Race, illness, injury, repeat – REDs and why men are suffering in silence

British long-distance runner Jake Smith was enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat – he had no idea he had REDs and was under-fuelling. Race, illness, injury, repeat – REDs and why men are suffering in silence "If you keep this up, you'll be in a wheelchair at 30." That is what doctors told British long-distance runner Jake Smith four years ago. By the age of 23, he had signed a professional contract with Nike and represented Great Britain on the global stage. But at the same time, his body was deteriorating – enduring a relentless pattern of race, illness, injury, repeat. Balancing an intense training regime with disordered eating meant the 28-year-old returned from a running camp in Uganda weighing just eight stone (51kg) at 5ft 5in (1.7m).

He had such brittle bones that he was told his career could be over. After suffering two stress fractures in the space of four months, Smith sought professional help and was diagnosed with REDs – relative energy deficiency in sport. It is a syndrome that can affect anyone and if left undiagnosed or untreated, can have an impact on performance and cause serious, long-lasting health problems. The symptoms are slightly better documented in women – just last month, tennis player Emma Navarro revealed her diagnosis and subsequent decision to