Biochemical Responses to Experimentally Induced Short-Term Low Energy Availability in Athletes: A Systematic Review - PubMed
4 days ago
- #hormonal biomarkers
- #energy deficiency
- #bone remodeling
- Low energy availability (LEA) occurs when dietary energy intake is insufficient for exercise and essential physiological functions.
- LEA is the primary driver of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), but short-term effects are less defined.
- This systematic review examined short-term effects of experimentally induced LEA on biochemical markers in athletes.
- Key findings include increases in βCTX-1 and reductions in P1NP, indicating effects on bone metabolism.
- Leptin consistently decreased following LEA, while IGF-1 and T3 remained stable in most studies.
- Testosterone decreased in 50% of interventions, but no consistent changes were seen in estradiol, progesterone, calcium metabolism, inflammatory markers, or iron status.
- Short-term LEA leads to early endocrine and metabolic adaptations, particularly affecting bone remodeling, leptin, and testosterone.
- Coexistence of low carbohydrate availability may contribute to or exacerbate observed effects.
- Findings highlight the need for monitoring biochemical markers during LEA risk periods and standardized, sex-specific research protocols.