Can cutting calories or boosting exercise reveal hidden energy crisis in athletes?
NCT ID NCT07026175
First seen Aug 13, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial investigates how the body responds to short-term, severe low energy availability (LEA) in healthy endurance athletes aged 18-45. LEA occurs when energy intake is too low for training demands. Researchers will compare a control condition with two LEA conditions—one from diet restriction and one from increased exercise—to see how sleeping metabolic rate and other body systems are affected. Participants will complete three 6-day trials, including stays in a metabolic chamber, to measure these responses.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Diet-induced low energy availability and exercise-induced low energy availability
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could improve understanding of how low energy availability affects athletes' health and performance, potentially guiding better prevention and management strategies for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 20 participants, so findings may not apply to all athletes. The short-term nature of the intervention may not reflect long-term effects, and there are risks of discomfort from severe calorie restriction and increased exercise.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Australian Catholic University
RECRUITINGFitzroy, Victoria, 3065, Australia
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