How do you get the most out of your workouts? I love talking about recovery because, generally, it’s a way to get better without doing more activity. There’s lots of nutrition products out there marketed towards recovery, so how do you choose? Below are some of my nutrition related favorites: ranked from more to less expensive.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral which plays a role in muscle function and energy metabolism. It’s required in over metabolic reactions in the body and helps maintain heart rhythm, blood pressure, immune function, blood glucose levels, and promotes calcium absorption. Personally, I noticed a difference in sleep quality after supplementing consistently. Most Americans consume less than desirable amounts. To make matters worse, athletes lose small, yet notable amounts of magnesium in sweat, so they may require more than the average person.

Ask any practitioner and they’ll tell you it’s important to assess current stores of a nutrient before beginning any sort of supplementation routine. The problem is that it can be difficult to assess magnesium as most of it is stored in bones and tissue. The best method to evaluate magnesium stores is quite impractical and can be too expensive.

The RDA for Magnesium is 400-420mg for men and 310-320mg for women. Of course, it’s always best to try to increase magnesium intake using food first. Food sources include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, almonds, spinach, beans, cashews, and peanuts. However, there are many available magnesium supplements that marketed to athletes which have received positive feedback. Many different type of magnesium supplements exist (Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Malate), and it seems mixed source magnesium supplements are most popular. Still, it’s probably best to avoid high dose supplements, especially without discussing with your healthcare team first. Most excess magnesium is excreted by the kidney, and while people usually don’t report negative side effects from high magnesium food, high intakes from supplements can cause issues. Which makes sense considering the primary ingredient in some laxatives is magnesium.

Protein Powder

I like protein powder for a number of reasons, but I think mainly because it’s shelf stable and easy to incorporate into meals or snacks. Toss into a smoothie post workout, mix into overnight oats, or add into pancake batter. There’s lots of possibilities. Protein powders are an easy way to up the total protein intake of your diet, which can help with growth or maintenance of muscle mass during periods of heavy training.

There are a few considerations when deciding between protein powders. Most ideally, the protein powder will have some sort of NSF or Informed Sport Certification on the label. These certifications mean that every batch of the product has been tested for dangerous or banned substances. Both Informed Sport and NSF certifications check product contents against the ingredient listed on the product. All supplements carry some risk, but supplements with these certifications are the safest ones you can choose to consume.

I’m partial to whey protein powders because of their higher bioavailability but plant-based options can work too. Protein dosage seems to be more important that the protein type. Look for a dosage that suits your needs, and bonus points if the protein powder contains high amounts of the amino acid, leucine, which may play a role in muscle protein synthesis. Importantly, if you’re using protein powder post workout, mix it with a source of carbs for optimal recovery.

Tart Cherry Juice

Sore Muscles? Tart cherry juice may be the product for you. Moderate to strenuous exercise increases the production of free radicals in muscle. These free radicals can result in oxidative stress which contributes to muscle fatigue. Muscle damage, oxidation stress, and inflammation are all normal responses to exercise. Antioxidants, especially anthocyanins which produce the dark red/purple colors of fruits, are found in high amounts in tart cherry juice. These antioxidants also have anti-inflammatory qualities to help to combat the free radical production and oxidative stress. and it’s well established that tart cherry juice may benefit muscle soreness. Considering tart cherry juice also contains tryptophan, an amino acid precursor to melatonin, it may promote better sleep quality.

What about high dose antioxidant supplements? Is it a good idea to regularly megadose antioxidant? Well, probably not. There’s theory that oxidative stress is a necessary part of the recovery process, and that high dose supplements of antioxidants (especially vitamin E and C) can diminish the response to training. So, unless your diet is quite poor, it’s probably not a good idea. So similarly, it may not be beneficial to be chugging cherry juice with every meal and snack, but it may be helpful around competitions, when intensities are high and muscle soreness peaks post-race.

Soup

Yes, soup. Let me explain. In nutrition, there’s five key tenets of recovery:

1. Replenish glycogen stores with carbohydrates
2. Repair muscle damage with protein
3. Rehydrate with fluids
4. Reinforce the immune system with antioxidants

The fifth we'll talk about in the next section, but soup covers all these necessary pieces of recovery. The sky is the limit. You could choose the classic chicken noodle, minestrone, or even go for something like pho. It’s got carbs, protein, fluids, and usually some sort of vegetable (or fruit). Obviously, I’m highlighting soup here because its cold out. What soup is for winter, smoothies are for summer. The key here is to choose nutrient-rich foods plus fluid for optimum recovery.

Rest

Probably the simplest and, can be the most difficult for some people. Rest is necessary for recovery. Even if your nutrition is perfect, it takes time to repair muscle damage and replenish glycogen stores. Without time to recover, athletes risk overtraining and increased risk of injury. It’s about finding balance. Your ability to train hard is limited by your ability to recover from that training. Athletes need to take the time to relax and get off their feet in order to perform at their best. Aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night and incorporate rest days into your training plan.

It’s safe to say, there’s lots of ideas about what’s best when it comes to recovery. Each one claiming to be the one thing that will make that performance changing difference. In reality a well-rounded approach is key, prioritizing rest, and establishing a solid nutrition foundation to get the most out of your training.

The post Five Ways to Focus on Recovery first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

As a person who goes to the gym year-round, witnessing the influx of people after the New Year is… interesting. On the one hand, I totally appreciate the sentiment of wanting to get fitter in the new year. On the other, I admittedly wind up slightly (ok, moderately) annoyed to have to be waiting for a treadmill to use. That said, I hope that people realize there’s many ways to improve your health and fitness in the new year that don't involve crazy new workout routines or fad diets. Here’s my list of Dietitian approved new year’s resolutions.

Stay Hydrated

Anyone else’s hydration routine drop off a cliff in the winter? In the heat of summer, it’s pretty easy to remember to hydrate. In winter, your thirst cues may be less strong. You may feel less thirsty in cold weather, but that doesn’t mean that hydration in and out of training becomes less important. Inadvertently, many people will begin training sessions dehydrated during the winter months, meaning they’re already behind the curve when trying to maintain hydration status. Get in the habit of carrying a water bottle with you outside of training sessions. Have water or other beverages alongside meals and snacks. Certain foods can provide a source of fluids as well. Fruits such as watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, dairy products like yogurt or kefir, or vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce all contribute to hydration.

Cold weather can create its own issues in regard to fueling. Shivering from the cold increases muscle glycogen use. Hot liquids like coffee, tea, apple cider, broth soups, hot cocoa can help reduce shivering during activities and keep glycogen stores high. Dressing too warmly for cold weather activities can also increase sweat rates. And if the clothes aren’t breathable, it can lead to wet clothes. Wet clothes plus prolonged exposure to cold increases chances of hypothermia. Try to layer clothing so you’re able to take off layers as you heat up. After activity, replenish fluid losses with 16-24oz fluid for every pound of body weight lost.

