Making weight is a reality in many combat sports, but rapid weight loss is not without risk. Acute weight cutting relies on manipulating body water, glycogen and gut contents in the days before competition, and female athletes may respond differently to these strategies due to differences in body composition, hydration status and hormonal fluctuations.
Women generally have lower total body water and lower sweat rates than men, meaning there is often less fluid available to lose safely. Throughout the menstrual cycle, changes in oestrogen and progesterone also affect fluid balance, sodium regulation and body temperature, making dehydration and heat-based strategies less predictable.
These factors can increase the risk of serious complications, including dehydration, impaired performance, hyperthermia and potentially dangerous electrolyte disturbances such as hyponatraemia. Heat-based methods, including saunas, hot baths and exercising in heavy clothing, may be less effective for female athletes while placing greater strain on the body, particularly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle when core temperature is naturally higher.
Acute weight cutting should never be viewed as a last-minute fix. Before attempting to make weight, athletes should be screened for low energy availability, RED-S and disordered eating, with menstrual cycle status and hormonal contraception also considered. Strategies should always be individualised, practised well before competition and supervised by an experienced sports dietitian.
Making weight is important, but protecting your health and arriving at competition ready to perform is even more important.
Next in the series: Refuelling After Weigh-In: Setting Yourself Up to Win
By Laekin Rose, Accredited Practising Dietitian