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Last updated on June 27th, 2024 at 06:32 pm
This article was written by Peyton Rondeau, MS in dietetics, and Reviewed by Shena Jaramillo, RD
The female athlete triad is often unrecognized and thus, untreated. Without recognizing and treating the triad, female athletes risk poor performance and compromised health.
Symptoms of the triad include:
- Weak bones
- Missed periods
- A reduction in athletic performance
You may experience the female athlete triad if:
- Your calorie needs have increased (like when you’re starting a new sports season)
- You’re not meeting your baseline calorie needs
We want to identify and correct the triad if possible because it hinders normal body functions and causes reduced health quality.
Let’s dive into what to look out for if you’re concerned you may have female athlete triad and how to fix the situation!
Female Athlete Triad Causes
Those at risk include:
- Those who just started working out
- Athletes who just started their season
- Those in aesthetic sports
- Females with diet pill addictions
- Those who are trying to improve their performance
- Individuals who repeatedly train for only one sport
- If you have many mental restrictions around food
- If you fast or limit your food
- Binge eating
- If you purge
- Those with body dysmorphia
- Those who don’t take “easy days”
- Those who have pressure to lose fat
Female Athlete Triad Symptoms
Since this condition is a calorie imbalance, weight loss is the first sign that you are at risk. Keeping up with the calorie demands of your physical activity will prevent unintentional weight loss and prevent the triad.
Some signs you may be exercising too intensely and under fueling include
- Decreased performance
- Missed periods or abnormal periods
- Low mood from lack of adequate food
- Increased fatigue
- Increased recovery time
- Dangerously low blood sugars
- Weak bones
- Anemia
- Night sweats
- Gastroparesis (slowed digestion)
- Starvation Syndrome
- Hair loss
- Increased attention to food
- Limiting food intake
- Bone fractures
Pressure to Lose Weight and Sports
Many aesthetic sports where thin privilege is elevated such as dance and cheerleading encourage weight loss which can cause the triad.
Sports that encourage smaller sizes for performance such as cross country and crew can also bring about the triad.
The sports at the highest risk for malnutrition include
- Cheerleading
- Swimming
- Dance
- Gymnastics
- Figure skating
The pressure from coaches, peers, and the promise of better performance can lead us to put ourselves at risk of the female athlete triad. It’s important to recognize these pressures and avoid them.
If you’re being promised better performance at the sacrifice of food, be cautious. Food is fuel for performance and underfunding will lead to poor performance and fatigue.
Treating The Triad
The biggest thing you want to tackle is the calorie imbalance. Whether your exercise routine has increased, or you’re not meeting your baseline needs, you’ll need to bump up your calories or decrease your calorie use.
Approaches to managing the female athlete triad include:
- Reducing exercise intensity
- Reducing exercise length
- Taking vitamin D and calcium to reduce bone weakness
- Increase rest between exercise sessions
- Increasing calorie intake
Disordered Eating In Athletes
The female triad is sometimes correlated with eating disorders. It’s critical if you suspect you have. an eating disorder, you tell a person you trust or a healthcare provider to get the right help.
It’s important to remember that there are heavy links between dieting for your sport and eating disorders.
While the symptoms of the triad may be unintentional, you will know the condition if more serious if:
- You’re doing pro-ana workouts (high-intensity workouts with restricted eating)intentionally
- You feel extreme guilt after eating
- You’re constantly feeling fat
- You’re intentionally restricting insulin dosing (for type 1 diabetics)
- You’re constantly seeking out zero or low-calorie foods
- You obsessively count calories and try to “exercise away” excess calories
- You experience extreme food fatigue and nothing sounds good to eat
- You have a long list of food rules and fear foods
If you are experiencing an eating disorder, these eating disorder books can help support you in your recovery journey.
- Help, I Feel Like I Don’t Deserve To Eat - September 7, 2024
- 8 Reasons Food is More Than Fuel - September 5, 2024
- Intuitive Eating For Eating Disorders: What You Should Know - September 3, 2024