Correct Nutritional Deficiencies

Winter usually brings a change in habits, whether that’s taking an offseason break, going outside less, or changing one’s diet. Changes in routine can initiate changes in nutrient status. For example, many athletes will see a decrease in Vitamin D with less exposure to the sun. Long-term, athletic performance is not possible without optimal health. Now is a good time of year to double check your bloodwork. Generally, athletes should consider getting bloodwork done every six months, but possibly more frequent if prone to deficiencies. Specific nutrients of concern for athletes include but aren’t limited to iron, B12, Calcium, Vitamin D, and Magnesium. As always, adequate protein, carbohydrate, and overall energy intake are important as well.

Increase Fiber

Plants contain fiber, which is dietary material that isn’t absorbed during digestion. This roughage passes relatively intact through your digestive system. Generally, fiber is categorized in two ways: Soluble fiber and Insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and creates a gel-like material in the digestive tract. Soluble fiber may help lower cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol. Insoluble fiber which increases bulk of stools, aids in relieving constipation, and promotes movement through the GI system.

Fiber can be tricky for athletes. On one hand, it’s been demonstrated that fiber intake, is very important for health and disease prevention. Specifically, fiber from fruit and vegetables has been shown to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers by 10% for each 10g increase in dietary fiber in a person’s diet. On the other hand, fiber and training don’t always mix. High fiber foods prior to exercise can increase GI discomfort and should be minimized to maintain gastric comfort.

Find fibrous foods that work for you. Everyone is going to have their own individual tolerance, but generally people should try to consume 14g fiber for every 1000 calories they consume. Adding too much too quickly isn’t recommended. The key being to gradually increase fiber over time to avoid the negative side effects of high fiber like gas, bloating, or abdominal pain. Fiber intake may also change day-to-day depending on training regimen with some days being able to tolerate more. You may find that cycling or swimming training can tolerate more high fiber foods than running, due to the increased jostling effect of the activity. Athletes can benefit from adding fiber at the end of the day, after training has concluded like a high-fiber cereal before bed and be sure to hydrate appropriately along with increasing fiber intake.

Increase Sleep

When trying to get fitter, many people focus on upping their activity level, and this works to some extent. Our ability to train, however, is limited by our ability to recover. Athletes should aim for at least eight hours of sleep per night which can be a tall ask for some people. Is it worth it to cut sleep to six hours or less to fit in that training session? It depends on your goals and lifestyle. I’m not going to say that you definitely need to skip your workout, but it is important to pause and consider the choice.

Sleep duration matters, but so does sleep quality. Maintain good sleep hygiene habits before bed by being consistent with bedtimes. Try to avoid staring at your phone or laptop in the 30 minutes before sleep. Avoid caffeinated beverages later in the day and use blackout curtains and cover electronic lights to make the room as dark as possible.

Onset of sleep disruptions during periods of hard training can also be a tell-tale sign of low energy availability . Sleep disruptions further limit the athlete’s ability to recover and are also experienced along with other mood disruptions like depression, irritability, or impaired judgment. Insufficient sleep can also lead to poor coordination, and increased risk of injury. Increased rest allows for increases in performance, so try not to skimp the pillow time.

Increase Intra-Activity Fueling

Many people could benefit from eating more during endurance training. It’s tempting to want to “save up” calories burned during exercise for meals or for dessert but increasing intra-session fueling can help in several ways. More energy during activity means there’s more fuel for muscles to use. Depletion of carbs generally makes exercise feel harder (higher RPE for a consistent workload). Providing carbs during exercise gives your muscles their preferred energy when they’re active. Increasing energy availability during exercise allows for glycogen sparing, meaning you’ll have more energy later in activity.

Big training sessions can burn lots of calories, creating large deficits between an athlete’s calorie needs and calorie intake. These intra-day deficits can add up. Huge calorie deficits may have a negative effect on endocrine and bone health. Increased fueling during activity diminishes these deficits. Intra-activity fueling may help avoid excessive feelings of hunger, helping you make better choices at mealtimes instead of desperately reaching for the first food available. Like fiber, you’ll want to gradually increase your intake of fuel during activity. Taking in food during exercise is trainable. Start with 30-60g of carb per hour for endurance exercise and increase from there.

Best of luck and Happy New Year.

The post Dietitian Approved Resolutions for the New Year first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Overdid it? Slipped on the ice? Didn’t keep the rubber side down? Injuries suck, but if you’re going to get injured, the offseason is a good time to focus on rest and recovery.

Two important notes here before we jump into this article. One: Food is amazing, but food alone cannot fix injuries. It’s important to have realistic expectations of what it can do. Proper nutrition isn’t going to replace the need for medical care, PT, a proper return-to-training protocol, etc. It is a tool to aid in recovery, not magic. Two: this article isn’t meant to be taken as individual medical advice. Talk to your healthcare team about what is best for you.

Generally, there’s two phases of injury recovery. The first phase is healing and recovery, which is often characterized by a reduction or complete cessation of training. Tissue repair begins, and is characterized, by three phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Second is the return to activity. Nutrition may help reduce the duration of or lessen the negative aspects of reduced activity, as well as assist in the return to training.

Energy Balance

It’s important to try and maintain energy balance during injury. This means avoiding a large calorie deficit or large calorie surplus. Athletes who’ve undergone injury are likely moving less, training less, and therefore their energy demands decrease. However, during the initial stages of the healing process, calorie needs increase. It takes energy to repair damage, whether it be surgery, concussion, or otherwise. This is especially the case in severe injuries, where

Conversely, a large positive energy balance is undesirable for optimal healing and recovery. You’d think that positive energy balance would be beneficial to maintaining muscle mass. However, there’s evidence that a positive energy balance actually may accelerate muscle losses, increase fat storage, and may reduce insulin sensitivity. It’s about striking a fine balance of enough energy but not too much.

Protein

When athletes decrease their overall calorie intake, they also generally decrease their intakes of protein. Increased downtime results in a decrease in muscle protein synthesis rates (MPS). Have you seen someone’s arm after they’ve had a cast removed? The reduction in MPS causes muscle loss in times of injury. While these losses aren’t totally avoidable, they can be reduced with adequate protein intakes. Aim for frequent doses of protein, roughly 0.3g-0.4/kg body weight every 3-4 waking hours which equates to ~20-27g protein doses for a 150lb athlete. Additionally, the amino acid, leucine, is thought to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Foods high in leucine are preferred over leucine-isolated supplements. So, athletes should choose foods like soy products, chicken, beef, pork, dairy, seeds, and tuna.

Nutrients of Concern

Depending on the type of injury, athletes may want to consider paying attention to their intakes of certain nutrients. Micronutrients like zinc, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin A play an important role in healing. The goal with these nutrients is to avoid deficiency, as these nutrient deficiencies can delay recovery times and slows healing. However, some is good. More isn’t better. Supplementation above sufficiency may not be beneficial. Adequate calcium and Vitamin D are necessary for bone reformation after a fracture.

