Emotional and behavioural changes
- Lethargy and excessive fatigue, especially at rest
- Loss of purpose, enthusiasm and competitive drive; poor attitude, confusion, loss of enthusiasm to train
- Feelings of helplessness and being trapped in a routine
- Feeling emotionally unstable and excessive emotional display
- Loss of libido (loss of interest in sex)
- Increased anxiety and depressive feelings
- Increased anger and irritability (mood changes)
- Sleep problems (difficulty getting to sleep, nightmares, waking often during the night)
- Decreased self confidence
- Poor concentration, inability to relax
Physical changes
- Weight loss, weight fluctuations and loss of appetite
- Heavy, painful muscles, 'weak-feeling' muscles
- Excessive sweating
- Increased susceptibility to infections and illness (colds, rashes, fever, etc)
- Increased number of persistent injuries
- Reduced performance in training and racing
- Above expected heart rate at rest, during and after exercise
- Drop in blood pressure on standing, elevated resting and post exercise blood pressure
- Swelling of lymph glands and/or sore throat
- Gastrointestinal upsets (diarrhoea and nausea)
- Hyperactivity
- Inability to maintain training load
- Chronic fatigue
- Hormonal changes (e.g. testosterone/cortisol levels in males)
- Low serum ferritin levels
- Slower heart rate recovery
- Headaches
- Deterioration of sport skills
- Menstrual irregularities