Episode #307: Understanding RED-S with Tina Muir

In this episode, I interview fellow running podcaster Tina Muir to talk about RED-S or Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport. RED-S which is a diagnosis for those experiencing symptoms of under-fueling for performance, often caused inadvertently.

RED-S is something that can affect men and women of all body types and is essentially a by-product of chronic under-fueling in training, which causes the body to shut down in various ways. Symptoms can include (but is not limited to) losing your period (in women), loss of libido, hormonal imbalances, trouble regulating body temp, general fatigue/malaise/inability to perform, hair falling out, and bone-related injuries. It's also important to note that RED-S can often occur simultaneously with an eating disorder or disordered eating, but it can also occur separately as well. In this conversation, we talk about the symptoms of RED-S, myths about it, how to get a diagnosis, and of course, how to work toward recovery. Tina also shares her experiences from her personal journey dealing with RED-S seven years ago. This episode is for all runners to not only help those who might be facing RED-S but also to build awareness on the topic so that anyone can get the support they need.

Resources from the episode:

• YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/@tinamuir.
• RED-S Recovery resources: https://recovery.mykajabi.com/.
• Article on Tina's personal journey: https://www.self.com/story/letter-to-runners-with-amenorrhea-tina-muir.
• More resources from Tina: https://runningforreal.com/.