Creatine may be beneficial for concussion injuries. Creatine is involved in maintaining cellular energy reserves in the brain and is important for normal brain function. Creatine may offer a neuroprotective effect if taken shortly after a concussion occurs. It is a naturally occurring substance in the body and is generally considered safe to supplement. To date, there have been no reported adverse side-effects with long term, appropriately dosed use. Creatine can also be found in animal products like wild game, beef, poultry, and fish.

Injury often causes inflammation. While this inflammation is a necessary part of the recovery process, excess inflammation can be detrimental. Antioxidants from foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds can be beneficial, but high doses of antioxidant supplements aren’t recommended. Omega-3 fatty acids may also benefit athletes during periods of injury. The standard American diet includes drastically more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are the main nutrients of concern. Increased amounts of EPA and DHA may help against inflammation. Additionally, omega-3 may lessen the diminishing rates of muscle protein synthesis during injury. As with most things I discuss, a food first approach is preferred. It’s recommended to include two servings of fatty fish like salmon, sardines, or tuna. Algae oil may be beneficial for athletes following a plant-based diet.

Collagen is having a moment. Collagen is an abundant protein in the body found in bone, skin, ligaments, and tendons. It’s produced by the body, but collagen supplementation ensures adequate amino acids are available for collagen synthesis. Supplementation may reduce return-to-play times after a tendon or ligament injury. Vitamin C is an important cofactor in collagen synthesis so should be consumed alongside collagen. Food sources of collagen include bone broth (hello tonkatsu ramen!) and gelatin, and pair it with vitamin C rich foods like citrus, bell peppers, or tomatoes.

Now, if you’re seriously immobilized, then we need to discuss fiber. Limited activity can increase rates of constipation. Fiber is important for adding bulk and softens bowel movements so be sure to eat plenty of fiber rich foods like legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Prune juice also works great for keeping things moving.

Now for the bummer (at least for some people). Alcohol is known to inhibit muscle protein synthesis and delays wound healing. Alcohol intakes, especially high alcohol intakes, should be limited, and drowning your sadness in booze probably isn’t the best idea for more reasons than just nutritional reasons.

Conclusion

Injuries can happen as a part of any sport. Nutrition may not be able to fully prevent injuries, but it can support recovery. Ultimately, maintaining a well-balanced diet prior to injury will put athletes in the best place should an injury occur. It’s better to start from a place of good health rather than needing correct nutritional deficiencies after an injury has occurred. So, the conclusion here is to eat well, take care of yourself, and put your body in the best circumstances to heal.

The post Nutrition For Injury first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

After my last race of the season, my bike stays in its travel case. Out of sight, and out of mind. Sometimes it stays there for weeks, and I can safely say I have no interest in consuming another sports gel until absolutely necessary. With a long season of racing comes necessary rest and recovery. Events are winding down, and colder temps setting in for the next few months.

For many, it’s time to take a break. Whether you’re just taking it easy, or fully breaking up with exercise for a few weeks, here’s what you need to know about off season nutrition.

When activity changes, so do your calorie needs

With less training, there’s less need for aggressive calorie intakes. During the season, carbohydrate intake is high to match the demands of training and racing. In the offseason, the body requires less. Focus on increasing intake of fruits and vegetables by making them a bigger percentage of your meal. These foods add volume to your meals, helping you to feel full but offering less calories than your typical starchy carbohydrates. Plus, they offer fiber which adds bulk and can be tricky to incorporate into meals around training for risk of GI upset. Now is a great time to increase fiber which would normally interfere with training sessions. Add fresh raspberries to morning oatmeal or try adding winter squash or artichoke to salads at lunch.

Just because you’re moving less, doesn’t mean you should fully cut out starchy carbs. Would it be “healthy” to fully cut out protein from your diet? Of course not. There’s never a time where it's a good idea to cut out an entire food group. This reasoning holds true for carbohydrates. Again, focus on increasing fiber in starchy carbs. Swap the low fiber versions like white bread for whole grains, or try adding beans, peas, or lentils to soups or stews.

Keep protein intake high

We discussed the importance of protein in the last article, but protein intake is still important in the off season. Protein helps with satiety, keeping you fuller for longer after a meal. This satiety effect can be helpful for people lowering their food intake who were previously used to eating more in order to meet their high activity needs. Get some sort of high-quality protein in with each meal or snack. For those who eat animal products, choose lean cuts of poultry, pork, beef, eggs, or low-fat dairy. Fish or seafood like salmon, tuna, or oysters can offer additional benefit from their omega 3 content. For those plant-based, choose soy products or plant protein powders, and add things like nutritional yeast, beans, and whole grains to meals. Off season is the safest time to make changes to body composition. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle, you’ll want to keep protein intake high. Frequent protein intakes of 20-40g with meals and snacks can help stave off muscle losses.

Take time to decompress

I’ve found that the athletes who restrict food during the season, usually have the hardest time in the offseason. Do you not allow yourself to eat ice cream while preparing for a race? Then suddenly are downing a pint a day of Ben and Jerry’s in your time off? Or eating all the Halloween candy in one go?

When people restrict food, it usually comes back to bite them. Restriction can easily turn into an all-or-nothing mentality. The thought process goes like this: If you allow yourself to have one brownie, it tastes great, and I’m not sure when I’ll allow myself to eat this again. I’ve already ruined my diet by eating one, so why not go back for more? And this person ends up eating half the brownie pan.

If I say to you, “you’re absolutely not allowed to eat cookies,” I’m willing to bet you’re going to spend most of your time thinking about those little chocolate chips and if milk chocolate is better than semisweet. If you’ve spent the entire year avoiding certain food groups, you’re more likely to feel a lack of “self-control” when faced with those foods again. Give yourself permission to eat. Tell yourself that this is not your only opportunity to eat and enjoy these foods. They’ll be available to you in the future. Loosening the restriction helps. And this goes for in season nutrition, too. Honestly, if eating an ice cream the week leading into the race leads you to believe you’ve ruined your race, there are likely bigger problems needing to be addressed than the ice cream. It goes without saying, but this statement does not apply to all my milk allergy folks, and a full dairy ice cream could actually ruin your race.

Experiment in the kitchen

Off season means more free time and extra energy to put towards things other than training. Make the foods you love that take a little more effort that you’re willing to devote to in-season. For me, it’s things like the Thai Tom Kha soup, which I love. But during season, it’s hard to muster the energy to make that special trip to the not-so-close Asian market to gather all the ingredients.

Take the time to learn some new kitchen skills. Off season is a great time of year to experiment with new recipes. Try making homemade granola or a sheet pan veggies with in-season produce. Personally, I’ve never had a whole roasted cauliflower, but I think it would be fun to try. Now is also a great time to experiment with recipes that are quick and easy, so when your schedule ramps up again, you have some new go-to ideas that keep things interesting.

Enjoy the holidays

Many things can be true at the same time. Is nutrition important in the off season? Yes, absolutely. Should you focus on creating healthy habits during this time? Yes. Can you eat any of the foods you want for Thanksgiving dinner? Also, yes.

