{"id":14434,"date":"2026-07-15T09:25:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T15:25:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/?p=14434"},"modified":"2026-07-15T13:06:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T19:06:39","slug":"the-female-athlete-triad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goldcrownfoundation.com\/es\/the-female-athlete-triad\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Know About The Female Athlete Triad"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Female athletes have unique nutritional needs, and not meeting them can have real consequences for their health and performance. Our partners at Children's Hospital Colorado break down the Female Athlete Triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs), what they are, who is at risk, and how to recognize the signs early.<\/p>\n

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Proper nutrition and fueling are important for all athletes. Certain sports require more energy output, such as\u00a0gimnasia<\/a>,\u00a0f\u00fatbol<\/a>\u00a0or track, and require rigorous training schedules that demand the right foods to keep the body at its peak.<\/p>\n

Female athletes may underestimate the calories they need to perform and stay healthy. While that can be due to participating in sports that promote a slimmer physique, the presence of\u00a0disordered eating<\/a>\u00a0or a lack of nutritional knowledge, can lead to health and performance consequences including the Female Athlete Triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs).<\/p>\n

What is the female athlete triad?<\/h2>\n

The female athlete triad is a syndrome that consists of three interrelated conditions: low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction and low bone mineral density. It occurs when an athlete\u2019s caloric intake doesn\u2019t cover the energy spent during exercise and disrupts typical hormonal and physical health. The triad is a spectrum and can range from a mild imbalance to a severe dysfunction. The triad can include low energy availability which leads to the loss of menstrual periods and osteoporosis at the condition\u2019s most serious.<\/p>\n

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What is low energy availability?<\/h2>\n

Low energy availability happens when someone does not eat enough to support all the energy they are burning through exercise and the energy the body needs to stay healthy. This is more likely to happen in athletes who are training and competing on a regular basis. For example, if a soccer player doesn\u2019t eat breakfast and has too small of a lunch before a long after-school practice, it will impact their available energy. Low energy availability can occur unintentionally, but it can also be due to disordered eating (problematic eating behaviors) or an eating disorder (a diagnosable mental health condition), which can be influenced by societal pressures that tend to commonly impact female athletes.<\/p>\n

What is menstrual dysfunction?<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not normal for female athletes to miss periods or lose their menstrual cycle entirely (also known as\u00a0amenorrhea<\/a>). Having regular periods indicates that the body has enough energy to support hormonal and menstrual health. Persistent or severe low energy availability can decrease the hormone levels that are necessary for the menstrual cycle, and if an athlete is having irregular periods or missing periods, it can be a sign of low energy availability.<\/p>\n

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology considers menstrual periods as an additional vital sign. Just like a typical heart rate and blood pressure, having regular periods indicates the body is healthy. Although there can be many causes of menstrual pattern changes, and any persistent change warrants additional evaluation.<\/p>\n

Some common signs of menstrual dysfunction include:<\/p>\n