Most studies on overtrained endurance athletes found they weren’t eating enough carbs or energy when their symptoms started — so running low on fuel might be a common factor.

Most studies show that when athletes push too hard and start showing signs of overtraining, they're often not eating enough calories or carbs to fuel their bodies.

If athletes don’t eat enough calories or carbs, especially during intense training, they might not recover well—and fixing that could stop them from feeling overly tired or burned out, which people often think is overtraining.

If athletes train too much and don’t eat enough, they might be misdiagnosed with overtraining when the real issue is low energy from not fueling properly.

Some athletes who are told they're just overtrained might actually be low on fuel — their bodies aren't getting enough energy or carbs — which can look like overtraining but is really a different condition called RED-S.

Not eating enough calories or carbs can lead to serious health and performance problems in athletes, like burnout and hormonal issues.