How many meals will a person eat in a year? If they’re not skipping breakfast, lunch, or dinner, it's around 1100 meals, plus snacks. What you eat for one meal out of 1100 is not going to have a huge impact on your health. What matters most is a person’s general habits, and the everyday foods one chooses. So, enjoy the holiday. There’s no reason to stress about one meal, or even one day of eating.

Before you know it, training will start ramping up again for next year. Enjoy the break, and the sports gels will be right where you left them.

The post Fueling the Off-Season first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Most endurance athletes would agree that carbs are important, and to be fair, it’s probably the nutrient I talk about most to people. Carbs are key, and rightly should be front of mind for all endurance athletes. This may be the case but other nutrients, like protein, play an important role. With a little more thought and effort, optimizing protein intake can make a big impact of athlete’s health and performance.

What foods is it found in

The protein we ingest is broken down into amino acids in the stomach. These amino acids are absorbed and circulated around the body. Protein serves many functions such as creating structure, motion, enzymes, hormone production, and wound healing.

Good sources of protein can be found in both animal and plant-based foods. Humans require essential amino acids (EAAs), which they cannot synthesize themselves. Animal proteins contain all the essential amino acids. Plant proteins contain varying amounts of the EAAS, so consuming variety with several different types of plant-based proteins becomes key.

Most vegans are probably sick of the question: where do you get your protein from? In reality, it’s absolutely possible to meet your protein needs following a plant-based diet. It may, however, take a more thoughtful effort to achieve higher intakes, especially for those involved in heavy training programs.

Breakdown during endurance exercise

Muscles are constantly being broken down and rebuilt throughout the day. The fluctuation between building and breakdown depends on the timing and the dose of the ingested protein. The buildup of muscle tissue is known as muscle protein synthesis, and the degradation of muscle is known as muscle protein breakdown. Ideally, athletes looking to gain muscle or strength are looking for a net positive balance between synthesis and breakdown.

While not considered a primary energy source, protein does contribute as a fuel source during exercise. It’s estimated that <5% of total calorie expenditure during exercise comes from protein metabolism. Out of necessity, an inadequate supply of a preferred fuel sources (i.e., carbs), or extreme, prolonged exercise causes the body to use a higher proportion of protein for exercise. These numbers can be up to 10-15% of total calorie expenditure. While protein can be used, it is not preferred. The increased protein breakdown being the reason for higher protein requirements of endurance athletes. Without proper replenishment and repair of muscle, positive training response would not occur.

How much is needed

The current Recommended Daily Allowance for adults in the United States is 0.8g/kg protein per day. If you’re used to the US system and don’t know your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. With the standard American diet, most people are meeting or exceeding the RDA. But the recommendation for athletes is a bit more variable. Depending on age, frequency, and intensity of a training program, current recommendations for endurance athletes sit at roughly 1.2-1.7g/kg protein per day. For a 160lbs athlete, this equates to a range of 87-124g protein.

Both the RDA and recommended range for athletes have been based on the amount of protein required to achieve nitrogen balance. Nitrogen is a component of amino acids. By measuring a person’s nitrogen intake and losses, one can determine a person’s protein requirements. In periods of growth, there will be positive nitrogen balance. In periods of wasting or extended fasting, there will be negative nitrogen balance.

Some athletes probably aren’t trying to achieve nitrogen balance. Nitrogen balance assumes no change in protein stores but gaining muscle would require positive nitrogen balance. Some athletes may benefit from higher intakes, up to roughly 2.5g/kg protein per day. This becomes especially true when athletes are trying to lose weight while maintaining muscle mass. I’ve even heard some recommend athletes consume 15-20% of total calorie intake regardless of activity level. Which, for the general exercising population, would give recommendations withing the 1.2-2.5 range. However, for those with extremely high calorie requirements due to large training volumes, this could require intakes of over 3g/kg. Given the increased muscle protein breakdown during endurance exercise, I can understand, in theory, how this could be valid. However, more research is needed. And athletes with this high of requirements are likely a very small subset of the population (although possibly a high percentage of professional endurance athletes).

Generally, 20-40 grams is enough to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. Athletes should aim to consume this amount every 3-4 hours to maximize their time building protein stores. Additionally, the essential amino acid, leucine, may hold special importance and is favorably used to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. If possible, athletes should choose protein sources rich in leucine such as whey protein powder, milk, eggs, cheese, beef, tuna, or chicken.

Timing

I find its usually the pros who do the worst job of protein distribution throughout the day. Time and time again I hear athletes talking about only consuming easily digestible carbs (rice, toast, etc.) during the day as to not deal with GI distress during sessions. While these food items are great sources of carbs, they offer limited protein (4g for one cup white rice, and 3g for one slice white bread). Avoiding protein-rich foods during the day, only to consume them late in the evening after completing the day’s training isn’t ideal.

The timing of protein consumed throughout the day may influence an athlete’s adaptations to exercise. Consumption of protein is required for muscle protein synthesis to occur. Long time periods without a protein feeding result in continued muscle protein breakdown, an undesirable outcome for most athletes. Protein accumulation and growth only occurs in the fed state. Frequent, consistent protein intakes every 3-4 hours seem to be best for muscle protein synthesis which is temporary and usually lasts between 1-4 hours.

In Relation to Carbs

At a population level, most endurance athletes will see the greatest performance benefit by consuming enough carbohydrates to support their training. If there’s one piece of advice I could give, it would be to focus on that. In my opinion, that’s where most could see the greatest benefit. It’s likely that most athletes, while maybe not consuming optimum levels of protein, can get by consuming lower levels of the recommended range.

Secondly, protein induces satiety, making you feel fuller. This increased satiety may impact an athlete’s ability to consume enough carbohydrate which, again, is the priority goal.

Inadequate carbohydrate intake with high protein intake is more likely to impair exercise performance than an adequate carbohydrate intake with lower protein intake. However, meeting optimum levels of protein can have a positive effect on body composition, recovery, strength, and other aspects of performance.

Photo: Jordan Rapp / Certified Piedmontese Beef

The post Carbs Are King, But Don’t Forget the Protein first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

It’s not a new concept. It’s the all too familiar pasta party dinner before an event. As a kid, I can remember having pasta get-togethers before most swim meets and soccer tournaments. In college, it was a guaranteed pasta and red sauce with dinner rolls every night at championship meets. I ended up eating this spaghetti dinner so many times that I avoided it for several years afterwards. It’s true. Carbohydrates can improve exercise performance. The single pasta dinner may have worked for those events, but what’s best for competing in endurance events where you’re potentially racing for hours to days? These events require a bit more carb preparation.

What is Carb Loading?

Glucose is one of the primary fuel sources, and is the preferred fuel source for moderate to high intensity exercise. Carbohydrates in the diet are digested into simple sugars: glucose, fructose, and galactose. These sugars are sent to the liver, where fructose and galactose are converted into glucose, and then sent out into circulation. In periods of higher carb consumption, excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscle as glycogen. As circulating blood sugar levels drop, (i.e., you’ve gone several hours since your last meal) the glycogen in the liver is converted back to glucose and sent out into circulation. However, glycogen stored in the muscles can only be used by muscle and will not re-enter circulation in the bloodstream. Once the glycogen is there, its fate is to be used by the muscle.

