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Physiologic considerations for women in sport
1Department of Kinesiology, Texas Woman's University, Denton.
Clinics in Sports Medicine
|April 1, 1994
Summary
Puberty triggers significant sex differences in body composition and physiology. Female athletes face health risks from low body fat, including disordered eating, anemia, and osteoporosis.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Human Physiology
- Sex Differences
Background:
- Pre-pubertal boys and girls exhibit similar physiology; puberty initiates sex differentiation.
- Key developmental milestones like peak height velocity differ between sexes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the physiological and body composition differences between adult males and females.
- To explore the health implications for female athletes, particularly concerning low body fat.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of physiological and body composition data between sexes.
- Review of health consequences associated with low body fat in female athletes.
Main Results:
- Adult women have higher body fat, lower lean mass, and distinct fat distribution compared to men.
- Differences in VO2max are primarily due to body composition and oxygen transport, not muscle fiber type.
- Women have a higher surface area-to-mass ratio, lower bone mass, and wider pelvis.
Conclusions:
- Physiological differences influence thermoregulation, bone health, and injury predisposition.
- Low body fat in female athletes can lead to disordered eating, anemia, amenorrhea, osteoporosis, and injuries.