Research
Hormonal
Low energy availability suppresses leptin levels and elevates ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY), disrupting appetite regulation and contributing to the maintenance of low energy states.
Low energy intake changes your hunger hormones: leptin drops, ghrelin and PYY rise. This can make it harder to feel hunger cues accurately and may contribute to disordered eating patterns. Prioritize regular, adequate meals to normalize these hormones.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Leptin... is lower in states of low EA... Ghrelin is elevated in women with AN and in amenorrheic athletes... PYY is elevated in females with decreased EA...
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies in female and male athletes and AN populations.
Source
Endocrine Effects of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport
Kirsty J. Elliott‐Sale et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · 2018
DOI 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0127
narrative_reviewCited 219×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Low energy availability (EA <30 kcal/kg FFM/day) causes functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA) in female athletes through suppressed GnRH pulsatility, leading to decreased estradiol and progesterone.Good
- Low energy availability reduces resting metabolic rate (RMR) by approximately 8% as an energy-conserving mechanism, independent of changes in body composition.Good
- Low energy availability leads to decreased IGF-1 and increased GH, indicating GH resistance at the liver, which impairs bone and muscle anabolism.Good
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