By eating large quantities of carbohydrate, athletes can stuff their muscle to hold more glycogen. This means that there’s a readily available fuel source for muscles for exercise, already where it needs to be. With more fuel readily available, athletes can improve exercise performance in events lasting over 90 minutes and delay fatigue as carb loading extends the time until glycogen stores are fully depleted.

What happens when athletes run out of glucose? Fully depleting glycogen stores is what’s known in endurance sports as “hitting the wall” or “bonking”. Anyone who’s experienced it knows how unpleasant it feels. Unfortunately, it seems to get highlighted when athletes are struggling, losing control of their bodies, and crawl across the finish line. Instead of seeing an athlete in distress, many will see an under fueled athlete as inspirational. The muscles no longer have the energy they require to function properly. This results in sudden fatigue, muscle cramping, mental fog, reduced exercise capacity, and low blood sugar levels.

Generally, athletes can begin carb loading 24-72 hours in advance, but many different loading strategies could potentially be used. Athletes should aim to consume 8-12g carb per kilogram bodyweight per day. Initially it was believed that glycogen stores had to be fully depleted before a loading protocol could begin. This method has since been disproven. Once the glycogen is in the muscle, it’s not going anywhere until its used by the muscle. So, the combination of increasing carb intake in the days leading up to a race and lessening exercise (i.e., tapering) seems to be a good combination.

Women and Carb Loading

As with most research, we have significantly more data of the effects of carb loading and athletic performance in men than we do in women. However, it seems that female athletes can load carbohydrate stores at comparable levels to men when loading protocols are done appropriately. The effectiveness of carb loading in females seems to be dependent on the amount of carb ingested, the total energy (calorie) intake, and phase of the menstrual cycle in premenopausal women.

Women should aim to ingest 8-10g/kg carbohydrate in order to effectively load stores. For a 60kg (132lb) women, this is roughly 480-600 grams of carb per day. Since every gram of carb has four calories, this equates to 1920-2400 calories exclusively from carbohydrates. This doesn’t account for that fact that most foods offer a mix of nutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) not just carbohydrates, alone. This poses a difficult challenge for female athletes trying not to greatly overconsume calories while also tapering off exercise. Overeating calories may sound undesirable to some athletes. But in order to carb load effectively, some female athletes may need to overconsume their total energy intake by as much as 30% to achieve glycogen supercompensation.

Another factor affecting muscle glycogen storage in premenopausal women seems to be the phase of their menstrual cycle. Women have a greater capacity for storing muscle glycogen during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase. However, this is an area that requires more research before more specific menstrual cycle recommendations can be made.

Downsides to Carb Loading

It's not all rainbows and gummi candies during a carb load. Athletes may not feel that all carbohydrate loading strategies are well tolerated. Additionally, every gram of carbohydrate stored will store three to four grams of water along with it. For this reason, if you’re carb loading effectively, you should expect the scale to increase in the days leading into the race. Athletes should practice and choose a loading plan to minimize GI discomfort. Despite the negative feelings, carb loading is still beneficial to performance so it’s important to practice carb loading strategies prior to race day to figure out what works best.

Common Carb Loading Mistakes

I think where I most commonly see athletes go wrong in a carb load is using it as a free pass to eat whatever they want. Don’t get me wrong, pizza, donuts, and ice cream are all delicious sources of carbs, but they’re also probably too high in fat to be fully relied upon as carb loading foods. High fat foods become a problem for two reasons, one: total calorie intake becomes much higher than necessary (or desired) and two: fat induces satiety, so athletes may start to feel full before consuming enough carbohydrate to super compensate glycogen stores.

Athletes should choose foods that provide high amounts of carbohydrate, but minimal fat and fiber. Moderate amounts of protein are ok, but again, protein induces satiety so consuming high amounts can make you feel too full to eat enough. Instead of a food like potato chips, choose pretzels, or baked potato (without skin). Athletes should choose foods that are familiar. The saying, “nothing new on race day” holds true for the 24-48 hours leading into an event as well. Examples of high carb meals include pancakes with syrup, low-fiber cereal with banana, rice bowls, vermicelli noodle dishes, or pasta. Avoid alcohol and spicy food. As much as those foods can be fun going in, they can be very unpleasant going out, so they are best left until the race is over.

For those athletes who find it difficult to eat enough food, I suggest leaning into simple sources of carbohydrates or liquid carbs. This can be especially helpful in the final 24 hours leading into a race. Sugar-based candies such as jellybeans, Swedish fish, gummi bears, or dots all provide simple sugars and contain little to no protein or fat which make for good snacks between meals. Liquids like fruit juices (with or without added sugars), sports drinks, and soda also offer primarily carbs and may be easier to get down than foods. Many of these processed foods don’t offer much in terms of vitamins, minerals, or other important nutrients for health. But a few days of high intake aren’t going to derail your health and may help athletes achieve the high carb intakes they’re looking for.

Adequate training, hydration, and day-to-day nutrition all play a crucial role in race performance. Like everything else, practicing fueling, and carb loading are key. It’s important to remember that carb loading is just one piece of preparing for race day and does not reduce the need for stellar intra-race fueling plans. The better you can take in adequate fuel, the more likely you’ll have a positive race experience.

The post Effective Carb Loading Strategies first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

When you think triathlon, most people’s thoughts go to long distance racing. Long course racing is inspiring, with tales of overcoming adversity and feats of human endurance. But in reality, how many non-triathletes are sitting down and watching a full or half distance race from start to finish? Or even the highlight reel? Yes, to someone deeply involved in the sport, its highly entertaining, but outside of that? Is triathlon capable of becoming a spectator sport? For me, I think Super League has the best chance of becoming a series that people want to watch.

I raced in Super League’s Championship Series in 2018, 2019, and made a guest appearance in this year’s Toulouse race. Though I was never a top contender, this continues to be one of my favorite styles of racing. It’s fast. It's technical. It’s chaos. It’s unlike other triathlon events out there due to their unusual formats and distances.

The courses are tight and technical with features like tight chicanes, cobbles, or off-camber corners. Crashes happen, as evidenced by the viral clips on social media. Are these courses inherently dangerous? In my opinion, no, but I wouldn’t be putting young or inexperienced athletes on them either. These courses are for professional athletes, and you need to have professional-level bike handling in order to ride them. Neither fans nor athletes want to just roll around the course. The technical sections make racing fun, and incorporating features makes for great racing and spectating.

This year is the fifth year of Super League’s Championship Series. Super League has changed over the years, finding their footing with race formats, rules, and teams. The evolving rules, I think, come with experience and discovering what works well and what doesn’t. For example, watching athletes absolutely destroy the bottoms of their feet by running the run courses barefoot, to save vital seconds through transitions leading to shoe rules. With the team aspect, I was initially unsure of the decision (Cheetahs? Rhinos?), but I think this year they’ve done a better job of it. Trying to follow the model of Formula 1 racing, they’ve brought in team sponsors and managers. From an athlete perspective, it brings an additional sense of comradery having teammates. That and it makes the swim less of an all-out fist fight, at least to start. Still, I have a few memorable swim experiences from Super League races in the earlier years. Considering the first turn buoy is often around 100m from the race start, you can’t blame people for having their claws out.

