When Success Masks the Signs: Emma Navarro Opens Up About Her Journey with REDs

When professional tennis player Emma Navarro recently spoke out about her struggle with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), her story struck a chord with me. As a registered dietitian who works with adolescent and young adult athletes and dancers, I was grateful to see such an important conversation brought into the spotlight. But beyond my professional perspective, so much of what Emma described resonated with my own experience as a competitive Irish dancer.

One of the aspects of her story that stood out to me the most was the disconnect between how things appeared on the outside and what was really going on internally. Emma was still achieving success on the court even as she was experiencing symptoms that, in hindsight, were signs that something was off. She was ascending world rankings, constantly improving her game, and winning on increasingly bigger stages, which made it all the more difficult to recognize that her body was struggling.

I think this is something many high-achieving athletes can relate to. If I’m performing my best and getting results, then I must be doing things right. 

REDs is a complex, multisystem syndrome underpinned by low energy availability (LEA). LEA occurs when an athlete isn’t taking in enough energy to cover the cost of their body’s expenditures through sport and basic biological functions. In other words, an athlete isn’t eating enough to sustain their health and performance. REDs can have wide-ranging effects on every bodily system, impacting everything from hormones and bone health to digestion and mood.

An athlete or dancer may not always recognize the consequences of LEA straight away. In some circumstances, performance may initially be unaffected or even improve, creating a false sense of reassurance. I think of this as a kind of “honeymoon phase,” where things appear to be working well while the effects of LEA are brewing beneath the surface. In her book, Hormones, Health and Human Potential, Dr. Nicky Keay describes this deceptive period of short-term performance gains as “fool’s gold.” These gains can reinforce the belief that what an athlete or dancer is doing is working, making it harder to recognize that this approach isn’t sustainable and can have longer-term consequences for both health and performance.

So what is actually going on beneath the surface? The body in a state of prolonged and problematic LEA can be thought of as a smartphone in low-battery mode. Just as your phone dims its screen or limits certain functions to conserve battery, the body begins to down-regulate certain systems and processes that aren’t essential to immediate survival. Stress hormones can also become elevated, creating a heightened sense of alertness that may temporarily help an athlete or dancer push through, even as their body is struggling behind the scenes.

Emma further describes a kind of internal gaslighting that I think so many high-achieving athletes and dancers can relate to. Despite recognizing that something didn’t feel right, she was able to rationalize her symptoms as simply “what being a pro feels like”. When you’re accustomed to pushing through discomfort as a sign of dedication and commitment to your sport, it can become harder to recognize when your body is trying to tell you something is wrong. 

“I must be doing things right, I thought, otherwise I wouldn’t be having this success. Of course I feel tired and a little out of it. Every athlete struggles with this stuff. I can’t change what I’m doing now"- Emma Navarro

Many symptoms of REDs, such as persistent exhaustion, missed or irregular periods, mood shifts, or frequent or recurrent injuries, can be brushed off as simply part of what it takes to compete at a high level. It is important to note, however, that REDs can affect any athlete, regardless of skill level, gender, sport, or body type. An athlete or dancer doesn’t need to look a certain way, intentionally restrict their food intake, or experience every REDs symptom for low energy availability to be a concern. 

Emma has also bravely spoken about scrutiny surrounding changes in her body’s appearance while she has been working to recover from REDs and other health issues. Her message is a powerful reminder that an athlete’s life, health, and performance are so much more than appearance.

As Emma put it:

 “I have learned that there is no weight on the scale or leanness in your limbs that is more valuable than your health or well-being …So yeah, I gained some weight this year. But I also gained my life back.” - Emma Navarro

I think this is such an important message for athletes, dancers, parents, and coaches to hear. I’m grateful to Emma for sharing such a personal experience and helping bring greater awareness to REDs. My hope is that her story encourages athletes and dancers to seek support when something doesn’t feel right, and to understand that adequate fueling and recovery are essential parts of training. Because ultimately, your health and well-being are more important than your performance.

References:

The Athletic. (2026, October 13). Emma Navarro on tennis, RED-S syndrome, and the health of athletes. The New York Times.

Keay, N. (2022). Hormones, Health and Human Potential: A Guide to Understanding Your Hormones to Optimise Your Health and Performance.

Mountjoy, M., Ackerman, K. E., Bailey, D. M., Burke, L. M., Constantini, N., Hackney, A. C., ... & Erdener, U. (2023). 2023 International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) consensus statement on relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs). British journal of sports medicine, 57(17), 1073-1098.