Female athletes: factors impacting successful performance.

Competitive female athletes face many challenges unlike their recreationally active counterparts. As sport has advanced for girls and women, the physical, psychologic, and nutritional demands force female athletes to develop optimal strategies for competitive success. Sports medicine professionals must consume volumes of research investigating issues regarding competitive female athletes. This review focuses on three primary factors associated with females and performance: iron status, interrelated biorhythms, and energy optimization. Consideration of these factors in both health and performance goals is critical to the long-term success of competitive female athletes.