How it Works

There are both individual and team components to racing. Athletes finishing in the top 15 will earn points for their respective teams. Extra points are on offer at the season finale in Neom, Saudi Arabia. Athletes can also earn additional points for clocking one of the top fastest swim, bike, or run times.

During the race, athletes can earn shortcuts, or “short chutes”, for their team to use in a later stage. These give an athlete the advantage of taking a shorter run distance in the final stage of the event. Short chutes are given to the first athletes to cross various points of the course. Which athlete gets to use the short chute from the team is up to the team manager. Once the short chute is assigned it can’t be changed, meaning the Team Managers must choose wisely when making decisions for the team.

There are various ways athletes can make money. Athletes finishing in the top 10 at each race, as well as finishing top 10 in the overall season ranking will earn prize money. The individual rankings and overall season rankings are decided by an athlete’s two best results from the first three events (London, Toulouse, Malibu), plus their results from the Championship final in Neom. Team scores accumulate over the course of the season, determining the finishing order of the teams and their share of the $300,000 team purse prize.

In addition, at the end of the season, each discipline leader: swim, bike, and run, will also earn $15,000 for their efforts.

In total, it’s around 1.24 million dollars available in prize money over the season. Making this series a viable career option for short course athletes. With that type of cash available, it's a purse that could pull athlete’s towards becoming Super League specialists, and away from World Triathlon racing all together.

I, for one, want to see the series keep growing. The events feel very professional, from branding, to scheduling, to how they treat their athletes. They also do a great job of community involvement: conducting school visits, putting on swim clinics for kids, meeting with local officials. They’re able to gain support in the local community and draws large crowds on race day.

What to Expect in Malibu

As I write this, it’s up in the air as to whether the Malibu event will take place. A small, endangered fish called a tidewater goby has made its home on part of the event course. Because the event is only a few days away, race organizers have been unable to obtain permits to devise an alternative race route. So far, all appeals from race organizers have been rejected. A final verdict is expected to be delivered early next week.

For those who’ve never watched a race, I urge you to watch one. The races consist of various formats of super-sprint distance swims, bikes, and runs. Formats have prominent names like The Enduro or Triple Mix.

With most athletes racing the Grand Final in Pontevedra, it will be interesting to see who can handle the cross-Atlantic travel and recovery. Considering Pontevedra is an Olympic qualifier for several countries, including the US, some athletes are sure to mentally turn off after a WTCS season that started in early March.

The race will be home race for the Warriors team, which boasts an all American lineup. Hoping to gain back points on home soil, the Warriors have employed unconventional race tactics in the past to stay competitive. With a full roster, and whispers of including an American Ironman recordholder, they will be grasping for every point possible.

The race itself will be Eliminator Format: Three rounds of 300m swim, 4km bike, and 1.6km run with a short break in between. The total times from stages 1 and 2 combine to determine the pursuit start times for Stage 3. The athlete that crosses the line first of stage three is the winner. As in all Super League events, athletes that fall 90 seconds back from the leader at any point are eliminated. So, if an athlete loses by 45 seconds on the first round, and 50 on the second, they are eliminated and not able to start round three.

The surf will definitely be a factor. We saw at the race last year that an athlete’s ability to catch a wave can create huge gaps out of the water. “Huge” being a relative term, but to put things in perspective 30 seconds could be the difference between first and fourteenth place in a round. The bike course is punchy with athletes needing to push lots of power out of tight corners to stay in the race. On the run, athletes will need to be able to accelerate out of 180 degree turns to keep their speed.

If anything is known about this race, it’s that there will be drama. Whether it be from team tactics, crashes, impressive skills, or a flustered team manager yelling from the sidelines, it’s bound to be entertaining.

Watch Super League Malibu on Saturday, September 30th here.

Images Courtesy of Super League

The post Behind the Scenes of Racing Super League first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Earlier this year, someone at USA Triathlon messaged me to see if I’d be interested in becoming a paratriathlon guide. As a guide, you work together with a visually impaired athlete and help them navigate through the swim, bike, and run. USAT is currently looking to expand their pool of guides so when athletes come along, they can pair them with someone who possesses a similar skillset. At the time, he’d said they had an athlete that could swim a sub two-minute 200yd free and they needed some athletes that could keep up. He mentioned they were holding a camp in August for potential guides and developmental VI athletes if I was interested in trying it out.

I had a lot of fun racing short course, but I’ve been out of racing World Triathlon events for almost two years. This, in fact, worked out because pros looking to become guides must not have raced elite World Triathlon sprint or standard distance events within the past 12 months. I figured this might be a fun opportunity to learn about VI athlete racing and learn a new skill set. In mid-August, I made my way to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for a week of learning.

Outside of a day tour, this was my first experience at the Olympic Training Center. Staying there, it definitely felt like being back in college. Living in dorms without an in-room bathroom and sharing a small room with another guide. I think it would be a great place to live if one-hundred percent of your life’s focus was sport, but it felt like an adjustment having to run down the hallway in the early morning to pee.

As a dietitian, I was very excited about visiting the cafeteria. The menu changes day-to-day, but there’s always an abundance of snacks to grab for training. A make your own smoothie bar with tart cherry juice or beetroot juice concentrate, hot sauce bar, grill, and salad bar. It’s evident the in-house dietitians have their hand in the design of the space and meal offerings. One day, there was even a made-to-order sushi station. It was wonderful. It’s not often as an adult that you get all your meals made for you and don’t have to do the dishes afterwards.

Camp was split into two parts. The first three days were just potential guides and the next three were guides and athletes together. The camp was run by Paralympic VI athlete, Aaron Scheidies, as well as several other USAT coaches. I haven’t spent much time considering what it might be like to be visually impaired, but that quickly changed at the first training session at a local track. During the run, athletes are connected using non-stretchy tethers either by the wrist or at the hip. We practiced by having one guide run with their eyes closed while the other gave commands. Running with your eyes closed feels both terrifying and liberating. It takes some practice to relax and trust that this person guiding you isn’t going to run you into a pole, especially running at speed or through any sort of technical section. I learned quickly that it’s important to know the course routes and mentally plan queues ahead of time, because on the second day, we were running up a new path and came up on an obstacle. I panicked and accidentally led one of the veteran guides, Andrew, into a shin-deep puddle.

