Physical characteristics, bone health, haematological and endocrine profiles based on sport categories
| Weight class Mean±SD n=18 | Power Mean±SD n=11 | Intermittent Mean±SD n=5 | Endurance Mean±SD n=3 | Skill Mean±SD n=6 | P value | |
| Physical characteristics | ||||||
| Age (years)* | 22.4±4.1 | 23.8±4.7 | 26.4±6.8 | 19.9±0.0 | 21.2±7.5 | 0.173† |
| Weight (kg) | 63.1±12.2 | 61.8±14.2 | 73.9±12.7 | 58.5±4.7 | 63.1±10.1 | 0.383‡ |
| Height (cm) | 166.2±9.6 | 164.8±88 | 169.2±7.9 | 162.3±1.4 | 164.8±6.5 | 0.826‡ |
| Fat mass (kg) | 11.6±2.7* | 14.2±8.1 | 14.5±6.0 | 16.6±1.8 | 16.9±7.6* | 0.015‡ |
| Percent body fat (%) | 18.6±3.5* | 22.2±7.9 | 23.6±4.3 | 28.3±1.3 | 30.2±8.5* | <0.001‡ |
| RMR (mRMR) (kcal/day) | 1491±251 | 1415±215 | 1674±327 | 1549±198 | 1345±243 | 0.192‡ |
| Predicted RMR (pRMR) (kcal/day) (Cunningham equation) | 1573±208 | 1476±252 | 1723±285 | 1457±107 | 1423±108 | 0.152‡ |
| Bone health | ||||||
| BMD lumbar (g/cm2) | 1.2±0.1 | 1.2±0.1 | 1.1±0.2 | 1.1±0.1 | 1.0±0.2 | 0.446‡ |
| Z-score lumbar | 1.3±1.3 | 1.6±0.8 | 1.3±1.5 | 1.1±1.0 | 0.5±1.4 | 0.515‡ |
| BMD total hip (g/cm2) | 1.0±0.2 | 1.1±0.1 | 1.3±0.2 | 1.0±0.0* | 1.2±0.2* | 0.033‡ |
| Z-score total hip* | 1.6±2.7 | 1.5±2.5 | 2.9±2.8 | 0.3±0.0 | 1.2±5.8 | 0.321† |
| Low BMD¶ (Z-score<−1.0 at any scanned site) | 1 (5.6) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 (16.7) | 0.572§ |
| Normal BMD¶ (Z-score>−1.0 at any scanned site) | 17 (94.4) | 11(100) | 5 (100) | 3 (100) | 5 (83.3) | |
| Haematological and endocrine profiles | ||||||
| Ferritin (µg/L) | 102.6±59.6 | 99.1±59.1 | 221.8±50.5 | 100.1±43.3 | 143.6±51.4 | 0.113‡ |
| Free triiodothyronine (fT3) (pmol/L) | 4.0±0.9 | 4.2±0.6 | 3.9±0.9 | 3.4±0.7 | 3.4±0.9 | 0.311‡ |
| Luteinising hormone (LH) (IU/L) | 3.7±4.7 | 3.0±1.5 | 2.2±1.3 | 3.2±2.2 | 3.8±1.3 | 0.551‡ |
| Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (IU/L) | 3.4±2.8 | 4.1±2.0 | 5.2±3.1 | 5.5±2.3 | 4.7±1.8 | 0.694‡ |
| Estradiol (pmol/L) | 396.5±325.1 | 182.1±95.9 | 88.0±0.0 | 117.3±43.2 | 219.5±153.4 | 0.261‡ |
| Testosterone (nmol/L) | 19.6±8.2 | 21.8±2.1 | 17.9±6.5 | n/a | 10.8±2.9 | 0.349‡ |
| Low ferritin level¶ | 2 (11.1) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1 (16.7) | 0.598§ |
| Normal ferritin level¶ | 16 (88.9) | 11 (100) | 5 (100) | 3 (100) | 5 (83.3) | |
| Low fT3 level¶ | 4 (22.2) | n/a | 1 (20.0) | 1 (33.3) | 2 (33.3) | 0.411§ |
| Normal fT3 level¶ | 14 (77.8) | 11 (100) | 4 (80.0) | 2 (66.7) | 4 (66.7) | |
| Low LH level¶ | 1 (5.6) | 2 (18.2) | 2 (40.0) | 1 (33.3) | 1 (16.7) | 0.373§ |
| Normal LH level¶ | 17 (94.4) | 9 (81.8) | 3 (60.0) | 2 (66.7) | 5 (83.3) | |
| Low FSH level¶ | 1 (5.6) | 2 (18.2) | 1 (20.0) | 1 (33.3) | 2 (33.3) | 0.475§ |
| Normal FSH level¶ | 17 (94.4) | 9 (81.8) | 4 (80.0) | 2 (66.7) | 4 (66.7) | |
| Low estradiol level¶ | 5 (83.3) | 5 (71.4) | 1 (100) | 2 (66.7) | 2 (50.0) | 0.506§ |
| Normal estradiol level¶ | 1 (16.7) | 2 (28.6) | n/a | 1 (33.3) | 2 (50.0) | |
| Low testosterone level¶ | 2 (16.7) | n/a | 1 (25.0) | n/a | n/a | 0.687§ |
| Normal testosterone level¶ | 10 (83.3) | 4 (100) | 3 (75.0) | n/a | 2 (100) | |
*Median (IQR).
†Kruskal-Wallis test.
‡ANOVA (Tukey’s post-hoc test).
§x² test.
¶n (%).
BMD, bone mineral density; RMR, resting metabolic rate.