Research

Hormonal

Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) is a multifactorial condition characterized by prolonged performance decline and maladaptation of biological, neurochemical, and hormonal regulation mechanisms, resulting from an imbalance between training load and recovery.

If you are an athlete experiencing prolonged performance decline despite rest, consult a specialist to rule out organic diseases. Do not assume it is just 'laziness' or 'lack of effort.' The condition is complex and involves hormonal and psychological factors. Recovery requires addressing the root causes, which may include nutrition, sleep, and stress, not just reducing training load.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
A keyword in the recognition of OTS might be ‘prolonged maladaptation’ not only of the athlete, but also of several biological, neurochemical, and hormonal regulation mechanisms.
Romain Meeusen et al. · European Journal of Sport Science · 2012

Why this rating

The paper is a consensus statement based on multiple studies but explicitly states there is no single gold standard or definitive diagnostic tool, relying on exclusion diagnosis.

Source

Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the overtraining syndrome: Joint consensus statement of the European College of Sport Science (ECSS) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

Romain Meeusen et al. · European Journal of Sport Science · 2012

DOI 10.1080/17461391.2012.730061

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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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