Low energy availability (LEA) occurs when an athlete fails to consume sufficient energy to meet demands of exercise plus support normal physiological function and is currently calculated as total daily energy intake less exercise energy expenditure (EEE), relative to fat-free mass (FFM; Loucks
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Commonly Used Indicators of Low Energy Availability Risk Fail to Identify Female Amateur Soccer Players With Measured Low Energy Availability During Preseason
Rebekka Frazer, Amy-Lee Bowler, Dominique Condo, Gregory Cox, Fiona Pelly, and Gary Slater
The Utility of the Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire to Detect Markers Consistent With Low Energy Availability-Related Conditions in a Mixed-Sport Cohort
Margot A. Rogers, Michael K. Drew, Renee Appaneal, Greg Lovell, Bronwen Lundy, David Hughes, Nicole Vlahovich, Gordon Waddington, and Louise M. Burke
Low energy availability (LEA) is a state wherein dietary energy intake fails to support normal physiological functioning once the energy committed to exercise has been removed, and has been associated with negative health outcomes ( Loucks et al., 2011 ). Modest periods of LEA may be integral to
Risk of Low Energy Availability, Disordered Eating, and Menstrual Dysfunction in Female Recreational Runners
Marissa Miles, Kelly Pritchett, Robert Pritchett, and Abigail Larson
Low energy availability (LEA) refers to inadequate energy intake and/or increased exercise energy expenditure which results in a lack of energy available to support optimal health and physiological functions (e.g., bone remodeling, menstruation, muscle repair, and growth; Mountjoy et al., 2023
Hepcidin as a Prospective Individualized Biomarker for Individuals at Risk of Low Energy Availability
Claire E. Badenhorst, Katherine E. Black, and Wendy J. O’Brien
In 2014, the International Olympic Committee first used the term Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) to describe the lack of energy for performance and health in female and male athletes. The underlying premise of RED-S is low energy availability (LEA), whereby the amount of dietary energy
Prevalence of Indicators of Low Energy Availability in Elite Female Sprinters
Jennifer Sygo, Alexandra M. Coates, Erik Sesbreno, Margo L. Mountjoy, and Jamie F. Burr
systems, including, but not limited to, the endocrine, cardiovascular, immune, and gastrointestinal systems, as well as menstrual function and bone health. The underlying cause of RED-S is low energy availability (LEA), defined as the amount of energy relative to fat-free mass remaining for physiological
Risk of Low Energy Availability in New Zealand National Team and U20 Female Football Representatives
Isabella Coombes and Claire E. Badenhorst
Low Energy Availability in Female Athletes Questionnaire The LEAF-Q ( Melin et al., 2014 ) is a validated 25-item questionnaire designed to assess the relative risk of LEA in females. Questions focus on symptoms related to LEA and the subsequent negative health consequences of REDs including injury
The Impact of Low Energy Availability on Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis and Physical Activity Behavior in Recreationally Trained Adults
Alexandra Martin, Hande Hofmann, Clemens Drenowatz, Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich, Billy Sperlich, and Karsten Koehler
Low energy availability (LEA) is considered the key etiological factor for the closely related concepts of the female and male athlete triad ( De Souza et al., 2014 ; Tenforde et al., 2016 ) and the relative energy deficiency in sport syndrome ( Mountjoy et al., 2018 ). LEA, which can occur as a
Low Energy Availability Is Difficult to Assess but Outcomes Have Large Impact on Bone Injury Rates in Elite Distance Athletes
Ida A. Heikura, Arja L.T. Uusitalo, Trent Stellingwerff, Dan Bergland, Antti A. Mero, and Louise M. Burke
Low energy availability (EA) is the failure of athletes to consume sufficient energy to cover the energy cost of exercise as well as energy required for optimal metabolic function and health ( Loucks et al., 2011 ). Low EA has been reported in both female ( Melin et al., 2015 ) and male ( Viner et
Female Recreational Exercisers at Risk for Low Energy Availability
Joanne Slater, Rebecca McLay-Cooke, Rachel Brown, and Katherine Black
Low energy availability (LEA) describes the disruption in normal physiological function existent when insufficient energy intake is combined with exercise. To conserve energy a range of endocrine adaptations occur, impairing health and athletic performance. The prevalence of LEA has not been fully established especially among recreational exercisers. Determining recreational exercisers at risk of LEA may help to maximize prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. The design of this study was a cross-sectional online survey. One-hundred and nine female recreational exercisers, with a mean age of 23.8 (SD 6.9) years were recruited via gyms and fitness centers throughout NZ. Participants completed an online questionnaire including questions from the LEAF-Q (Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire). A total of 45.0% (CI, 35.4%, 54.8%) of participants were classified as “at risk“ of LEA. For every extra hour of exercise per week the odds of being at risk of LEA were 1.13 times greater (CI 1.02, 1.25, p = .016). All participants reporting previous stress fracture injuries (n = 4) were classified as at risk for LEA. Significantly more subjects participating in an individual sport were classified as at risk for LEA (69.6%, CI 24.3%, 54.8%) compared with team sports (34.8%, CI 18.7%, 40.5%) (p = .006). The high prevalence of female recreational exercisers at risk of LEA is of concern, emphasizing the importance of increasing awareness of the issue, and promoting prevention and early detection strategies, so treatment can be implemented before health is severely compromised.
Negative Consequences of Low Energy Availability in Natural Male Bodybuilding: A Review
Petter Fagerberg
; VO 2peak = peak oxygen uptake; MPS = muscle protein synthesis; EB = energy balance; ED = energy deficiency; LEA = low energy availability; FSR = fractional synthetic rate. *Statistically significant change. The most comprehensive evaluation of energy restriction among males was conducted by Ancel
