Optimising athlete health and performance

Treatment for RED-S, and in particular for the underlying low Energy Availability (EA), will generally involve increasing Energy Intake (EI) potentially in combination with reducing exercise. As there are not currently any standardised guidelines to determine EA, and measurement of both EI and exercise expenditure are frequently imprecise, it can be difficulty to accurately determine optimal conditions for individual EA.

The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad—Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), opens in a new tab recommends a practical approach of increasing current EI by ∼300–600kcal/day and addressing suboptimal practices related to energy spread over the day and around exercise sessions, dietary composition, and food-related stress.

Additional treatment may be required to address menstrual dysfunction for women, optimise bone health, and for any psychological conditions which may exist or develop.

It is recommended that treatment and monitoring plans involve a qualified sports medicine practitioner with support from a multi-disciplinary team as required.