The Study
Diagnosis of Overtraining Syndrome: Results of the Endocrine and Metabolic Responses on Overtraining Syndrome Study: EROS-DIAGNOSIS
This study is like taking a snapshot of two groups of athletes — some who have overtraining syndrome and some who don’t — and looking at their symptoms and test results. It can show which things are different between the groups, but it can’t prove that those differences are what caused the problem or that they can reliably diagnose it in other people.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
Some athletes train too much and don’t recover, getting weaker and tired for months. This is called overtraining syndrome (OTS). Doctors don’t have a simple test for it, so this study tried to make one using signs like mood, food, and hormone tests.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 535 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, this is important because it gives doctors a clear checklist to spot OTS without expensive or invasive tests, helping athletes get the rest and care they need faster.
- 2In the study, eating too little (under 32 calories per kg of body weight), feeling very tired (POMS fatigue score over 8), and not responding normally to a hormone test were all perfectly linked to OTS.
- 3When combined, these signs correctly identified every overtrained athlete.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2020
Authors
F. Cadegiani, Pedro Luiz H da Silva, Tatiana C P Abrao, C. Kater
Related Content
Claims (4)
There's no blood test or body signal that reliably shows when someone is overtrained — the best way to tell is by how long it takes their performance to bounce back.
When male athletes are overtrained, their body’s stress and growth hormone responses to low blood sugar don’t react as strongly—this could mean their brain’s hormone control center isn’t working right.
For male athletes who train hard, checking a mix of things like mood, diet, body fat, and hormone reactions might be a better way to spot overtraining than just looking at one blood test.
Nine simple check-ins about mood, eating, and how you're feeling during workouts can tell if a male athlete is overtrained — no blood tests or fancy machines needed.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.