Imperfect Progress with Anne Guzman Episode #4: Dr. Emily Kraus: Bone Health and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-s) in the Endurance Athlete Population
"There’s still this notion that, in female athletes, that it’s ok to lose their period during high intensity training in the middle of a season, cross country or track and field for example, and I continually have to educate that that’s not normal and that lack of period is a good sign that something is off…” Dr. Emily Kraus
Dr. Emily Kraus is a Sports Medicine Physician working out of Stanford Children’s Health Center, where her focus is rehabilitation and sports related injuries as well as injury prevention.
Asked why Emily does the incredible work she does, she speaks about a life long love of sport and an understanding of how important it is to be injury free as an athlete, so you can be out there doing what you love most.
As an seasoned athlete herself, Emily recently blasted a 2:50 marathon PR! She understands the intricacies of sport and the importance of health relating to longevity in an athletic pursuits, versus acute tactics that can often backfire and leave athletes on the sidelines.
Our conversation sheds light about the effects of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-s) on our bone health and why this is important for athlete performance as well as our later years in life.
Dr. Emily Kraus discusses:
- the impact of low energy availability on bone health and other aspects of performance and physiology
- the importance of getting calcium and vitamin D through the diet where possible
- why rest is such a crucial part of the training cycle, necessary for optimal bone health
- contraception and missed periods in female athletes
- the natural process of puberty and how young athletes can re-frame their process as their own and avoid comparisons
There’s a lot of wisdom from Dr. Kraus in this podcast. I truly believe these are topics that need to infiltrate sporting communities, including coaches and parents, in order to create a healthier sporting experience for all athletes at any age.
In addition to the audio link below, Dr. Kraus created this amazing info graphic to further clarify some points we discuss on the podcast. Please share this with anyone who may benefit.
Tune in and leave any comments or questions below. You can tag Dr. Emily Kraus in the comments as well! Thanks for listening and sharing these important messages.
Click on the link below to listen now!
For more information on how to connect with Dr. Emily Kraus on social media or through her practice, please see the links below.
Stanford Health Care: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/doctors/k/emily-kraus.html
Prokit: https://theprokit.com/p/ekraus/