Contents
The Czech ski jumper Vojtech Stursa shocked internet users by posting a photo of his extremely thin body. It is widely known that for success, athletes are able to devastate their health. But when does the desire to be the best become a mental illness?
- V. Stursa is not the only skinny jumper. The world champions S. Hannawald and S. Amman were struggling with this problem
- Anorexia is a problem among athletes
- Eating disorders are often ignored by coaches and players
When world-class gymnast Christie Henrich died of anorexia at the age of 1994 in 22, it grew louder about the deathly thinness in sports. The problem was discussed by the four-time World Junior Championship medalist in cross-country skiing Sofia Henriksson, who had to temporarily suspend her career due to malnutrition. She talked about eating disorders among cross-country ski runners and warned other female athletes about the pitfalls of fighting for form leading to bulimia and anorexia. For ski jumpers, weight is particularly important, because the lighter they are, the farther they fly. Sven Hannawald’s anorexia almost led to suicide. Libra was also an obsession with Simon Amman and Sebastian Colloredo. The Finnish jumper Jane Ahonen was depressed after a very strict diet.
Athlete’s diet
Anorexia is a mental disorder. One of the predispositions for her performance is perfectionism, the desire to be the best, striving for perfection. And aren’t these features of the best athletes? And although it is well known that people who engage in many different sports, the need for basic nutrients, such as protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, may increase even several times, athletes can starve themselves. This may come as a surprise as they use the expertise of experienced nutritionists. Norwegian sports medicine professor Jorunn Sundgot-Borgen, who conducts research among athletes in Norway, believes that the problem of eating disorders is often ignored by coaches and players themselves. One has to remember that the hunger for success applies to the athlete as well as his coach. Meanwhile, the consequences for health are devastating. According to prof. Sundgot-Borgen, it is extremely important to diagnose the problem early. Athletes who experience an eating disorder should immediately be under the care of a specialist. Therefore, in competitive sports, the care of a qualified psychologist or psychotherapist as well as a dietitian and physiologist is necessary.
Cachexia and hormonal disorders
Anorexia leads to body wasting, muscle atrophy and swelling. The body temperature of an anorexic is often too low. It also lowers your blood pressure and your heart rate. There may also be heart rhythm disturbances, fainting, headaches and dizziness, constipation, flatulence, inflammation of the gastric mucosa, anemia, and tooth decay. In addition to numerous deficiencies of essential elements, hormonal disorders appear in those suffering from anorexia. In women, it results in the absence of menstruation, and in men, it leads to impotence and libido disorders. There may also be other hormonal disorders, including abnormal levels of thyroid hormone, growth hormone and insulin. Anorexic skin turns pale, gray and dry. It often peels off. Anorexics lose their hair, and a characteristic fluff appears on the body. The consequences of malnutrition in athletes may affect their results in competitions, prolonged regeneration periods, and greater susceptibility to injury.
Anorexia and depression go hand in hand
We can talk about anorexia when the body weight is at least 15%. below the expected norm for age and height or body mass index (BMI), i.e. Quelet index (body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) is equal to or falls below 17,5. Anorexia is often accompanied by depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Psychiatrists see the causes of this disorder in early childhood. The problem may be an overbearing mother, a malfunctioning family. People suffering from anorexia are most often very ambitious perfectionists who have low self-esteem. Not eating and losing weight give them a sense of strength and control over their own lives. In reality, however, they lose that control and ruin their health. They are terrified of gaining weight. Their full attention is focused on not eating and maintaining extremely low body weight. And no matter how much they weigh, they always feel too fat and want to lose even more weight. For athletes suffering from anorexia, being thin is a sign of good condition, which is to demonstrate the character and willpower of the athlete. In addition, leanness is to be the key to success in sports.
It heals
Anorexia needs to be treated because, apart from physical and mental disorders, about 10-20 percent. cases end in death. It is important to diagnose and start treatment as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it is long-lasting and requires an individual approach to each patient. Usually, it is psychotherapy that aims, among other things, to change the way people think about themselves. In difficult cases, it sometimes requires a stay in a psychiatric hospital, where behavioral eating training is carried out. Therapy can be carried out individually or in groups. In the case of comorbid depression or anxiety, antidepressants should be taken into account. It is also important to check with a general practitioner and other specialties, including a gynecologist or endocrinologist, who will assess your general health and possible damage caused by malnutrition.