Doctor explains why it's unhealthy for women to have washboard abs; answers internet's most asked questions

While many consider washboard abs a sign of peak fitness, medical experts believe that ultra-low body fat per cent can be extremely harmful, especially for women. It can lead to a compromised immune system,fatigue, muscle wastage, vitamin deficiencies, and in severe cases, organ shrinkage.

Speaking exclusively to WION,DrTvisha Parikh, Consultant Sports and Exercise Medicine Physician at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai, answered the most asked questions about washboard abs and explained why they're unhealthy, especially for women.

Why is body fat important?

Some amount of body fat is important for normal physiological functions in both women and men. Each part of the human body is made up of cells. Fats, especially cholesterol, are an important component of these walls. Besides that, many crucial hormones in the body are actually made from cholesterol and hence disruption of the fat percentage in the body disrupts the hormonal balance. At a physical level, fat acts as
insulation for the body, protecting us from cold temperatures. Women have more body fat than men to sustain these functions effectively. However, the thing to note is that whereas some fat is important, an excess is extremely harmful to the body too.

Does aiming for abs affect one's overall health?

It really depends on the method you adopt towards this aim. If you follow a good lifestyle modification program aiming towards this under the supervision of an experienced and qualified professional, it should enhance your health. If you adopt a method which is not physiological, it can affect your health. We have seen many detrimental effects on the body ranging from short and long-term hormonal disturbances, sexual disturbances, fractures, psychological disturbances, etc.

What happens when women have very low body fat?

As mentioned earlier, many hormones are in fact synthesized from cholesterol. One of them is the important female hormone called estrogen. Estrogen is not only important from the gynaecology health point of view but plays a huge role in the metabolism of many other systems in the body and less cholesterol leads to
disruption in estrogen production. Usually, most females who target low body fat tend to suffer from a condition called Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome – RED-S. In this condition, females suffer a myriad of problems ranging from disruption in the menstrual cycle, gastrointestinal functions, bone health, immunity, metabolic health, psychological health, etc.

If someone wants to have abs and also doesn't want to suffer from insufficient body fat, is there a way to work around this?

Yes, it is possible to do this. To achieve this, a systematic approach to exercise as well as nutrition is paramount, in sync with sleep and recovery among other lifestyle measures. An important thing to understand is that abs are a group of muscles in the abdominal region. Muscles become prominent and strong by exercising them and not just losing fat. It is crucial that the person’s health program is continuously
monitored to adjust to any other health conditions.

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