The week was packed with activities. Breakfast usually started around 6am and we’d finish out final events by 8pm. Each day we would do some swim, bike, and run training. I think I was most looking forward to riding a tandem. We were lent several Calfee tandems to use for the week. Craig Calfee, the owner of Calfee bikes, was in attendance and helped us with set up and sizing, as well as teaching the group general knowledge about tandem bikes. Excitement to ride turned to nervousness trying to mount the bike for the first time. I never realized how unsteady a race tandem is at slow speeds. The bike wobbles uncontrollably as both people try to find their balance. This problem is easily remedied as you pick up speed, but wow, it brought me back to being a newbie. Once going, you realize tandems are pretty fun, and with two people it’s easy to hit high speeds.

Cornering a tandem takes some practice. Most World Triathlon courses have technical aspects to them, whether it be dead 180-degree turns or tight corners. You really have to lean the bike to turn it, while queuing things you normally wouldn’t think about like coasting before a turn or shifting gears.

The VI athletes in attendance came from various backgrounds. There were some experienced bike riders, and a few athletes crossing over from other sports like para climbing or track and field. In paratriathlon, there are three VI classes:

PTVI1 – Includes athletes who are totally blind, from no light perception in either eye, to some light perception.
PTVI2 – Includes athletes who are more severe partially sighted athletes.
PTVI3 – Includes athletes who are less severe partially sighted athletes.

All VI categories compete together in the same race. PTVI2 and PTVI3 athletes start roughly three minutes behind PTVI1 athletes to account for sight differences. Only about 10-15% of visually impaired athletes are totally blind. By World Triathlon rules, athletes in the PTVI1 category must race with blackout goggles throughout the entire race.

It was really fun getting to know these athletes, all with different stories. Some were young and many could have futures in the sport. Each person has their own queues they like, or amount of information they want to know while training, so communication becomes important. When guiding, it’s not about you. I think this is really important to remember. As a guide, you can’t pull or lead your athlete through the race, nor do you want to slow them down. Your job is to give queues to help them execute their own plan. It’s likely the best guides are people who are great athletes but also capable of building good relationships and communicating.

Overall, the camp was a great learning experience. It was really fun to be able to participate in sport and not have it be about yourself. Plus, triathlon is awesome, so it’s fun to be able to share that experience with others. Will I have a future as a paratriathlon guide? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. It’s unknown if or when the opportunity may arise but I’m open to the idea.

There’s always a need for more guides at every level. If you want to get involved, there’s more info available on USA Triathlon‘s website. Other resources to get involved include:

United in Stride
United in Stride is a tool for uniting visually impaired runners and sighted guides. Finding the right running partner can be challenging, and incredibly rewarding. Both VI athletes as well as those interested in guiding can create an account to find people in their local area.

Dare 2 Tri
A non-profit based out of Chicago. Dare 2 Tri is the first adaptive paratriathlon club/group. They work to support sport participation recreationally and competitively, while cultivating a sense of community for athletes and by building confidence, health and wellness through swimming, biking, and running.

The post The Art of Guiding first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

I am frequently asked the question, “what supplements do the pros take?” And I don’t really think people like my answer.

The smart ones take very few.

As much as supplements are marketed to athletes or by athletes, chances are most aren’t going to make any significant difference out on the race course. There are, however, a few exceptions.

Sports Foods

Of course, as a dietitian, I need to start here. Sports foods is an umbrella term for items like sports drinks, gels, electrolyte mixes or protein supplements. These food supplements are often convenient, and easy to access around training. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has a supplement framework available online which ranks supplements “according to scientific evidence and other practical considerations that determine whether a product is safe, permitted and effective in improving sports performance." Sports foods provide a convenient source of nutrients when other food is inaccessible or impractical. There is strong evidence that, when used in specific situations, sports foods like gels or chews benefit athletic performance.

This is not to say that every sports food, especially something like protein powder, is safe, uncontaminated, and effective. Consumers need to be careful when selecting which products they use. However, it’s well documented that their use can improve performance in endurance sports.

Medical Supplements

What’s one of the best ways to improve athletic performance? Correct nutritional deficiencies. Low iron levels? Using supplements to bring numbers up to normal range will likely have a huge benefit to an athlete’s fitness. The same goes for other nutritional deficiencies like Vitamin D, Zinc, or B12. It is imperative, before starting any supplementation protocol, to know your current nutrient status. Blindly supplementing can cause deleterious health effects. If you’ve determined you have a deficiency, it’s best to work with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian to figure out what supplement protocol is best for you.

Caffeine

Caffeine is found in the leaves, beans, and fruits of some plants and is regularly consumed by people all over the world. The most common sources of caffeine are coffee and tea, but it’s also found in other foods like chocolate, soda, energy drinks, and some sports foods. Caffeine works by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain, which reduce perceptions of fatigue and effort resulting in lower perceived exertion over a constant workload.

When it comes to caffeine, a higher dose isn’t always better. Side effects of too much caffeine include increased heart rate, anxiousness, increased gastrointestinal motility (hello coffee poops!), inability to focus, and disturbed sleep. The response to caffeine is highly variable between each person. It’s best to start with a lower dose, around 200mg or 1.5-3mg/kg. However, some athletes may function better with doses of 3-6mg/kg. It should be noted that habitual use of caffeine does not impair its performance benefits to athletes. Meaning, there’s no reason to avoid it in the days leading into competition. The benefit will be the same regardless.

Dietary Nitrate / Beetroot Juice

Nitric oxide can improve athletic performance through its role in the regulation of blood pressure, blood flow, mitochondrial respiration, immune function, and muscle contraction. Dietary nitrate, from products like beetroot juice, increases the availability of nitric oxide in the body. It appears to be beneficial for endurance exercise and in hypoxic exercise conditions such as training at altitude.

Dietary nitrate is found in leafy greens, some fruits, and some processed meats. It’s not recommended to increase your processed meat consumption to increase your dietary nitrate intake. However, there can be health benefits from increasing fruit and vegetable dietary sources of nitrate from things like beets, beetroot juice, bok choy, arugula, or celery. Because of the variability of nitrate concentrations between foods, it’s recommended to use a supplement like concentrated beetroot juice before events for best results because these products tend to have more consistent nitrate levels. Highly trained athletes should load dietary nitrate in the days leading into competition by taking 350-600mg nitrate each day for three days before racing. On race day, athletes should then consume 300-600mg nitrate 2.5 hours before the start of their event. As with all things racing, this supplement protocol should be practiced in training before attempting supplementation pre-event.

When choosing a supplement, look for natural sources of nitrate like beetroot juice. Importantly, nitrite or nitrite salt are easily confused for nitrate and can be toxic. Beet root may cause mild GI discomfort, so supplementation needs to be practiced. It should also be noted that there’s limited research on the impact of nitrate supplementation in women, nor is there much research on long term, consistent nitrate supplementation.

Other Supplements

There are a few other notable supplement mentions. Creatine seems to be beneficial in some instances in endurance sports. It provides energy for short, maximal intensity exercise in the make-or-break moments of an endurance sport such as a sprint finish. It also seems to be beneficial for brain health and recovery from mild concussion. However, creatine supplementation can result in 1-2kg body weight gain from fluid retention which may be a downside for some athletes.

