Start with Part 1 of this blog here. Physically, when the body is under “stress” levels of cortisol rise. When this is chronic, it prevents the pituitary gland from working effectively, leading to hormonal disturbances that have serious negative consequences.(1-3) The more obsessive and restrictive an athlete becomes, the more the workings of neurotransmitters are […]
Tag: RED-S
Athletes! Is food and training the answer? (Part 1)
Human competitive nature is a biological trait that has co-evolved with the basic need for survival(1). It motivates us to get out of bed and show up every day. But is all competitiveness good for us? From my 8-years of sports specific and 20-years total dietetic experience working with athletes of all levels (recreational […]
Returning to Sport/Dance restoring Energy Availability in RED-S?
Dr Nicky Keay Although improvements are being made to raise awareness and in effectively managing relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)[1, 2] what about once an athlete/dancer is “medically cleared” to return to sport/dance? What advice/support is there for athletes/dancers and their coaches/teachers? After discussions with coaches, here are some suggestions on how to achieve return to sport/dance […]
Surprisingly low levels of Vitamin D in cyclists
Dr Nicky Keay, Sports and Dance Endocrinologist There is growing evidence that for athletes, being replete in vitamin D is important for many key areas of health and performance. For bone health, muscle strength and to support immune function. At the recent International Association of Dance Medicine conference, in addition to presenting on Dance Endocrinology I also […]
Raising Awareness of RED-S in Male and Female Athletes and Dancers
Dr Nicky Keay @nickyKfitness Health4Performance is a recently developed BASEM open access educational resource This is a world premier: a resource developed for and by athletes/dancers, coaches/teachers, parents/friends and healthcare professionals to raise awareness of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) What? Optimal health is required to attain full athletic potential. Low energy availability (LEA) can compromise […]
What is Dance Medicine?
Dr Nicky Keay @nickyKfitness Traditionally dance medicine has been somewhat the poor relation of sports medicine. Why is this the case? There is no doubt that dancers, of whatever genre, require the physical and psychological attributes of athletes. However, dance involves an additional artistic component where ultimately performance on stage is judged not according to a […]
2018 UPDATE: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)
By Dr Nicky Keay @nickyKfitness What updates are presented in the IOC consensus statement on RED-S 2018? Prevention Awareness is the key to prevention, yet RED-S continues to go unrecognised. Less than 50% of clinicians, physiotherapists and coaches are reported as able to identify the components of the female athlete triad. In a survey of female exercisers […]
Part 1: Key messages from the 2018 BASEM Spring Conference
By Tej Pandya “RED-S is a complex, multifactorial syndrome that it is often missed” This was the key message from the 2018 BASEM Conference – the largest attendance for the spring meeting since its inception. We were treated to a wide variety of SEM practitioners (with equal split between male and female presenters) who collectively […]
Cumulative Endocrine Dysfunction in Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)
By Dr Nicky Keay @nickyKfitness Unfortunately I continue to see athletes, both male and female, whose health and athletic performance is hampered due to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S). There have been some high profile athletes who are very open about how RED-S has affected them, alerting younger athletes to potential pitfalls. Does this issue warrant highlighting? Yes! […]
Internal Biological Clocks and Sport Performance
By Dr Nicky Keay A Nobel Prize was awarded two weeks ago to researchers who uncovered the molecular mechanisms controlling circadian rhythm: our internal biological clock. These mechanisms rely on negative feedback loops found in many biological systems where periodicity of gene expression is key, such as the Endocrine system. Internal biological clocks allow for […]