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. 2024 Oct 16;16(20):3507.
doi: 10.3390/nu16203507.

Energy Availability and Body Composition in Professional Athletes: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Roberto Palazzo  1 , Tommaso Parisi  1 , Sara Rosa  1 , Marco Corsi  1 , Edoardo Falconi  1 , Laura Stefani  1
Affiliations

Energy Availability and Body Composition in Professional Athletes: Two Sides of the Same Coin

Roberto Palazzo et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background/objectives: Energy availability (EA) is essential for maintaining physiological functions, significantly influencing athletes' health and performance. Nutritional behaviors, however, vary across sports. This study aims to assess EA levels in athletes from different disciplines, focusing on the relationship between EA and body composition in endurance athletes compared to rugby players.

Methods: This study involved 18 endurance athletes (15 men, 3 women) and 36 rugby players (all men). Data were gathered through interviews, questionnaires, and bioimpedance analysis. Energy intake (EI) was measured with a 24 h dietary recall, and exercise energy expenditure (EEE) was calculated using the IPAQ questionnaire. EA was calculated as EA = (EI - EEE)/fat-free mass (FFM), with results categorized into clinical, subclinical, and optimal ranges.

Results: The endurance group had a lower average FFM (57.81 kg) compared to the rugby players (67.61 kg). EA was also significantly lower in endurance athletes (11.72 kcal/kg FFM) than in rugby players (35.44 kcal/kg FFM). Endurance athletes showed more restrictive nutritional behavior with lower EI and higher EEE, but both groups maintained body composition within normal ranges.

Conclusions: Endurance athletes exhibit greater nutritional restrictions compared to rugby players, though their body composition remains healthy. Further research is required to investigate the long-term effects of low EA on performance, injury risk, and potential impairment when EA falls below the optimal threshold of 45 kcal/kg FFM/day.

Keywords: body composition; endurance athletes; energy availability; energy expenditure; energy intake; rugby players.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A,B) representing the EA levels in endurance athletes (E) and in rugby players (R), respectively. In E athletes, no optimal EA was observed, while in R players, the majority were within the subclinical and optimal range.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of average EI, EEE, and EA levels in the two groups of athletes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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