The need for knowledge
Male and female athletes alike appear to be more prone to eating disorders and unhealthy attitudes toward eating, body shape, and weight, as well as unhealthy weight control and eating behavior. Research has shown that increasing the education of why proper nutrition is essential for not only sport performance, but also for overall health, improves the eating habits of athletes. There are three primary reasons why athletic involvement might affect eating disorders:
- People who are at risk for eating disorders might be drawn to athletics.
- Participation in sports, particularly those that push unhealthy body images — such as swimming, gymnastics, and running — might cause an unhealthy body image to develop, which might eventually result in an eating disorder.
- Exercise can be an outlet for an addictive behavior that is inherent in someone with a poor body image, and attempts are made to improve that negative image through exercise and poor diet.
It is important to maintain an honest self-evaluation, and look for any unhealthy eating or exercise habits. If symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle are noticed, early intervention and positive reinforcement of good habits — such as proper diet, regular meals, and decreases in exercise — should be started as soon as possible. Early treatment of any unhealthy habits, eating disorders, excessive exercise, or improper dieting for an athlete is important to prevent serious negative effects on a person's health.
The female athlete triad
This refers to the condition where a female athlete is amenorrheic (does not have regular periods), has a low bone mineral density (which places them at risk for osteoporosis), and disordered eating (which can be considered an incomplete diet, or severe eating disorders). The female athlete triad is a relatively new health condition that has been labeled only since the early nineties. It is a condition that is very serious and can lead to complications of fertility later in life, as well as place an athlete at a greater risk for stress fractures during her competitive years, and more debilitating fractures — such as hip or rib fractures — later in life.
Low bone mineral density occurs when the body is not undergoing regular menstruation cycles because of low estrogen levels. When the body has a low body fat percentage and activity levels are high, estrogen decreases are seen similar to those seen in menopausal women. Bone mineral density then begins to decrease, placing the athlete at a higher risk for osteoporosis. The bone mineral density that is lost while in the amenorrheic state cannot be gained again.
Exercise metabolism
- During exercise, the body needs carbohydrates to initiate and sustain exercise.
- Even during aerobic metabolism, which is the time when the body is using oxygen to burn fat, some carbohydrates are used for fuel as well.
- When an individual approaches maximal aerobic capacity, the body is not able to absorb the proper amounts of oxygen to metabolize fat. The body then switches to remaining glycogen stores until fatigued. It is at this time that lactic acid begins to pool in the muscle, adding to muscle fatigue.
- Carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen in the muscles and liver, and circulate in the blood as glucose.
- Glycogen is used to make ATP, which is the energy required for any movement or bodily function.
- If glycogen levels are low, due to poor diet or depletion from exercise, and the body is not working aerobically, ATP can be generated from protein. This, however, does not allow for protein to be used in recovery and synthesis of muscle tissue. This is necessary for muscle recovery.
- Protein should not be used as a primary fuel for energy during exercise. Its role should be to repair and build muscle. If protein is used as fuel, than it cannot aid in the muscle building and strengthening process, and therefore muscle tissue will be lost.
- Muscle is considered to be lean tissue, and lean tissue burns calories. It is therefore determined that the more muscle, or lean tissue you have, the higher your metabolism. When increasing lean tissue, you have to consume more calories to maintain your body.
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This information is provided by the Cleveland Clinic and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or health care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition. This document was last reviewed on: 9/6/2005...#12453
