Casting Light on Science Of Health in Athletes and the Female Athlete Triad
With just a day to go for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, the focus should not only be on the extraordinary performances that these athletes will display but also the silent battles they may be facing, especially in health-related issues. What is the Female Athlete Triad? The major problem is the Female Athlete Triad, an interrelationship between inadequate calorie intake, menstrual dysfunction and decreased bone density. The Triad is extremely common among elite athletes who push their bodies to the limits of what is safe, without ever knowing it. Women cricketers preparing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 are no exception. Balancing Performance with Health Some benefits of habitual exercise on women are quite apparent-these are the strengthening of bone density, decrease in anxiety and building of muscles. However, when the caloric intake is deficient coupled with regular exercise, the menstrual cycle alterations like amenorrhea or missed periods lead to low estrogen production. This hormonal imbalance affects both muscle function and the levels of cholesterol, even fertility. Energy Availability A third factor is calorie intake or more precisely energy availability, in which female athletes by necessity consume fewer calories than they burn. There has been pre-T20 World Cup training and this may unwittingly result in lower calorie intakes among players. Such circumstances can result in low stress fractures by bone density because of the presence of reduced bone density—another feature of the Triad. This may impede further bone development in the growing adolescent athlete, such as newly arising cricket stars and hence might increase the risk of injuries both now and in life. Ensuring Athlete Well-Being With the world’s top athletes about to hit the pitch, an athlete’s diet and general health is of equal importance. With the Female Athlete Triad already addressed, not only will she play at the best of her ability, but do so in a healthy, sustainable way, as her calorie intake is bolstered by energy balance, which is restored. While cricketing fans lean forward to make some solid predictions during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, what is more important to note is the challenge faced by female athletes The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
