Research
Hormonal
Low energy availability leads to decreased IGF-1 and increased GH, indicating GH resistance at the liver, which impairs bone and muscle anabolism.
If you are under-fueled, your body may produce more GH but fail to use it effectively (GH resistance), leading to low IGF-1. This impairs bone and muscle health. Restoring energy intake can help normalize this axis.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Females with AN have increased GH secretion and reduced IGF-1 levels, suggesting a low EA-acquired resistance to GH at the liver (Misra & Klibanski, 2014).
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies in 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 suppresses leptin levels and elevates ghrelin and peptide YY (PYY), disrupting appetite regulation and contributing to the maintenance of low energy states.Good
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →