wellness

  • safety, Supplements, Vitamins/ Minerals, Wellness

    Is erythritol better to use instead of sugar?

    Most people these days are looking for ways to help reduce their added sugar intake. Food companies know this and are continuing to work on ways to provide that while still offering the sweetness many are looking for. This has resulted in a large increase in artificial sweetener use and thus consumption. There are a lot of different types out there with different levels of sweetness and effects on the body. Popularity of different sweeteners tend to come and go in waves but erythritol tends to stick around a bit more. While more research is always needed, we do see a few trends with erythritol.

    What is erythritol?

    Erythritol is a fairly popular sugar alternative and does provide some non-nutritive sweetness. After being consumed the majority of it goes unmetabolized and kicked back out in the urine. Seems like a simple concept of no calories yet still sweet tasting. Erythritol is found in foods naturally to an extent but the bulk erythritol you may see at the grocery store does require a little bit of processing to extract that. One of the big challenges in studying erythritol though is that the body produces it naturally as well. Increased consumption of glucose and/or fructose actually results in greater erythritol production within the body.

    Sugar substitutes are a love/hate topic in general. Erythritol is one of those that may be ok to have some of but moderation is still key.

    Some research looking at blood levels of erythritol then make it tough to tell if the effects are due to erythritol intake itself or just higher production from greater glucose/fructose intake. Controlling and accounting for actually dietary intake is a key piece of information not always available. If only nutrition research was easier! But some common items that contain this sugar substitute for examples include sweeteners Splenda and Truvia, gum and many “sugar free” baked goods/desserts.

    Is it safe?

    Some studies on other sweeteners with mice showed potential cancer inducing effects at very high dosages. With erythrol at least that doesn’t appear to occur. Definitely a positive even if it is still only in animals these tests are being done (understandably so I might add). Another common complication with sweeteners is the impact on the stomach. Too much can tend to cause nausea, gas or even diarrhea. Chalk another win up for erythritol as it appears to not contribute to those feelings as much. It’s important to emphasize though that the majority of the studies being done are in animals. As a result, make sure to take some of these results with a grain of salt.

    Additional surprise benefits of erythritol

    Erythritol is likely your dentist’s favorite sweetener! It has been shown to help improve oral health by slowing the development of dental caries. Metabolically there may be benefits as well in regards to helping maintain a steady glucose level. Glucose and energy spikes/crashes can occur when sugar is consumed in particularly by itself. Erythritol has shown to potentially lessen that glucose swing and help process that swing by slowing down the absorption of that sugar. Similar type of effect of when adding protein and fat to carbs to help stabilize glucose responses.

    With the improved glucose response and potential to add a little bit of increased satiety, erythritol is not a magical weight loss ingredient. If used as a sugar substitute it can help with some caloric reduction. It’s the reduced calories that contribute to the weight loss, not anything crazy from the substitute itself.

    Should you be having erythritol?

    It is always a good idea to try and limit your sugar and sugar substitute intake as best you can. There is still so much that we don’t know about how artificial sweeteners can impact our body. With erythritol in particular a big challenge is differentiating the effects of consumed erythritol versus the amount the body is producing on its own. Higher levels of naturally produced erythritol can indicate problems are going on metabolically. Studies looking at its effect show correlations with higher blood levels of it for both positives and negatives but without looking at diet specifically it’s almost impossible to tell what is actually contributing to those results. While a little sweetener isn’t the end of the world, moderation like usual is still key.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Energy, Performance, Sleep, Wellness

    Best napping strategies to maximize your performance

    This isn’t the first no will it be the last time I write about the benefits of sleep. Odds are very high that if you are wanting to improve anything, sleep can help. Sleep doesn’t just mean at night when the sun is down though. Sleep also includes when we’re napping. Depending on how you implement napping into your routine, there are a lot of benefits to be had.

    Impact on cognitive and physical performance

    Top to bottom sleep can have a big impact on the body. When sleeping the body is able to recover and repair itself to perform better the next day. This performance includes both mental and physical. Cognitively the benefits include improved ability to focus as well as reaction time. Improved focus is beneficial for anyone regardless the task at hand to be able to be more productive. The added reaction time improvement though can really aid athletes. Being able to focus on what is occurring during a game helps to know where teammates and opponents are a bit better to make better decisions. Then when needing to act upon that, faster reaction times produce better results. Split seconds can be the difference between winning and losing so never discredit that. Physically as well overall strength and recovery is improved with a quick nap beforehand. 

    How long to spend napping

    Knowing that sleep and napping is beneficial, the natural question is how long to nap. Overall the most benefits seem to pop up when napping for 30-60 minutes. Shorter naps seem to not have as much of an effect as sometimes it can even be too short of a time to even actually fall asleep. Longer naps can be interesting though as we start to get into REM and deep sleep cycles. The biggest thing is wanting to avoid waking up in the middle of a cycle. That can result in feeling even worse when you are trying to wake up. If napping for longer than 60 minutes, going a full 120 minutes may be your best option. That will allow for the potential to get a complete sleep cycle in and not wake up in the middle. 

    Everyone loves a good nap! Napping in the proper manner though can help make sure that you maximize the benefits from it.

    After napping grogginess

    As mentioned previously, that grogginess after waking up is never ideal. Especially if poorly timed and you are having to perform very quickly after waking. A good rule of thumb is to allow for at least an hour after napping before your event. For most people that full hour is enough time to rub the sleep out of the eyes and be good to go. The benefits will have fully kicked in to be feeling alert and ready to perform. Some of the research is showing as well that allowing even more time can have better benefits. So if not in a time-crunch, try to give yourself some extra time after waking up before heading out. For example, if having a game at 7:00pm, a 2:00pm nap could be perfect.

    Good night vs. bad night of sleep

    Napping has shown benefits on days after both a good or bad night of sleep. Yet surprisingly a greater amount of benefit has been seen after nights of adequate sleep. Many times, we tend to think that after difficult nights that taking a nap can erase those negatives. Sadly, it may not be that easy. While napping absolutely can help, it’s still incredibly important to do your best to get a solid night of sleep.

    Key takeaways

    Everyone can benefit from a lovely nap! If really looking to maximize your performance, having a 30-60 minute day during the day is the goal. Make sure to give yourself at least 60 minutes afterwards to fully wake back up though. All of this starts with ensuring you had a good night sleep the night before for peak performance. Get yourself to bed at a decent time and take a nap beforehand if possible but if a student please don’t try and use this as an excuse to sleep in class! I don’t want any angry letters from teachers.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Beet, Energy, Performance, Supplements, Wellness

    Impact of arginine and citrulline on athletic performance

    There’s no sleep for the supplement industry. Arginine and citrulline are relatively popular one’s touted for improving athletic performance. The evidence unfortunately isn’t entirely there to back those claims up. Logically though the potential is there. Yes, I’m saying there’s a chance! Let’s dig into this a bit to see what’s there.

    What is arginine and citrulline?

    Arginine and citrulline are amino acids that aid nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide helps dilate blood vessels to allow better blood flow and oxygen delivery. In the world of sports (and life in general) having adequate oxygen is a very good thing! Having enough oxygen ensure muscles are able to continue contracting and doing everything asked of them. That enhanced blood flow also allows for easier deliver of nutrients to muscles which can aid recovery. One the other end as well it also helps increase efficiency in removing any byproducts that the body needs to clear out. More of the “good” stuff and less of the “bad” stuff.

    Supplements arginine and citrulline are touted for improving athletic performance. The research may not necessarily back that up.

    Sources of arginine and citrulline

    The most effective manner to get arginine and citrulline is through supplementation. It’s not that they aren’t in foods but that the amounts needed are greater than would likely be achieved through food. Both are still helpful for an overall well-rounded diet though. Food wise, arginine can be found in meat, nuts/seeds, dairy and whole grains. Citrulline is found most abundantly in watermelon but also in cantaloupe and cucumbers. All of these foods you likely are already consuming but now have an added reason to continue doing so!

    Impact on performance

    The potential to help increase delivery of oxygen to muscles helps in many ways as mentioned previously. Increasing oxygen availability also allows for more efficient metabolism of nutrients for energy production. This means less lactic acid would be produced and in theory allow for better endurance. Studies looking into these improvements though aren’t conclusive. Most are showing no benefit from arginine and citrulline but also not showing detriments. Right now, the most positive findings appear to be in citrulline taken as 6g of citrulline malate for at least two weeks for possible results.

    Alternative options

    Similar types of effects have been shown in beet juice consumption. Beets are able to provide nitrates directly and thus increase that blood flow more effectively. While there may be other possible pathways that arginine and citrulline could have an impact, beets are the best bet for nitrates and oxygen delivery. Another benefit of beets is that you are able to take it as it is via food or juice. No having to worry about contaminated supplements when opting for food!

