I have experienced in the past: 

 

Coach: You are looking really strong... 

Athletes Mind: I wonder do I look too too big... maybe I need to watch what I eat...

 

Coach: Avoid lifting too many weights, you don't want to bulk up... 

Athletes Mind: I wonder do I look too bulky... maybe I need to start doing more cardio...

 

Something as simple as this can potentially be a stepping stone in developing RED-S. 

 

Sports and team culture in general can be a major factor in developing RED-S. The 'Rocky Balboa' attitude towards training and competition to 'win at all cost' can force athletes to increase their training load and become more strict and obsessive with their nutrition. This culture exists today at all levels from elite athletes down to domestic sports clubs making RED-S generally very difficult to indentify.

 

The main issue for athletes is that some coaches themeselves have been trained with the same attitudes and beliefs which makes it normal to look extra lean and skinny for a certain sport, even though it may not be healthy for the athlete... Even a sudden boost in performance or achieving a PB can trigger RED-S by making the athlete naturally want to train harder in order to keep improving. Its important to remember that the athletes current training has most likely caused the improved performance and therefore it would be more beneficial to stay consistent instead of trying to increase the training load...

 

WHAT ARE THE KEY SYMPTOMS OF RED-S?

 

EXTREME FATIGUE

 

RAPID WEIGHT LOSS

 

MISSED PERIODS IN FEMALES

 

DELAYED DEVELOPMENT & PUBERTY IN YOUTHS

 

LOW LIBIDO IN MALES

 

LACK OF NATURAL MUSCLE MASS

 

FREQUENT ILLNESS

 

HAIR LOSS

 

TROUBLE KEEPING WARM

 

OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS BODY IMAGE

 

AWKWARD EATING HABITS

 

MOOD SWINGS & IRRETABILITY

 

 

HOW CAN RED-S BE PREVENTED? 

EDUCATION... EDUCATION... EDUCATION!

 

This applies to everyone involved in sports - coaches, parents & athletes! Any good coach that is worth their weight should have a good understanding of nutrition, how to fuel training & competition, how to fuel recovery and just a good overall understanding of the importance of good nutrition. If you're coach is telling you to cut out carbs, stop strength training or body shaming you then its time to find a better coach!

 

Parents also need to be carefull of the extra pressure they may be putting on their children towards sports, especially at such a young age. I am not at all stating that sports shouldn't be encouraged, but it must also be enjoyed! this is when you get real development in young athletes. To often young promising athletes give up a sport when they reach their later teenage years, simply because they have done too much too soon and experienced burn out both mentally and physically!

 

 

You can't out-train a bad diet is such a true saying! Sports performance is not about training hard, being obsessive with nutrition and missing out on the finer things in life!

 

It's a combination of training smart, staying interested, prioritizing recovery, fuelling correctly & having time out to enjoy life... A happy athlete is a much better athlete!

 

Author:

Jason McLeister

Strength & Conditioning Coach / Personal Trainer

FULL-BODIED FITNESS

Coleraine, Northern Ireland