Health Risks and Dangers of Low Body Fat in Adult Men and Women. Men who have less than 6 percent body fat and women with less than 16 percent body fat are considered too low.
It can safely go as low as 10% for women and 3% for men, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). With that said, normal body fat percentage ranges that are generally considered healthy for both men and women are provided in the chart below.
With that said, general body fat guidelines for men state that 2% to 5% body fat is essential, 2% to 24% body fat is considered healthy and more than 25% body fat classifies as obese. For women, 10% to 13% body fat is essential, 10% to 31% body fat is considered healthy and more than 32% body fat classifies as obese.
According to this research paper, men who are between 20-40 years old with under 8% body fat are considered “underfat”, whereas a “healthy” range is described as between 8-19%. For women in this same age group, any level under 21% is “underfat” and 21-33% is considered “healthy”.
This is a very low level and the lowest level of body fat you should have. Two percent body fat is the barest essential minimum needed for organs to properly function. 6-7% body fat: This level isn't as extreme as the competition bodybuilder level.
But is that even possible? No, according to Brian Sutterer, MD. a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Our bodies have two kinds of fat: essential and storage.
Normal bodily functions will go haywire if essential fat falls below the recommended minimum level of 5% in men and below 15% in women. Women have high essential body fat ranges as a result of childbearing and reproductive needs. Meanwhile, nonessential or storage fat is accumulated body fat for energy reserves.
10 to 14 percent
This range of body fat is still lean, which means your abs will be visible.
“Having too little can lead to nutritional deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances and malfunction of the heart, kidney and other organs.” Men require at least 3 percent body fat and women at least 12 percent in order for the body to function properly, Garber said.
For a man, 2–5% fat is essential, 2–24% fat is considered healthy, and more than 25% classifies as obesity. For a woman, 10–13% fat is essential, 10–31% fat is healthy, and more than 32% classifies as obesity.
2. Your Abdominal Muscles Aren't Thick Enough. If you have a trim waist and minimal body fat and you still can't see your abs, then you need to work on getting the Rectus Abdominis (your 6 pack muscle) thicker. You will never be able to see your abs if the muscle bellies there are weak and small.
Studies have shone this clear relationship between body fat and testosterone. Body fat = more estrogen, which = less testosterone. In fact, a study of 1,822 men by the New England Research Institutes (NERI) confirmed that a man's waist circumference is the single strongest predictor of low testosterone levels.
For a man with average genetics and a healthy lifestyle, 14-20 percent is a great, sustainable body fat. It's lean enough to show some decent muscle definition, but high enough that you can build strength and muscle and enjoy your life without strict diets. For a woman, a similar range would be around 21-28 percent.
The body fat percentage of an active athlete is often lower than the average person. Typically, male athletes will have between 6-13% body fat, and female athletes will have 14-20% body fat. In this post, discover how to calculate body fat percentage as well as the typical body fat percentages of different athletes.
For people aged 20 to 39, women should aim for 21% to 32% of body fat. Men should have 8% to 19%. For people 40 to 59, women should fall between 23% to 33% and men should fall around 11% to 21%. If you're aged 60 to 79, women should have 24% to 35% body fat and men should have 13% to 24%.
According to one theory, everyone has a unique “body fat set point,” or your body's optimal body fat state. Once you start dipping below that, your body produces less of an appetite-supressing hormone called leptin, which makes you feel hungrier, he says.
World's first person to maintain less than 4% body fat for 100 days naturally: Guk Young Lee.
Your Energy Levels Plummet
What's more, low levels of body fat are also linked with slow heart rates as well as drops in thyroid hormone production, which can further contribute to fatigue, Fear says.
Decrease Body fat percentage.
For a visible jawline to humans, 12 to 14% of body fat is required. If you're determined to improve your jawline, you'll need to reduce your body fat.
Can Everyone Get an Ab Crack? No, not everyone can get an ab crack. This is just one of those areas in which our genetics decide our fate. Some people can do ab workouts religiously and never develop an ab crack, while others can have an ab crack without working out.
If you're starting with 20 percent body fat, it would take somewhere between 3 to 6 months to start seeing your abs. For men, up to 20 percent body fat is considered healthy, but the fat to muscle ratio is still skewed toward the former.
Under 15%: Low Body Fat Risk. 15%-18%: Ultra Lean. 18%-22%: Lean. 22%-30%: Moderately Lean.
The American Council on Exercise defines the amount of essential fat, below which a person is underweight, as 10–13% for women and 2–5% for men. The greater amount of essential body fat in women supports reproductive function.
“A body-fat percentage below 5% is regarded as a warning sign of poor health, even in elite athletes,” says Georgie Fear, R.D., author of Lean Habits for Lifelong Weight Loss.