    Is it worth it?

    Right now, I would say in short…no. Your money would be better spent elsewhere such as your grocery bill for quality food. That’s not to say more studies may not come out in the future and make me eat my words. As of right now though there isn’t enough evidence to say it’s worth it. Having some beet juice and a bit of watermelon before games would be my recommendation.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Gut Health, safety, Supplements, Wellness

    Supplements and their big impact on an athlete’s gut

    You can find supplements for just about anything if you look hard enough. Not all of them though live up to their marketing hype. One area of interest is in helping athletes avoid stomach and other GI (gastrointestinal) issues. For individuals who push their bodies to the extreme, it puts a lot of strain on the body. This includes straining the gut and can cause some unwanted side effects. Typically, this can result in some hurried trips to the bathroom, nausea and burping. None of which are very pleasant experiences. As a result, some supplements have started to claim the ability to help those symptoms. Sadly, many of them aren’t quite all that they claim to be.

    Supplements that may be helpful

    Supplements can be found for everything and they can be impactful both positively and negatively on an athlete's gut.

    Anytime that the gut is involved probiotics tend to make an appearance. In this situation they are a welcome addition though. With so many different types of probiotics it’s important to make sure you are taking the right ones. There is a lot to still be learned but the most beneficial strains are likely to be Biffidobacterium- and Lactobacillus-based species.

    Glutamine is another supplement that in theory could help. Studied individually glutamine is involved with helping keep the gut lining tightly bound. This prevents any inflammatory items from getting into the body. While in theory this is great, be careful if trying it out. It is about a 50-50 chance that it could actually cause some negative GI effects on its own. Ginger is another supplement that can have some benefits. It is generally used to help reduce and relieve feelings of nausea. This is why most cruises will have ginger candies on board! Be careful with this as well though as sometimes the flavor doesn’t sit well and can also cause issues.

    Supplements that could wreck your gut

    It may come as a surprise but carbohydrates is a common one. Carbs are beneficial as a quick source of energy but it needs to be with the proper types and amounts. Too much carbohydrate can upset the stomach due to flooding the system with more than the gut can absorb. Consuming a mixture of different carbs that provides both glucose and fructose can help. Those two use two different transports to be absorb and ease the burden on the stomach. This is a great example again of why more isn’t always better for certain things.

    Caffeine is one of the most studied and proven performance enhancers out there. Too much though can have a negative effect (notice a trend). Just like too much coffee itself can cause you to have to go to the bathroom, too much caffeine via other means as well can have a similar effect. Try limiting yourself to ~2 cups of coffee to avoid overdoing it while still getting the caffeine benefits. Sodium bicarbonate has also been shown to be beneficial with helping high intensity activities and muscular endurance. The reason many don’t use it though is because it can be easy to take too much and if that happens, you’re in for a rough ride. A very small amount is all that is needed to get the benefits so when scooping it be very careful. GI issues (most commonly diarrhea) can occur within about just an hour give or take.

    Remember safety first

    Like with all supplements you want to be very cautious with where you are getting them and the brands that you are selecting. Especially if you are an athlete getting drug tested! The two main logos to look for on a product to show it’s been tested are NSF Certified and Informed Choice Sport. While this doesn’t 100% guarantee anything it certainly helps provide a safety net.

    Key takeaways

    It goes back to rule number one, no new foods/supplements on game days! All of the items listed here do have benefits when used in the proper manner. It’s important to test things out during practice to ensure you know how to properly use them. There is also a lot of individualization with everything regarding how someone responds to it. What works great for one person could send another running to the bathroom. So make sure you are testing this in practice first to avoid any unwanted surprises during the game.

    If looking to help provide a little extra protection for your gut though, probiotics as of now seem to be the way to go. As mentioned earlier the strains you will want to look for are Biffidobacterium- and Lactobacillus-based species. While there is lots of research needed to be done across the board, those seem to have the most promise. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Diets, Energy, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Energy needs not being met for professional female soccer players

    Any athlete in any sport is going to play better if meeting their energy needs. The way this is done is by simply eating. That is the very first thing that all other nutrition strategies are built off of. Macros, vitamins, minerals are all very important and are all acquired by the same manner. Eating! Unfortunately, a new study dove into things and found many professional female soccer players aren’t meeting their energy needs.