Beta alanine supplementation may help buffer the acid buildup for high intensity exercise. Athletes would need to supplement for four to eight weeks to increase muscle stores. In which case, the downside to beta alanine supplementation can be the financial cost. Another downside being possible paraesthesia, an uncomfortable skin tingling sensation which can last up to an hour after high dose supplementation.

Similarly, sodium bicarbonate also acts as a buffer reducing lactic acid build up in high intensity exercise. This supplement has potential. However, the downside being what I will call “pants-exploding GI distress” which could negate any potential performance benefit. It’s still unclear if there’s a benefit of sodium bicarbonate applied directly to the skin.

Supplement Safety and Anti-Doping

All supplements carry risk, even things as simple as electrolyte mixes or protein powders. Here in the US, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements. They are not reviewed for safety or effectiveness before being made available to consumers. The dosage listed on the label might be drastically different than when actually contained in the product. Not to mention, cross contamination of manufacturing equipment resulting in the banned substances presence in benign products.

If you are going to take supplements, look for items with either a NSF or Informed Sport certification. These products are batch tested for 250+ substances that are banned by WADA.
NSF also verifies caffeine and protein content of their products.

Would I recommend the above supplements to athletes? Sports foods, absolutely. Medical supplements? If there was a deficiency that called for them, sure. The others? They’re definitely not going to be the first point of focus. People need to nail the basics first. This means eating enough, eating around exercise, adequate sleep, proper hydration, and managing stress. Focusing on these aspects will bring about bigger improvements than supplements will.

The supplements that will get you to run the same speed as Jason West, probably aren’t legal. And by that, I’m not inferring that he or any other big performers that work for years are doping. I’m saying that there are no legal shortcuts to getting to the top level of sport. There are few legal supplements that actually improve athletic performance more than a marginal amount. Your best bet is to focus on the big picture. Focus on your training. Focus on your recovery. Supplements are there to do just that: supplement.

The post On Supplements first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Part of the challenge of racing an Ironman (or any race) is making it to the start line. Every year, we see big names unable to race the biggest races, whether it be due to injury, illness, or otherwise. I would love to see a statistic on how many pros who qualify for world champs do not make it to the start line. Maybe 20%? Depending on the year? Obviously, there’s many factors that contribute to getting to toe the line.

Which leads me to today’s topic, which I think is one of the biggest issues we have in the sport of triathlon: under fueling, low energy availability, and RED-S. I’ll get into the definitions here of each in a bit, but I have to wonder how much better athletes would perform, and how much stronger the quality of field at events could be if there was a stronger focus on fueling training sessions compared to the focus of body weight. Now, I’m not lost on the fact that power to weight is an important aspect of many endurance sports. But if the focus on weight precedes focus on adequate fueling and recovery, then we have a problem. Currently, the sport of triathlon has this precise problem.

I think it’s important to note here that it’s impossible to say that the reason all athletes fail to start a race is due to underfueling. That’s a rash conclusion and impossible to say definitively from an outside perspective. Do I think it’s possible underfueling impacted some of them? Absolutely. We know that under fueling increases risk of illness and injury… the reasons why many athletes are unable to start races.

RED-S stands for Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and is a syndrome with “impaired physiological functioning caused by relative energy deficiency and includes, but is not limited to, impairments of metabolic rate, menstrual function, bone health, immunity, protein synthesis and cardiovascular health." The cause of RED-S is a mismatch between an athlete’s energy intake (input) and energy expenditure (output), leaving inadequate energy to support necessary functions for health. RED-s includes a broad spectrum of health, physiological and performance outcomes in both females and males, and can occur in individuals regardless of body size. This mismatch of energy intake (low) to energy output (high) which leaves inadequate energy available for normal physiological processes is what’s known as Low Energy availability (LEA).

RED-S is an evolution of the Female Athlete Triad. The female athlete triad was known as a relationship between low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and decreased bone mineral density. Over the years, the female athlete triad was expanded by RED-S as we’ve learned that the condition not only affects women, but also men, and the spectrum of health consequences associated with LEA is much larger than just menstrual dysfunction and low bone mineral density.

Other Symptoms of RED-S

We’ve heard for years about inadequate energy (calorie) intake, low bone mineral density, stress fractures, and missing periods. Yet, it’s amazing to me the number of stories I’ve heard of healthcare practitioners dismissing missed periods as acceptable as “normal for female athletes”, or the use of contraceptive pills as a band aid fix to get periods back (it’s not) without addressing the calorie deficit which initiated the problem. However, some symptoms of RED-S that people experience may not be initially associated with low energy availability, like for example, gastrointestinal issues.

The human body is resourceful. If decreased energy is available, certain functions deemed as less significant to survival will diminish in capacity. Let’s say you’re being chased by a bear. Is it more important to digest the food in your system or direct energy needs to your leg muscles so you can run away? This is why there’s a correlation between LEA and increased incidence of gastrointestinal distress than in athletes with Adequate Energy Availability.

If calories are scarce, many hormonal changes occur. This likely happens to conserve energy to allow for the most vital body functions to continue. Another function you don’t need to survive? Reproduction. Testosterone lowers in males, and men may experience low sex drives. Menstrual disruptions happen in females. Athletes may also experience sleep disruptions, irritability, or depressed moods.

In fact, low energy availability negatively impacts a multitude of processes including cardiovascular health. High cholesterol and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is more common for women suffering from LEA than women with adequate energy availability. Although exercise is protective against cardiovascular events, high cholesterol associated with LEA may have long term negative health consequences.

Training and Recovery

In my opinion, one of the greatest factors which results in peak athletic performance is the ability to train consistently. Stacking day after day to create small, consistent improvements over time. Frequent injuries, or illness will impact an athlete’s ability to do this. Other, less known symptoms of RED-s ">include decreased coordination, decreased concentration, and impaired judgement, factors which culminate into increased injury risk. Low energy intake can also be both cause and a symptom of iron deficiency anemia, impairing oxygen delivery to body tissues making it difficult to train.

There is some evidence suggesting that the risk of illness is three times higher in athletes at risk of LEA compared to those without. Injury risk could be 4.5 times higher for LEA athletes, which is no surprise considering the impact of reduced energy availability of bone mineral density and recovery.

Eventually, low energy availability leads to athletic performance decline. Athletes may not see it right away; some may even have an increase in performance before things totally fall apart. In an effort to conserve energy, metabolism decreases, causing a reduction in lean mass, resulting in undesirable changes in body composition. Inadequate carbohydrate and protein intakes lead to decreased glycogen storage and reduced protein synthesis, which means athletes will see less performance gains from training.

RED-S is a multifactorial condition in athletes. Whether the cause is unintentional under fueling, disordered eating, or eating disorder, the outcome can be the same. It’s a common thought to “workout so I can eat”. Instead, athletes will benefit from implementing a “fuel so I can train” perspective. Like the gas tank of a car, you won’t be able to run on empty forever, Eventually, there is a breaking point, and it will eventually come at the cost of health and athletic performance.

The post Under Fueling, Low Energy Availability, & RED-S first appeared on Slowtwitch News.