FUEL FOR YOUR FIRE

Under-fuelling yourself may lead to some short-term performance gains, but eating enough to power your training is the far better, and safer, strategy in the long term, for both body and mind (see table, right). In extreme cases, not consuming enough calories to match activity levels can trigger a condition called Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (Red-S) Syndrome, which can affect many physiological systems, such as metabolism, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, and cardiovascular and psychological health. It tends to affects women athletes but has also been documented in men.