    Energy needs are key for performance

    For your body to do anything at all it requires energy. If asking it to do some intense things it naturally is going to have even greater energy needs. Before worrying about carbs, protein or fat, the energy piece of the puzzle comes first. Far too common though most people, not just athletes, are afraid of eating too much. Whether it be a goal of losing weight, improving body comp or to avoid gaining weight, energy restriction is the end result. There is a time and place for energy restriction but it has become far too common. Chronic restriction and not meeting energy needs can have a lot of negatives. Worse performance being a main one, muscle loss, slower metabolism and increased injury risk are all problems resulting from underfueling.

    Energy needs are high for soccer players and it's not uncommon for professional female soccer players to not be meeting their energy needs.

    Intake vs. energy needs of professional players

    Soccer players burn a lot of energy! I know, ground breaking information right there. On average the female players in this study had daily energy needs of ~2900 calories. Yes, you read that right and it isn’t 2,000 or 1,200 the two common numbers that typically many strive for. If wanting great things from your body you have to give it great fuel. Unfortunately though ~23% were underfueling on training days and ~36% on match days. When tracking food intake, underreporting is very common but the point remains.

    Where is the deficit coming from?

    For match day and training days protein and fat intakes didn’t change much. That is perfectly ok and not a major issue especially regarding the protein. On off days and match days you still need to fuel your muscles so protein intake is fairly steady. Fat is something that can increase on match days though purely to help with calories. Carbs though were the biggest thing as that intake remained steady throughout. For optimal fueling, those are something that should be tapered down a bit on off days and then increased on match days as intensity increases.

    Encourage proper fueling

    The temptations for calorie restriction are real and incredibly prevalent. It’s easier said than done but don’t fall for the trap. Ensuring that your energy needs are provided will turn you into a better athlete. Simple as that. Before concerning yourself with determining how much protein or carbs to have, just start with eating. If you’re currently on eating one meal per day you’re asking the wrong questions. So make sure you’re fueling your body to perform your best and even decrease injury risk.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Body Composition, Energy, Fasting, Metabolism, Performance, Weight, Wellness

    Fasting before evening workouts have pros/cons to consider

    Every week it seems something new is coming out regarding the effects of fasting. In particular many are looking at the potential combined effects of fasting before exercise. If both fasting and exercise have potential benefits, the two together should be even better right? This seems to be the common thought process but not always the case. Most studies though have looked at the impact of overnight fasting on exercise. A recent one came out looking at the impact on evening workouts for a new perspective.

    Effects of fasting

    Fasting workouts are normally done in the morning after sleeping before breakfast but doing so in the evening also has pros/cons to consider.

    Most people experiment with fasting for one of two common reasons. One is weight loss and the other is improving metabolic health and adaptations. Weight loss comes from being in a caloric deficit and is true for any diet one may be following. It makes sense then that if reducing the time available to eat that overall less calories will be consumed. Pairing that with some extra physical activity to burn more calories, more weight is lost. Can’t argue with that side of things.

    The metabolic adaptations are aimed at increasing the body’s ability to burn fat. Without eating anything (carbs in particular) the body is still needing energy from somewhere. To get that energy and keep functioning, fat is what gets utilized more. By forcing the body to use fat, it becomes better at that process. Just like when we practice something, the more we do it the better we get. So, if the body is using more fat and we are consuming less calories, the weight being lost should be coming mostly from fat. Then adding in some exercise on top of that may accelerate all of these things theoretically.

    Exercise while fasting

    In theory all signs point to a greater energy deficit for more weight loss and increased fat usage. But the exercise piece of this is going to be a bit of a struggle. As most of us have experienced firsthand, when hungry we usually aren’t feeling the best. This can result in a worse training session due to decreased performance. While more fat may proportionally be getting burned in that workout, less overall energy is likely being used meaning less overall fat burned.

    In the latest study this was shown in males and females that when asked to give peak performance, they came up short when fasted. Even when given an all you can eat buffet afterwards though, a bit more food was consumed in the fasted group but it didn’t offset the amount from skipping a meal earlier. So overall a caloric deficit was still the result. Interestingly though this increased intake post-exercise was only seen in males. Females ate equal amounts in both groups and resulted in even greater caloric deficit as a result.

    Is this a good strategy?

