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RED-S may or may not be associated with disordered eating patterns. As mentioned in the ‘risk’ section, some athletes may not
even realize they’re not fueling their bodies adequately. The impact of LEA can be subtle but some things to be aware of include:
• Weight loss
• Lack of growth or normal development
• Recurrent injury and illness
• Mood changes
• Negative changes in physical performance
• Inability to build muscle or gain strength
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Stress fractures and bone injuries
• Anemia
• Chronic fatigue

Addressing LEA and RED-S
First of all, education related to nutrition, the needs of athletes, and how all of this is related to physical performance should be pro-
vided to athletes and caregivers to prevent LEA and RED-S from occurring. Awareness of the issue can also be important to allow
athletes and those that care for them to be aware of the signs and symptoms of any of these issues.
If an individual is experiencing signs and symptoms, several tests can determine any health consequences. The athlete should be
in the care of a medical team, including but not limited to, a physician and a dietitian to address any health issues and increase
energy availability. While an unpopular option, many times the athlete will be removed from their sport until they’ve recovered.

If you have any questions or concerns related to low energy availability or relative energy deficiency in sport, please feel free to
contact me at info@hannahrdn.com or (989) 798-1920.

References:
1. Mountjoy M, Sundgot-Borgen J, Burke L, et al. The IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad –
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). Br J Sports Med. 2014; 48:491-497.
2. Logue D, Madigan SM, Delahunt E, Heinen M, McDonnel SJ, Corish CA. Low energy availability in athletes: A
review of prevalence, dietary patterns, physiological health, and sports performance. Sports Med. 2018; 48:73-96.
3. Energy Availability. CPSDA. 2014. https://www.sportsrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Energy_Availability_Fact_
Sheet_WEB.pdf.

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