141: Dr. Stacy Sims on Female Physiology, Training, Nutrition + RED-S

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition, I have the honor of interviewing a true legend, world renowned exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist, Dr. Stacy Sims. Dr. Sims is a true pioneer in this field, who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance for women. We begin by discussing Dr. Sims’ motivation for her work and the shocking statistic that only 4-8% of all sports science studies include women, with far fewer pertaining to sports nutrition and women.

Dr. Sims explains differences in female and male physiology beyond hormones, including variances in: bone structure and body composition, metabolism, biomechanics, and injuries. We talk about our experiences working with different genders; women are more vulnerable to low energy availability and related bone stress injuries, due to their unique brain structure. As Dr. Sims espouses, “women are not small men” and performance differences are the result of far more than just testosterone and other hormones. We touch on transgender athlete inclusion from a physiological perspective and the need for more sports science research.

Dr. Sims and I discuss the benefits of creatine for muscle function, athletic performance, brain function, and mood. Check out Dr. Sims’ article “Why Active Women Need Creatine” here: https://www.drstacysims.com/blog/Why%20Active%20Women%20Need%20Creatine. We cover nutrition and training considerations for young female athletes, starting with hydration. During puberty, Dr. Sims recommends focusing on consuming adequate protein and carbohydrates, as well as functional movements that keep girls active in their changing bodies.

Keep listening all the way to the end to hear Dr. Sims answer some of your questions, as well as our usual end of the podcast ones! Topics include: the importance of lifting heavy for female athletes; sprint and high intensity training; exercise after RED-S recovery; caffeine and the menstrual cycle; and understanding low heart rates in athletes.

For more on Dr. Stacy Sims, check out her website https://www.drstacysims.com/ 

Follow Dr. Sims on Instagram @drstacysims and me, your host Lindsy Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

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In this episode we talk about:

5:50 Questioning current training and nutrition norms 

9:55 Research in women athletes

14:20 Sex differences beyond hormones: body composition, metabolism, injuries 

20:25 Creatine for female athletes

25:00 Youth and adolescent athlete considerations

28:40 Low energy availability, kisspeptin and the brain

35:30 Women are not small men; transgender athletes in sports

46:15 Demystifying puberty, hormones, and periods for girls and women

50:20 The importance of strength and power training 

53:00 RED-S recovery and high intensity training

56:45 Caffeine and the menstrual cycle

59:05 Low heart rates in athletes: fitness vs low energy availability 

1:01:30 End of the podcast questions