Dr Gemma Sampson

REDs and Low Energy Availability: The Question Every Cyclist Asks

In this episode of Ask a Sports Dietitian, I answer a really important question from a recreational cyclist training around 10 to 12 hours a week who is struggling with RED-S and low energy availability, despite being at a healthy body weight and eating what looks like a good diet on paper. It’s a question I hear in different forms all the time, especially from women in endurance sport who are trying to support performance, protect their health, and avoid cutting back on the training they love. I unpack the difference between overall energy availability and carbohydrate availability, and why the answer is often not either/or — it’s both. I explain why having enough total energy across the day matters just as much as how that energy is timed and distributed around training, and why so many athletes are unknowingly under-fuelling even when they think they’re eating enough. I also talk about the role of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) in endurance sport, what they can and can’t tell us, and why context is everything when it comes to blood sugar responses. I explain why the same food eaten while sitting at a desk can create a completely different glucose response than when it’s taken on the bike during a hard ride, and why that matters when athletes start interpreting data without understanding the bigger picture. I also address one of the biggest myths I see around RED-S: the belief that if you’re not extremely lean, then you can’t possibly be under-fuelled. I explain why body size alone is not a reliable measure of energy availability, how muscle loss can happen much faster than fat loss, and why missing periods are such a significant red flag in female athletes. This episode is a deep dive into how I think about recovery, hormone health, fuelling around training, and sustainable performance nutrition for cyclists and endurance athletes. It’s practical, evidence-based, and designed to help you understand what to focus on if you’re worried about low energy availability, RED-S, and how to support your body without automatically slashing training. *** BECOME A FUELLED CYCLIST 🧰 Get your free Nutrition Assessment: https://www.gemmasampson.com/ceacq ⛽️ Join The Fuelled Team: https://www.gemmasampson.com/join *** CONNECT WITH ME 🌐 Website: https://www.gemmasampson.com 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/drgemmasampson 🎤 Podcast: https://www.gemmasampson.com/podcast 🚴 Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/5723475 *** Signup to Cronometer and save 10% on gold subscriptions: https://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?gid=531305&mid=89125&awinaffid=2130877&linkid=4053318&clickref= DISCLAIMERS & DISCLOSURES This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only. You should always speak to a registered dietitian about your unique health and nutrition needs. This description may contain affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in this video and support the channel at no cost to you. Thank you for your support! Current sub count: 2002