Study highlights the need to pay more attention to the specific nutritional needs of female athletes

As poor nutrition can negatively affect everything from bone to reproductive health, special attention needs to be given to the specific nutritional needs of female athletes, according to a collaborative study by the University of Otago and the University of Ottawa. 39, University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Dr. Katherine Black of Otago's Department of Human Nutrition says most sports and nutrition research is about male athletes, but the number of women playing sports is increasing and female athletes have challenges and specific nutritional needs.

"These are not just male athletes adjusted for weight," she says.

Dr. Black and colleagues from Waikato and High Performance Sport New Zealand conducted a literature review on the subject of Low Energy Availability (LEA).

LEA is the time when the available energy in the body is too low for optimal physiological functioning, resulting in a change in the hormonal profile and ultimately a complete loss of menstruation.

In addition to having significant negative impacts on bone, endocrine, immunological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, reproductive and psychological health, the LEA also results in a long-term decrease in athletic performance.

The researchers' findings, recently published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, show that the reported prevalence of the LEA varies from 2% (club-level endurance athletes) to 77% (professional ballet dancers).

"Female athletes often have an energy intake that does not match their high energy expenditure, sometimes because they deliberately restrict their caloric intake for performance or aesthetic reasons. the best way to meet the demands of their sport or exercise.

"Another factor that influences women's energy intake is that food intake is influenced by hormonal factors, so that there can be significant variations in appetite and mood." Energy intake during their menstrual cycles, "she says.

Despite the serious negative health and performance consequences, Dr. Black said that knowledge of the LEA was low.

"Only recently have we begun to discover the true extent of exercise-related malnutrition among women.

"As we encourage more women to exercise, we also need to know how to make sure their health is not compromised," she said.

Coaches, parents and athletes should be aware of signs of low energy absorption, such as increasing the number of injuries or illnesses, and seek advice if necessary. Athletes should also be aware that menstrual irregularities are not normal.

"The research and practices of the LEA should be focused on prevention rather than prevalence – start early and develop good nutrition, training and body image habits."

Athletes and coaches can avoid LEA, including understanding the different nutrient requirements during the menstrual cycle stages; promote recovery by eating after exercise; designing training programs that take into account signs of LEA, fatigue or overtraining; devote a lot of care and planning to advising athletes who wish to reduce their body fat during training; and optimize energy-rich foods and promote liquid-based recovery options.

The health industry of women in sports: a performance advantage is one of the ways implemented by the industry to contribute to education on this problem. The group holds regular meetings between researchers and practitioners to create best practice principles on various issues related to female athletes.

"By specifically highlighting the effects of the LEA on health and by properly feeding training and performance, many female athletes could improve their health, which will prolong their athletic career," said Dr. Black.