Training regularly is great for your health and performance, but only if your body is properly fueled. This paper highlights a condition called Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S).
RED-S occurs when your body doesn’t have enough energy (from food) to support both exercise and essential body functions like hormone balance, bone health, and recovery. This usually happens when energy intake is too low for the amount of training being done, often without people realising it.
What the Study Shows
● RED-S is caused by low energy availability (not enough fuel after training)
● It affects multiple systems: hormones, bones, metabolism, and mental health
● It’s common in both male and female athletes, especially in younger individuals
● It’s often unintentional, due to lack of awareness or increased training load
Signs to Watch For
● Ongoing fatigue
● Frequent injuries (e.g. stress fractures)
● Reduced performance
● Low mood or poor recovery
● In females: irregular or missed periods
What This Means for You
If you’re training regularly:
● You need to eat enough to match your activity levels
● More training means more fuel is required
● Under-fuelling can slow progress and increase injury risk
Simple strategies include:
● Eating regularly (meals and snacks)
● Fueling around training
● Prioritising recovery and rest days
Takeaway
Performance isn’t just about training, it’s about fuel and recovery. If you’re not eating enough, your body can’t adapt, and progress will stall.
Train hard, but fuel properly.
Research Insight By: Emre Oz (Specialist MSK Physiotherapist/Head of Integrated MSK & Sports Medicine Operations at Crouch Physio).
Reference:
Gould, R.J. et al. (2023). Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) in Adolescents – A Practical Review.
International Journal of Sports Medicine.
