FEMALE ATHLETE BIOLOGY

Women Are Not Small Men. Training Them as Such Is Damaging Their Biology.

Female physiology differs fundamentally from male physiology in ways that have been systematically ignored in sports science research — the majority of which has been conducted exclusively in male subjects. Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) — the suppression of reproductive hormones, bone density loss, immune depression, and cognitive impairment caused by insufficient caloric intake relative to training load — is endemic among female athletes at every level and almost never diagnosed. The female hormonal cycle produces dramatic fluctuations in strength, endurance, injury risk, and cognitive function that training programmes do not account for. Oestrogen's protective effect on tendons, ligaments, and ACL integrity makes women 4-6 times more susceptible to ACL rupture at specific cycle phases. High-intensity training and fasting protocols that optimise male health can devastate female hormonal function — understanding this biology protects performance and long-term health.