Talk:Relative energy deficiency in sport

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I will be editing this article as part of a Sociology: Sport in Society class. Hoya798 (talk) 13:46, 18 April 2012 (UTC)

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Relative energy deficiency in sport
Female athlete triad is now not considered to be a separate entity, but a discrete set of symptoms (among many others) that arise from relative energy deficiency. The term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is now recommended (by the IOC). See IOC consensus statement: beyond the Female Athlete Triad - Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.219.7.10 (talk) 23:42, 23 October 2016 (UTC)
 * Yes, I noticed that and moved it. It now needs an update to broaden the scope. Widefox ; talk 20:03, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

This change is not entirely accurate- female athlete triad and RED-S two separate concepts at this point in time. There is not enough research to date to combine these two conditions. Please see this reference entitled "Misunderstanding the female athlete triad: refuting the IOC consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)", published after the IOC consensus statement: — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.235.168.165 (talk) 16:39, 2 February 2019 (UTC)


 * Thank you for this article in-named ip--Tallard (talk) 22:56, 2 July 2021 (UTC)

This is a terrible move! the mechanism of female athlete triad is in no way the same as what males experience, since it's mostly related to lack of oestrogen and extreme low fat levels which is very deleterious to female health and can be ruinous if occurring around window of puberty, never again to be repaired. ANYONE can overtrain and under-eat and be energy deficient, but FAT is a much different problem with life-long consequences on bones and reproductive capacity for females than for males. Males' athletic and performance tend to increase up until their late 20s, whereas females max out around the time of puberty, and then they have to fight back nature to extend peak performance into their 20s, at great cost to the body The IOC is not science, they are just a for-profit sporting agency. Wikipedia should not be considering the IOC as the ultimate reference in these scientific matters. The IOC suffers from heavy NPOV.--Tallard (talk) 22:40, 2 July 2021 (UTC)

My Bibliography
I just began looking into one of the most current sources, which covers multiple areas of the condition (female athlete triad). I started with certain influences that can bring pressure to athletes on disordered eating. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gcastillo01 (talk • contribs) 19:21, 11 April 2020 (UTC)

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 * This page talks a lot about the effects of RED-S on females, but what are the effects on males and non binary people? --Tiger Daisy (talk) 23:31, 8 February 2023 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Brain Tips
— Assignment last updated by Tiger Daisy (talk) 17:04, 23 February 2023 (UTC)

Can I add this? Treatments

The underlying cause of the RED-S is an imbalance between energy taken into the body (through nutrition) and energy used by the body (through exercise). The treatment includes correcting this imbalance by either increasing calories in a diet or by decreasing calories burned by exercise for 12 months or longer. Typically, it is recommended that athletes increase their consumption of calories by 300-600 kcal per day in the early stages of treatment, but there is no standard when it comes to increasing calories over time. Part of the treatment includes an assessment that determines the cause of low energy availability, as treatment needs to be specialized based on the presence of disordered eating or an eating disorder. Persons with RED-S should get treatment from a multi-disciplinary team that includes a physician, dietitian, and mental health counselor, and seek support from family, friends, and their coach. It is important that physicians are aware of the signs of refeeding syndrome, as this can be life threatening if not detected early.

Because a symptom of the RED-S is menstrual dysfunction, some physicians may recommend oral contraceptives because those pills will regulate the menstrual cycle. However, the underlying cause of the menstrual disorder is an energy imbalance, and using pills to regulate the menstrual cycle without changes in diet and behavior is likely to mask the food deficiency and delay appropriate treatment. A menstruating person taking contraceptives to treat menstrual dysfunction without correcting this energy imbalance will continue to lose bone density. Bone density should be measured using dual energy X-ray absorpitiometry (DEXA) to determine severity of bone loss, especially if there is an absence of menstruation.

Psychological Treatment

Although Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport is often regarded as a physiological issue, it can have psychological impacts in the process of treatment and psychological stress may contribute to the development of RED-S, as athletes may use excessive exercise and decreased energy consumption as a means to manage stress levels. Many athletes strive for perfection and this can exacerbate mental stress as well as put athletes at a greater risk for developing an eating disorder. The main reasons why athletes would be resistant to treatment for RED-S is due to psychological factors. A mental health counselor who is experienced in eating disorders should provide treatment. If there are other comorbid psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, a risk of self harm, medical complications and lack of progress in an outpatient level of care, the person struggling with RED-S may need more intensive care at an inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient level. At each level of care, treatment modalities include cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy or family-based therapy.Tiger Daisy (talk) 21:08, 15 April 2023 (UTC)

Section on Public debate/measures taken by sporting organisations?
Hi, would it make sense to add a section that outlines the public debates around RED-S, in particular in climbing? And also the steps that sporting organisations such as the IFSC are taking to prevent and assess the prevalence of RED-S? I'm fairly new to actively contributing and unsure if that'd be a good fit as its not as medical as the rest of the article. 0x04ae6a8 (talk) 13:01, 14 March 2024 (UTC)


 * I think that'd be a great addition. MaligneRange (talk) 12:38, 16 March 2024 (UTC)