Podcast 77: Understanding RED-S with Renee McGregor

Podcast 77: Understanding RED-S with Renee McGregor

Sports and eating disorder dietician Renee McGregor is this week’s guest on the 33Fuel podcast. Renee has over 20 years’ experience working in a variety of roles, from frontline NHS clinics to Olympic athletes

Listen to Renee McGregor on the 33Fuel Podcast

One of Renee’s particular areas of expertise is the subject of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) - a syndrome ultimately caused by a combination of overtraining and under-fuelling. But it’d be remiss to think only elite athletes develop it.

Our conversation explores how anyone can develop RED-S - indeed, the average amateur athlete striving for optimal performance while juggling life’s stressors may be even more likely to develop the syndrome. Learn how to identify the early warning signs in yourself and those around you. 

Listen to the interview on your favourite platform

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Or watch the interview with Renee McGregor on the 33Fuel YouTube Channel

33Fuel podcast show snippets

Renee delves into the symptoms of RED-S and what to look out for. We discuss how disruption in menstruation and increased injury rate are key markers in women, but in men it can often be harder to identify. So, what early warning signs should men look out for?

  • Recurrent injuries - particularly soft-tissues injuries – is a sign that hormones are imbalanced
  • Changes in mood – testosterone is important for serotonin uptake so if it’s low, you can often develop a low moon
  • Erectile disfunction – if morning erectile drops to below 5 per week, that might be a sign there’s a bit of overtraining or under-fuelling going on
  • Heightened anxiety – around not being able to train and potentially becoming a little obsessive about getting your nutrition absolutely spot on
  • Sleep – sleep can sometimes be affected
  • Poor recovery – if you frequently wake up feeling tired, unrecovered this is also a sign

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