The Muscle Mag
The study, which was published in the journal Nutrients, is the first of its kind to investigate the connection between energy availability (EA) and sleep in adolescent athletes through ambulatory polysomnography (PSG).
Based on the International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement on relative energy deficiency in sports (REDs), a decrease in sleep quality may indicate low energy availability (LEA). However, previous studies on the relationship between LEA and sleep have been limited and inconclusive, with no focus on EA and sleep in young athletes.
The study’s results propose a LEA threshold of 23 kcal per kg fat-free mass (FFM) per day in adolescent athletes, below which sleep quality significantly decreases.
The study concluded that awareness of the impact of LEA on sleep quality is vital for athletic administrators, nutritionists, and coaches, especially during intense training periods.
Dan Richardson, a performance nutritionist and lead nutritionist for Youth Sport Nutrition, emphasized the importance of sleep quality for young athletes’ overall well-being and performance. He highlighted the connection between nutrition and sleep and the need for proactive measures to monitor and address the effects of LEA on athletes’ sleep patterns.
Restorative sleep in young athletes
Restorative sleep is crucial for recovery after training and competitions. However, issues like inconsistent sleep schedules, inadequate sleep duration, and poor sleep quality are common among team sports athletes, especially younger ones.
While studies have explored factors like training and competition in relation to sleep, few have examined how energy status impacts athletes’ sleep. The study aimed to investigate the correlation between EA status and sleep quality in young rugby players.
Measuring LEA and sleep
The study involved 42 male adolescent rugby players in the under-18 national categories. Participants underwent baseline assessments and took part in a seven-day follow-up to analyze exercise energy expenditure and sleep quality.
Ambulatory PSG was used to measure various sleep parameters, and EA was calculated based on dietary energy remaining after exercise energy expenditure, normalized to fat-free mass.
The data revealed that nearly half of the participants were in LEA during the intensive training phase, with the LEA group showing higher awakenings compared to the OEA group. This suggests a direct relationship between EA and sleep quality.
The authors acknowledged limitations and suggested future research should explore appetite sensation and hormonal markers to understand the mechanisms involved better.
Overall, collaboration among stakeholders is essential to enhance energy availability and sleep quality, ultimately benefiting athletes’ health and performance.
Source: Nutrients
doi: 10.3390/nu16050609
“Association between Low Energy Availability (LEA) and Impaired Sleep Quality in Young Rugby Players”
Authors: Oussama Saidi et al.
