Training for women – 7 reasons women should eat & train differently to men

Can gender affect performance results? Should training for women differ to men? And what about nutrition? Rob Hobson is here to explain all we need to know 

If you are interested in keeping fit then it goes without saying, you want to achieve the goals you set yourself whether that is running faster, lifting heavier or shedding a few pounds.

To achieve this requires consistency and a well thought through diet and training plan, alongside other lifestyle factors.

There are differences between gender when looking at training for women vs training for men. But the information provided to help women achieve their performance goals, is often biased towards men and doesn’t consider the issues that are unique to their sex.

This is because, a significant amount of sports performance research is based on men. This is often because women are physiologically too variable, one reason being the menstrual cycle, the use of oral contraceptives or HRT.

But there are many differences that occur between sexes, and these include both physiology and psychology

Reason #1 Women differ from men physiologically

Men and women are physiologically different, including muscle mass and strength, maximal aerobic capacity and performance, and anaerobic power and capacity.

Research shows that a female’s absolute whole-body strength is up to 63.5 per cent of a man’s, while upper body strength is 55 per cent and lower limb strength is 72 per cent.

This means that advice on what exercises to perform and how much to lift and how to monitor your performance may not be relevant to women who shouldn’t be considered as ‘small men’ when delivering advice.

Reason #2 Female health issues may impact training and performance

Female-specific issues need to be considered, so that women can get the right advice to suit their performance goals and needs.

Such issues include the menstrual cycle, breast health, female psychology, and trends in female injuries.

Women are also more prone to nutrient insufficiencies such as iron, resulting in fatigue and depression, which can hamper their efforts to stick to a training plan.

Reason #3 Women are prone to RED-S

Women are prone to RED-S, which refers to Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport.

This used to be called the ‘Female Athlete Triad’ (disordered eating, menstrual disturbance, low bone density), but was renamed to reflect that it also occurs in men and impacts more than the three original areas described initially.

The condition is when athletes do not have enough energy to meet the demands of the amount of exercise they perform.

Athletes more prone to RED-S include endurance athletes who benefit from a high power-to-weight ratio, weight category sports such as boxing, and aesthetic sports such as gymnastics and diving.

Alongside insufficient energy to achieve peak sports performance, RED-S also impacts an athlete’s ability to maintain overall optimal health and other bodily functions.

This can result in irregular periods, recurrent illnesses, mood changes, delayed growth and development, and nutrient deficiencies.

While this is normally something referred to in athletes, the same can occur in women who are very fit recreationally and is something that should be addressed if they exhibit any symptoms.

Reason #4 The menstrual cycle impacts performance

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a combination of mood, behavioural and physical changes experienced by some women between two to 14 days before menstruation (e.g. premenstrual phase).

Symptoms include tension, depressed mood, irritability, tearfulness, mood swings, and physical complaints, such as abdominal cramps, breast tenderness, and bloating.

Symptoms are often mild but can be severe enough to affect daily activities, and this includes a women’s ability to exercise.

Studies report that PMS can cause athletes to feel ‘out of action’, ‘demotivated’ and ‘sluggish during training’.

Although not directly assessed in terms of the effects of PMS on exercise performance per se, studies report that around 40 per cent of female athletes feel that training and performance are impaired due to premenstrual symptoms.

Advice around the best way to tackle PMS is useful and women may want to consider planning their training days around their menstrual cycle to maintain motivation and the ability to train at the best.

Dietary advice for athletes suffering from PMS:

• Reduce intake of refined sugar, salt, red meat, and alcohol.
• Eat oily fish, poultry, and green leafy vegetables.
• Reduce intake of coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola drinks.
• Reduce intake of unhealthy fats found in processed foods.
• Increase intake of fibre in the form of green leafy vegetables and fruits.
• Consider supplements such as evening primrose oil and vitamin B6 (50-100mg daily) , which may assist with alleviating PMS.

Reason #5 The menopause also impacts performance

Most notably, discussions around this topic are focused on endurance sports and women over 40 who are referred to as masters class.

This is one of the fastest growing categories in endurance events, such as marathons and triathlons which have become more popular over the years. There are more considerations for women as they age and one is the impact of menopause.

Marked hormonal changes are seen during menopause, most notably, the decline in oestrogen levels. Women are at an advantage in endurance sports due to the way the utilise energy sources in the body.

Reason #6  Women are prone to injury

Interestingly women are more prone to certain injuries than men. It has been shown that women experience more stress fractures, shoulder injuries, ankle sprains, and ACL injuries than men.

Some women are at higher risk of low bone mineral density which can increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury. This is particularly relevant to women who may have experienced issues around disordered eating in their teens or early twenties when their bones where still growing and older women in menopause.

Ligamentous laxity (very flexible joints) is more significant in women, explaining why they experience ankle sprains twice as often as men.

Research has also shown that women are at greater risk of overuse injuries, including stress fractures, tendonitis, and medial tibial stress syndrome (damage to the shin area).

What’s more, it has been shown that female athletes in jumping and cutting sports (football, basketball, lacrosse) are up to six times more likely to sustain a severe knee injury than males.

Understanding this means women can make more informed choices about the type of kit they chose to wear and make them more aware of their risk when exercising.

Reason #7 Women have specific nutritional needs

The basic principles of healthy eating apply to everyone. Historically gender-specific nutrition guidelines have been lacking.

However, a recent review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition offered some guidance to female athletes regarding food and supplements.

This includes…

Maintaining a good intake of iron

Iron is a crucial consideration for women and research has shown that 27 per cent lack this mineral in their diet. Low intakes put women at greater risk of anaemia which can cause extreme fatigue.

Women at greater risk include:

• Those following restrictive diets such as veganism.
• Those involved in sports with high amounts of repetitive ground strikes, such as long-distance running.
• Those heavily involved in endurance sports – training can cause antioxidant depletion and red blood cell damage.
• Women with heavy menstrual bleeding.

The UK RDA for iron in women is 14.8mg. Interestingly, it has been suggested that female athletes consume 18mg per day.

Vegan athletes should partner their iron-rich foods (beans, lentils, pulses, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds) with foods rich in vitamin C to help with absorption.