    The infamous response is, it depends. In the short term it can help with some weight loss and fat loss. This comes at a cost though where you aren’t getting the most out of your workouts. Especially for athletes looking to improve performance, this can be a big problem. It also can make it tougher to recover properly. The body needs energy and in particular protein to repair itself after those hard trainings. If in a constant deficit and not getting enough protein you’re going to feel more sore and performing worse. Rough combination there. Whether considering fasted exercise in the morning or evening like this study, there are trade-offs that need to be considered.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Injury, Performance, safety, Wellness, Youth

    Specializing in one sport may not be the best for young runners

    It’s becoming increasingly common for kids to start specializing in just one sport. Not only is this happening more overall but it’s happening at an even younger age as well. Logically this makes sense as the more you practice the better you get. So understandably if you start sooner and practice longer you would likely be better. In the world of sports and athletes though this could have some physical implications needing to be considered.

    Specializing in running

    There are different fun runs and events seemingly every week now. Ranging from the Turkey Trots to Shamrock Shake 5k runs families always have something to participate in. With these events it’s great to see young kids joining in on the runs as well! This is a great way to encourage physical activity in youth and get them interested in running. Certainly, better things than watching Netflix all day! For some kids who really enjoy it though may want to start running competitively. If wanting to do so, that’s great but be mindful if that becomes their only form of activity.

    Specializing in one sport is becoming increasingly common especially amongst youth athletes but some caution may be needed with this.

    Running is great physical activity and does wonders for the cardiovascular system! Running though involves a very repetitive movement done in just a single linear path. There may be some hills or slight turns but it’s generally the same actions and stress on the body. For overall wellness and strength of the entire body it’s best to mix things up a little bit. Participating in various sports that involve more changes in direction and different stress loads on the body will help to become more well-rounded an athlete and also decrease injury risk. Younger athletes in particular can really benefit from this.

    Youth athlete specialization

    Adolescents are going through a lot of changes physically. Particularly, it’s at a young age when bones do their most strengthening and development. Participating in different activities and exposing the body to different stressors sends the signal to those muscles/bones that they need to be strong to withstand those stressors. For an athlete who may only be running, they are getting just one stimulus. This can potentially increase the risk of injury later on, particularly stress fractures. Mixing things up with participation in other sports as well can help decrease this risk. Sports such as basketball or soccer which involve a lot of change of direction can provide that different stimulus to help strengthen bones even more.

    Decrease future injury risk in youth athletes

    Specializing in one sport can certainly be ok! If that particular athlete in particular athlete really enjoys one sport that is ok to prioritize it. That doesn’t mean it has to be the only form of activity that they have though. Playing different sports and proper strength training all can help keep the body healthy with less risk of injury. Pair that up with ensuring they are eating enough with some good calcium sources will have them built for success. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Carbs, Inflammation, Recovery, Wellness

    Inflammation from too much sugar and high fructose corn syrup

    As time has gone on sugar has seemingly been getting added to foods left and right. It’s in salad dressings, coating nuts/seeds, coffee and even cough drops. This continued exposure to sugar can cause low-grade chronic inflammation in the body. If left unchecked this inflammation can cause a lot of negatives down the road. It appears as well that not all sugar is equal in their responses either. This inflammation impact seems to be even higher in items containing high fructose corn syrup.

    Types of sugar

    All carbohydrates are a form of sugar. There is a wide variety of sugars though and not all are necessarily equal. Sugar coming from items from items such as oats and fruit are very different than the carbs coming from things such as Sour Patch Kids. It’s the ‘added sugars’ that more attention needs to be paid to. Table sugar and high fructose corn syrup are the most popular added sugars and they both can cause inflammation in the body. The extent of that inflammation is a little different between the two.

    Inflammation can be caused by consuming too much added sugar. High fructose corn syrup especially can increase inflammation in the body.

    Inflammation effects

    Inflammation is a response from the body reacting to typically injuries or sickness/infections. In these moments inflammation can be a good thing as it helps the body recover. Being constantly in an inflamed stated though is where many negatives occur. That can cause increased soreness and if left unaddressed even more major issues such as cardiovascular disease. Definitely not something to be desired neither as an athlete needing to recover quickly between games or for anyone looking to optimize overall health.

