A widespread apply amongst athletes harms each efficiency and well being

Because of this it is not uncommon amongst athletes, particularly in endurance sports activities like working, swimming, biking and rowing, to scale back their meals consumption earlier than competitors.

“That is significantly problematic amongst feminine endurance athletes. Many athletes focus closely on weight of their respective sports activities. In consequence, they have an inclination to embark on short-term however intense intervals of weight reduction within the “hope to carry out higher”, explains Professor Ylva Hellsten. from the Division of Diet, Train and Sport on the College of Copenhagen.

She and doctoral scholar Jan Sommer Jeppesen are two of the researchers behind a brand new examine on the consequences of low vitality availability in feminine athletes.

“We all know that the phenomenon of not consuming sufficient is related to many dangerous well being elements, together with missed intervals, compromised bone well being, and modifications in metabolism. However there’s nonetheless so much we do not know. As such, we regarded extra carefully at among the potential penalties,” says Jeppesen, lead writer of the examine.

Decreased biking efficiency

For the examine, researchers recruited twelve feminine triathletes, all with regular vitality consumption. Throughout a part of the trial, athletes got sufficient energy for 14 days, after which their efficiency was examined. The identical athletes additionally went via a 14-day interval by which they consumed solely about 50% of their vitality wants whereas sticking to their regular intensive coaching schedule.

In the course of the interval of inadequate energy, athletes misplaced a mean of about 4 p.c of their physique weight, about half of which was muscle mass. They usually skilled a lack of efficiency:

“The fourteen days of inadequate meals consumption diminished their efficiency by 7.7% throughout a 20-minute biking time trial, which is sort of vital. And through a extra intense short-term check , their efficiency fell by as much as 18%, so there isn’t any doubt that this apply considerably harms efficiency as an athlete, even over shorter intervals of time,” explains Jan Sommer Jeppesen.

A weaker immune system

Along with sports activities efficiency, researchers regarded on the results on athletes’ immune operate:

“Amongst different issues, we discovered that inadequate vitality consumption was related to elevated systemic stress. Athletes had a big enhance within the stress hormone cortisol and considerably elevated stress ranges in immune cells. This means “There’s a fairly critical affect on a number of facets of the immune system in the event you do not eat sufficient. This may probably contribute to athletes being extra uncovered to illness,” says Jeppesen.

The researchers hope the examine outcomes will assist increase consciousness of the phenomenon:

“Many coaches proceed to stress athletes to shed pounds. For a few years, this has been a part of the tradition of the sports activities world – and it stays so. We have to make clear the phenomenon and ask ourselves critically: what are we actually doing to our athletes, each bodily and psychologically?

The Danish workforce will use the outcomes

Crew Denmark, the Danish elite sports activities group, welcomes the brand new analysis outcomes with open arms.

“It focuses on a very vital subject and challenges the angle that lighter is all the time higher. The idea and tradition stays prevalent in lots of sports activities. I meet many athletes who shed pounds within the weeks main as much as a contest, however with out understanding the results of doing so,” says Majke Jørgensen, sports activities nutritionist and supervisor of Crew Denmark.

She sees the outcomes as helpful data that may assist a message the Danish workforce is attempting to advertise:

“My expertise is that elite athletes and coaches are curious, however want analysis that helps any criticism of the phenomenon. Right here, the truth that the check topics are actual athletes is a serious asset, in order that the outcomes may be transferred to the athletes and coaches supported by the Danish workforce. We’ll use these outcomes to assist what we’re already attempting to speak, each once we sit down one-on-one with the athletes, in addition to when. workshops and shows of this sort of contexts,” says Jorgensen.

THREE DAYS OF REFEEDING DOES NOT HELP

After fourteen days of low vitality availability (LEA), the athletes underwent a three-day “refeeding” interval as a part of the trial, throughout which they acquired ample meals.

“We anticipated that the three days of ample meals would restore their efficiency – and maybe even enhance it – however there was completely no impact. Their efficiency was simply as degraded as earlier than the three days. This tells us that the destructive results can’t be reversed by rapidly replenishing vitality shops, which is a method utilized by many athletes,” says Jeppesen.

WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE THAN MEN

In accordance with scientific literature, males are usually extra resilient to inadequate vitality consumption.

“Based mostly on pretty restricted analysis on this space, it seems that males are capable of tolerate diminished vitality consumption earlier than it negatively impacts us. This means that girls particularly are a susceptible inhabitants on this regard,” explains Jan Sommer Jeppesen.

The gender distinction is partly as a result of low vitality availability could cause a girl’s estrogen ranges to drop drastically. Since estrogen protects the circulatory system, muscle groups and bones, and many others., the lack of estrogen has far-reaching results on a girl’s physiology. Ylva Hellsten factors out that the dangerous results of inadequate diet for lengthy intervals, particularly in girls, can due to this fact additionally final a lifetime.