Athletes are viewed as the epitome of health. Their ability to run farther, jump higher, and perform better than the general population is cause for admiration. Many young people look to them as role models and hope someday to repeat - or outperform - their great feats.

But there's an unfortunate dark side to athletics; one that includes starvation, excessive exercise and an obsession with perfection. Among elite athletes, eating disorders are three to four times more prevalent than in the general population. It's a surprising statistic, but one that's confirmed by numerous studies. In an attempt to increase speed, compete at a lower weight class, or look more aesthetically pleasing to the judges, athletes decrease their caloric intake to dangerous levels, exercise far above and beyond what's required by their coaches, and risk serious injury - not to mention their overall health - as a result.

Female Athlete Triad is a combination of issues unique to women, and is comprised of three co-existing conditions; weak bones, lack of energy, and menstrual disorders. In its most extreme form, Female Athlete Triad consists of disordered eating, osteoporosis and amenorrhea (cessation of the menstrual cycle). It often begins out of a genuine desire to improve performance, but over time deteriorates into this potentially life-threatening condition.

The extremely low energy associated with Female Athlete Triad is cause primarily by one of two things; exercising too much or eating too little. Either one of these is enough rob the body of the energy it needs in order to function correctly. If too much energy is being expended during workouts, the body is unable to recover properly and cannot maintain itself at the cellular level. The immune system may be compromised, as well as the reproductive system.

This lack of energy alone is not enough to cause menstrual disorders, but if the female athlete also has disordered eating habits, her risk of developing this second condition in the Female Athlete Triad increases dramatically. Typically, increased exercise alone isn't enough to disrupt the menstrual cycle, but if irregularities occur they can be easily corrected if the athlete increases her caloric intake. If, however, she doesn't - or won't - eat more, it could result in a complete loss of menstrual periods.

The third condition in Female Athlete Triad is weak or brittle bones (osteoporosis). Athletes are already more prone to injury because they push their bodies, but an athlete that's exercising too much and not eating enough is robbing her body of the nutrients needed to keep her bones strong. A body that's not getting enough nutrition from outside sources will begin to take it from internal sources, and the need for calcium is satisfied as it's transferred from bones to other parts of the body. In addition, if the menstrual cycle has ceased, the body is not producing its normal amount of estrogen, which is needed for the regeneration of bone tissue. Without estrogen, the rate of degeneration exceeds the rate of regeneration and the health and strength of the bones is compromised. As a result, stress fractures become more common. If the condition isn't reversed in time, it could also result in a loss of bone density that's irreversible.

Though disordered eating is not technically considered an aspect of Female Athlete Triad, it is often the primary cause of all three factors. An athlete that's trying to remain competitive may begin innocently enough by cutting out foods that contain excessive amounts of fat or sugar. But over time, the list of "acceptable" foods may become shorter, until the athlete is eating almost nothing. Though the leaner diet may initially help an athlete improve her performance, the improvement doesn't - and can't - last. Minor injuries will become more prevalent, and if the disordered eating continues, serious injuries may result.

Signs of Female Athlete Triad include an increased rate of injury, increased recovery time for injuries, extremely restrictive eating habits, stress fractures, noticeable weight loss, and irregular or absent menstrual periods.

Female Athlete Triad is especially dangerous for young athletes because their bodies are still developing. If bone loss occurs during adolescence, its effects will be felt throughout the athlete's life. Bone mass is still being built during the teenage years and if it's not developed properly or completely, the athlete essentially lives her life "in the red", never having the bone strength she needs for the rigors of athletic competition.

A female athlete needs to have positive roles models, and coaches who value good health above all else. She should have regular physical check-ups and from a young age she should be taught the benefits of healthy eating habits. If she wants to increase performance and is considering altering her diet, she should consult a nutritionist or dietician to ensure that she gets all the calories she needs while meeting her performance goals.