    Sources of high fructose corn syrup

    Added sugars are a major source of inflammation. Mostly this is unfortunately due to the fact that it is in just about every product out there! One type of added sugar in particular can cause a bit extra inflammation, high fructose corn syrup. This is found is a lot of the commonly referred to “junk foods”. Top contributors are candy, soda, fast food and a lot of commercial sauces. Part of why these items are encouraged to be consumed in moderation is because of their inflammatory effect. Some added sugar can be beneficial in specific situations such as during high intensity activities. Throughout the day though and when sitting on the couch relaxing, snacking on some candy may not be the best idea.

    Strategies to reduce inflammation

    Inflammation can be reduced in more ways than just limited those foods. Consuming antioxidant rich foods like fruits and vegetables are a fantastic start! You’re never going to get away from being encouraged to eat your broccoli. Proper hydration and getting adequate sleep are also huge components for keeping the body in a good spot and reducing inflammation. Keep the added sugar to as much of a minimum as possible especially for athletes with congested game schedules. Pair that up with a salad, big glass of water and going to bed and your body will be feeling great!

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Alcohol, Body Composition, Hydration, Inflammation, Injury, Performance, Recovery, Sleep, Wellness

    Alcohol and its impact on your health goals

    Most people’s health goals involve things such as improved strength, body composition, energy, performance and recovery. Alcohol negatively impacts all of those across the board. For many of us, weekdays are the busiest and then as soon as the weekend comes, that’s when we prioritize resting. Unfortunately, though if that relaxation involves regular alcohol consumption it may never truly allow the body to get the rest it needs. That’s not to say you can never have alcohol! You just want to be very mindful of when and how much you are having. Athletes in particular whose livelihood centers around optimizing performance. Athletic Brewing is a great non-alcoholic beer example of how to potentially bridge the gap of having a cold one without hurting your goals.

    Alcohol prevents quality sleep

    A popular belief is that alcohol actually helps you sleep. This is based off of how many tend to fall asleep quicker after having some alcohol. This is a false belief as it simply gives the perception of better sleep. While it is true you may fall asleep quicker, the quality of sleep can be severely impacted. With deep and REM sleep being where a lot of the ‘magic’ happens this whole process gets skipped. As a result, the body isn’t able to recovery physically or cognitively as well.

    Alcohol is a part of many social settings and regularly abound. Just because it's common doesn't mean it isn't without negative effects.

    One day/night of this isn’t the end of the world. If done a bit more frequently though the effects will add up and take a toll. Sleep is one of the greatest factors into one’s wellbeing and anything that impacts it needs to be kept in consideration. Getting enough sleep overall is tough enough for most of us so it’s important to preserve the quality of what we do get.

    Body composition, recovery and injury

    This shouldn’t be too much of a surprise but if looking to optimize your physical wellbeing, alcohol isn’t of much assistance. Two of the biggest factors stem from cortisol and testosterone. Alcohol has a big impact on both of them in a negative way. Cortisol experiences an increase while testosterone has a decrease. Again, not an ideal situation for muscle building and repair.

    Cortisol is a stress hormone that stimulates muscle breakdown. Typically, cortisol is associated with general life and physical stress as well as poor sleep. Alcohol itself causes a direct increase in cortisol which adds to that. Testosterone is a key hormone that is very potent at stimulating muscle growth. Due to its benefits, that is why some athletes have gotten in trouble for taking some “extra” of it. Especially if recovering from an injury, to be back to your old self quicker try and avoid alcohol as best you can.

    Alcohol is not hydrating

    Just like sleep, hydration impacts everything in the body from head to toe. Alcohol though is a diuretic causing you to lose more water than what alcohol provides. Dehydration contributes to less blood volume overall causing the heart to have to work harder. With less blood, it needs to circulate more and quicker to make up for it. Blood delivers all the important nutrients to your muscles and organs as well and clears out any byproducts. It takes that to the kidneys and liver to clean things up and keep the body in a prime state.

    On top of that, when in a dehydrated state your body is at a greater risk for injury. A good comparison is a raw steak versus beef jerky. When in a hydrated state, your muscles are like a raw steak which is tough to tear if you tried to pull it apart. On the other hand, muscles are more similar to jerky when dehydrated. While it may still be a bit tougher to pull apart, it’s significantly easier than the steak. Nobody enjoys those annoying muscle pulls so control what you can control to decrease your risk. 

