During and after exercise, reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are created. This causes oxidative stress that can impair exercise performance, contribute to muscle damage and interfere with recovery. Our bodies have strategies to counteract this oxidative stress. This includes an “endogenous antioxidant defence mechanism,” which means this defence mechanism is Read more…
Low iron is very common in athletes. Heavy training can increase the iron needs of athletes. This is especially the case for athletes in running based activities because the impact of ground contact increases red blood cell destruction. Additionally, hard exercise increases the level of a hormone called hepcidin. Hepcidin Read more…
Thankfully, it is becoming more well known that a missing period is a serious problem and not a marker of being “fit,” or a normal response to training. Rather, periods are a health indicator with some health practitioners even considering them the “fifth vital sign.” While the importance of a Read more…
I recently published a paper in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism outlining how to treat relative energy deficiency in Sport (RED-S) using nonpharmacological strategies alongside Dr. Margo Mountjoy, Dr. Trent Stellingwerff, and Dr. Jamie Burr. If you would like to read the paper, click here. For Read more…
The negative health outcomes of under-fuelling are well known. They may include reproductive dysfunction, poor bone health, or gastrointestinal issues- to name a few (click here to find out more). However, less discussed is the performance outcomes of under-fuelling. The irony of this is that many athletes reduce their food Read more…
Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) causes the body to go into energy saving mode. This is why athletes with RED-S often have a stable body weight despite under-fueling (for more information on RED-S, click here). One of the ways the body saves energy is by impacting thyroid function. Read Read more…
Recovering from RED-S (click here to find out more about RED-S) and disordered eating does not occur overnight. It is a process that takes ongoing effort to challenge and change maladaptive behaviours and thoughts surrounding food and exercise. The holidays can be particularly hard for those struggling. The disruption in Read more…
As I mentioned last week (click here if you missed it), weight is not a good indicator if you have RED-S. This is because a calorie deficit doesn’t always equal weight loss. You can be undereating and your weight can be stable. Read on to find out how this works. Read more…
RED-S stands for relative energy deficiency in sport. Low energy availability causes RED-S. Low energy availability occurs when you do not eat enough calories to cover both exercising calories and the calories required to keep the body working. Low energy availability causes the body to go into an energy saving Read more…