Dietary Intake, Body Composition, and Menstrual Cycle Changes during Competition Preparation and Recovery in a Drug-Free Figure Competitor: A Case Study

Tanya Halliday,Brenda Davy,Jeremy Loenneke

doi:10.3390/nu8110740

Tanya Halliday, Brenda Davy + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8110740

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Abstract

Physique competitions are events in which competitors are judged on muscular appearance and symmetry. The purpose of this retrospective case study was to describe changes in dietary intake, body mass/composition, and the menstrual cycle during the 20-week competition preparation (PREP) and 20-week post competition recovery (REC) periods of a drug-free amateur female figure competitor (age = 26–27, BMI = 19.5 kg/m2). Dietary intake (via weighed food records) and body mass were assessed daily and averaged weekly. Body composition was estimated via Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and 7-site skinfold measurements. Energy intake, body mass and composition, and energy availability decreased during the 20-week PREP period (changes of ~298 kcals, 5.1 kg, 6.5% body fat, and 5.4 kcal/kg fat free mass, respectively) and returned to baseline values by end of the 20-week REC period. Menstrual cycle irregularity was reported within the first month of PREP and the last menstruation was reported at week 11 of PREP. Given the potentially adverse health outcomes associated with caloric restriction, future, prospective cohort studies on the physiological response to PREP and REC are warranted in drug-free, female physique competitors.

Highlights

Physique competitions are unique athletic events in which competitors are judged on muscular appearance and symmetry rather than physical performance.In preparation for these contests competitors aim to decrease fat mass while maintaining lean mass through a combination of prolonged (≥12 weeks) caloric restriction, resistance training, and aerobic exercise [1,2]
The major finding from this investigation was that caloric restriction, low energy availability (EA), and decreased fat mass led to loss of menses early in the PREP phase
This case study provides the first long-term assessment of dietary intake, body mass/composition, and menstrual cycle changes associated with competition PREP and REC in a drug-free, female figure competitor

Summary

Introduction

Physique competitions (bodybuilding, figure, and bikini) are unique athletic events in which competitors are judged on muscular appearance and symmetry rather than physical performance.In preparation for these contests competitors aim to decrease fat mass while maintaining lean mass through a combination of prolonged (≥12 weeks) caloric restriction, resistance training, and aerobic exercise [1,2]. No evidence-based dietary guidelines exist for physique athletes to achieve body mass/composition goals for competition, or to re-gain appropriate levels of fat mass following competition, in a manner that preserves (or at least minimizes risks to) overall health [1,3]. This may contribute to the large number of preparation strategies implemented by coaches and athletes, some of which may be dangerous (extremely low caloric intakes, reliance on un-tested supplements, extreme dehydration, etc.) [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Healthcare professionals working with these understudied athletes will need to understand the culture and associated constraints of the sport in order to assist competitors in developing nutrition strategies to support their training and competition goals.

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