    Athletic Brewing – non-alcoholic option

    After so much discussion on the negative effects of alcohol, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a beer anymore! There is a surge in non-alcoholic beer companies now to help bridge that gap. None of which do it better than Athletic Brewing! That is why my wife and I are proud to have teamed up with them. Athletic Brewing allows the ability to enjoy a beer, especially in social settings, while not sacrificing your recovery. There are a lot of non-alcoholic beers out there but none have compared to the taste of Athletic Brewing. You still want to make sure you’re able to enjoy the beverage after all!

    Overview

    An occasional alcoholic beverage again, is not the end of the world. You just want to be very mindful and strategic of when and how much you are having. Especially now taking into consideration what some of the effects of that alcohol can be. This is why for the athletes I work with I encourage what I refer to as the 48-hour rule.

    Given the impact of alcohol I don’t want to have those effects anywhere around competition. Avoiding alcohol 48-hours before and after competition helps to ensure your body is primed for the event. It allows optimal performance and decreased injury risk in the moment as well as peak recovery afterwards. This same concept applies to non-athletes as well needing to perform their best as well. Choose your alcohol responsibly and when in doubt, less/none is best. Don’t be afraid to incorporate some non-alcoholic options as well like Athletic Brewing in those moments a craving hits.

    Reference: click here

    Check out Athletic Brewing: click here

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  • Body Composition, Diets, Energy, Injury, Muscle, Performance, safety, Weight, Wellness

    Faster weight loss is linked to greater injury risk

    Weight loss is one of, if not the most, commonly stated goals of athletes and physically active people. Improved body composition is the desire in hopes of improved strength, speed, health and aesthetics. It can be surprising what some may do in hopes of “looking better”. Unfortunately, with these hopes and desires the patience necessary isn’t always there. Living in a day in age where most things are instantaneous people want weight loss to be the same way. I hate to burst the bubble but it doesn’t quite work that way. Also, when some try crash diets or strategies to lose weight quickly it typically comes with a cost.

    Weight loss in weight class sports

    For some sports there is a little extra emphasis and attention paid to one’s weight. These are deemed as weight class sports where the specific tournament/match that one can compete in is purely dictated based on meeting certain weight requirements. Popular examples are wresting, UFC, judo, boxing and taekwondo. All of these require designated weigh-ins prior to the match starting to ensure weights are met. Weight classes are set to help avoid advantages that can be gained from a heavier competitor taking on a lighter competitor. To gain an edge with this, many will walk around at a higher weight and then cut right before weigh-ins. The weight loss is generally very quick and sometimes significant.

    This rapid weight loss has been found to be linked with increased risk of injury. And the faster the rate of weight loss, the greater the risk of injury associated with it. While being able to perhaps grant admission into the competition, is that trade worth it? More often than not it isn’t! The risk is potentially missing one weigh-in for one competition versus missing multiple for weeks of rehab depending on the injury.

    General weight loss goals

    Similar concepts apply for those not in weight class sports also looking to lose weight. Despite there not being a direct competition date on the line, the “now mentality” is present. It’s unfortunate though that the perspective of how the weight likely came on gradually over time. In response to it comes the desire to lose it in a tenth of the time that it came on. Such a strong desire can result in some fairly dramatic reactions and habits take place. Two of the most popular include crash diets and excessive exercise. Both can wreck having on long-term health.

    Weight loss is a main goal for many. Unfortunately it's typically wanted quickly and the faster weight is lost, the greater the negatives.

    Under such a calorie deficit caused by a crash diet and/or excessive energy there is a fairly large impact on body composition. Not in a good way either. In the early days of a crash diet the body loses a lot of muscle. While it helps the scale to decrease, it’s far from an ideal scenario. You’ve worked hard for that muscle and don’t want to just give it up like that. That greater the rate of weight loss, the greater the percentage of that loss comes from muscle. There are strategies to help decrease that impact but isn’t erased completely.

    Patience = everyone’s favorite word

    That old tortoise and the hare story always seems to come back up. With weight loss, slow and steady wins the race. For general weight loss, going at a slower rate with physical activity and some extra protein preserves your muscle mass. In general, about 0.5-1.0 pound weight loss per week is a good rate. While slower than some would prefer to hear it’s a good sustainable rate.

    For weight class sports, a good goal would be to try and have the day-to-day weight be close to weigh-in weight. This will help to decrease the amount of weight that needs to be lost to compete. With less of a gap to close, it should help mitigate some of that injury risk.

    Patience and consistency like in most cases will come out on top!

    Study referenced: click here

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