How to tell if an athlete is really overtrained
Diagnosis of Overtraining Syndrome: Results of the Endocrine and Metabolic Responses on Overtraining Syndrome Study: EROS-DIAGNOSIS
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
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.
Surprising Findings
Combining basic clinical markers achieved 100% diagnostic accuracy without needing advanced tests.
Most medical fields rely on complex biomarkers or imaging, but here, a simple checklist outperformed all single lab tests—even cutting-edge hormone panels.
Practical Takeaways
Use a fatigue score (POMS >8), calorie intake (<32 kcal/kg/day), and performance decline as early warning signs of overtraining.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
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.
Surprising Findings
Combining basic clinical markers achieved 100% diagnostic accuracy without needing advanced tests.
Most medical fields rely on complex biomarkers or imaging, but here, a simple checklist outperformed all single lab tests—even cutting-edge hormone panels.
Practical Takeaways
Use a fatigue score (POMS >8), calorie intake (<32 kcal/kg/day), and performance decline as early warning signs of overtraining.
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.