The dangers of power saver mode in athletes: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)

Imagine your body is a phone and your battery is low. With no charger in sight, you need to conserve energy, and switch to energy saver mode. You need to work as efficiently as possible, shutting down programs that aren’t crucial to survival.

This is what it is like to have RED-S.

Your body needs energy to carry out normal bodily functions. When you add in exercise, your body needs more energy. If this isn’t met with additional food, your body will try to survive by switching to energy saver mode. But energy saver mode is not as great as it may seem! This body response leads to a lower Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Over a long period of time, this takes a toll on numerous body systems.

An example of this is bone health. In a state of RED-s the ‘bone building’ process is down-regulated, with an increased ‘bone breakdown’ mechanism. This results in a decrease in bone mineral density and an increased risk of stress fractures.

Other impacts of RED-s include:

- Poor training adaptation, and reduced strength gain

-        Missed or irregular periods, or delayed onset of menstruation in females

-        Reduced testosterone

-        Reduced libido

-        Gut issues

-        Poor sleep quality

-        Impaired immunity and frequent illnesses

-        Low or irregular moods

Both men and women can experience RED-S and there are many reasons why it may occur. These reasons all relate to either a decrease in food intake, or an increase in the amount of energy expended by the body, such as:

-        Increase training load/ very high-volume training

-        Poor appetite

-        Financial stress

-        Lack of education

-        Poor time management

-        Fad dieting for perceived health benefits

-        Attempts to decrease body weight for perceived performance benefit

-        Disordered Eating  

Recovery from RED-S can see a return of strength and endurance, better energy levels, and improved immunity, mood, and sleep. Management of RED-S is paramount to improving performance.

Individual assessment and nutrition planning is the key to success, as every case is different.

Communication and advocacy with sporting coaches and trainers, and challenging body composition ideals is also crucial for athletes to succeed. With a personalized plan, you can help avoid that red battery warning and get on with training for your goals.