safety

  • 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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  • Caffeine, Energy, Hydration, safety, Supplements

    Breaking down energy drinks and their safety

    Between their bright colors, crazy TV commercials and social media influencers, energy drinks are everywhere. Not only are they just around but they are pushed and marketed a lot! This constant exposure can begin to leave feelings of false comfort and safety though. I fell for this myself firsthand in college cramming for exams. Those 5-hour energy shots were something that I kept in my bad all finals week. In hindsight now I know why I was feeling jittery and my heart felt “off” during that time. Add these types of things to physical activity and energy drinks can be even a potentially dangerous thing. Always stay mindful and cautious about what you put in your body.

    Caffeine content

    I’m going to estimate that 90% of the benefits that energy drinks may provide comes from caffeine. That is why every single one of the top 75 selling drinks out there contain it. The remaining 10% benefit is from the hydration of the fluid itself. Now please don’t quote me on those numbers, I’m just making a point. Caffeine is one of the most studied supplements in the world and that is not an exaggeration. What’s important though is being mindful of how much you are consuming. As mentioned below this can become a bit of a safety issue in the energy drink world. The main takeaway here though is to don’t let a marketing trick try to convince you there’s something uniquely special about their drink that will help you. Odds are very high it’s just the caffeine doing the heavy lifting.

    Energy drinks mystery ingredients

    Within energy drinks tends to be a hefty mix of additional ingredients. Some of the popular ones include taurine, guarana, carnitine and other vitamins. Individually studied these ingredients may have some justification for potential benefits. Everything combined into one thing is where some confusion sets in. We know very little about how this ingredient smoothy within energy drinks all works together. While energy drinks have become fairly common and fortunately the majority of people consuming it are fine, it is still a bit of a question mark. I’m a bigger fan of recommending a simple coffee where you know what you’re getting. The only added ingredients are perhaps some milk or sugar. Unless it’s a Starbucks order that 13 words long but that’s a different discussion!

    Energy drinks safety

    Energy drinks have a lot of marketing behind them and are everywhere you turn. Being abundantly available though doesn't mean they're safe.

    Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels are not always required to list caffeine as it is technically not a nutrient. Some energy drinks sell themselves as sodas and sports drinks falling into that category. As a result, they don’t have to disclose how much caffeine in actually in their product. To add to that, some may list caffeine but put it under a “proprietary blend” so that they still can avoid listing specifically how much caffeine and every other ingredient in that blend is within it. That is terrifying! In additional to that it’s always a good idea for kids and pregnant individuals to avoid these. Unfortunately, marketing does a great job of targeting adolescents. Stay mindful and help steer them away and towards safer beverages like water or even Gatorade.

    Better alternatives

    Most people are reaching for energy drinks for just that, energy. There are so many better ways to boost your energy in a safer and cheaper manner! Right away the biggest thing is sleep. If you are getting less than 7 hours of sleep each night that is a big factor. Coming in right beside that is hydration. If you’re dehydrated your heart is going to be working harder and beating quicker. This is going to cause you to feel tired and fatigue quicker. It’s a similar thing to when exercising and your heart beats quicker when sprinting you can’t go as long. Another simple energy booster is having a snack! Every feels better with a snack on hand for a pick me up. These three things will have you feeling better and not grabbing those energy drinks.

    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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Body Temperature, Heat, Hydration, Performance, safety

    Training in the heat recommendations from the Olympic Committee

    Most athletes would tell you that they would rather play in the heat than in the cold. That is unless you’re a skier or hockey player of course! Other than those winter sports, most would pick warm weather every day of the week. That’s why most major tournaments are located in areas where the weather is going to be warm, allowing athletes to compete at their best. Competing in hot conditions though requires proper planning to ensure athlete safety. It’s a fine balance between warm and dangerously hot where cooling strategies need to be in place. Helping to combat those challenges, the International Olympic Committee put together a statement on considerations for it.

    Too much heat dangers

    Being warm is one thing while overheating is a completely different story. When training in the heat, caution needs to be observed. The body tries its best to keep internal temperatures in check but like everything it does have its limits. Unfortunately, if those limits are surpassed it can result in heat strokes and be incredibly dangerous.

    Training in the heat is very common practice but safety needs to be kept in mind and the Olympic Committee has updated recommendations.

    Severe exercise-induced heat illness (also referred to as exertional heat stroke) is one of the two main causes of death amongst athletes. As the body begins to overheat it sends the signal to the brain that things need to start slowing down to try and rest and cool. If unable to cool down the body begins to fail and shutdown. To help avoid such scary situations, proper planning and actions need to be kept in mind.

    Know the environment

    Before traveling anywhere you want to know the type of conditions you are going to be exposed to. If it’s something in Alaska, the heat may not be a major issue for you! Most cases though you will want to do some homework to know how to prepare. Checking the average temperature and humidity will allow you to gauge how much you are likely to sweat and if that sweat will be able to evaporate and cool you down or if it’s too humid. You will also want to know if there is going to be shade available where you’re at. If you are going to be constantly exposed to the sun you’ll want to plan accordingly as well. Then also know the availability of beverages and cooling stations to ensure what you need to bring of your own. You don’t want to have any surprises when you show up!

    Heat acclimation

    Preparation is important in every aspect of life, including getting your body ready for heat. When exposed to higher temperatures the body goes through several changes to help stay cool. Those adaptations include sweating earlier, sweating more and decreasing the sodium content of the sweat. Too bad those changes don’t occur immediately though. If going into a competition in the heat, you’ll want to ensure your body is ready ahead of time.

    In a perfect world it’s recommended to give yourself two weeks to prepare and adapt. Exposing your body to higher temperatures and inducing sweat for 60-90 minutes at a time is the desired timeframe. Doing that four times per week for the two weeks will get your body acclimated and primed to handle the hotter environments when you competition begins. Spending that time in the hot environment itself would be ideal but if unable to do that there are a few alternatives. Hot rooms, saunas and hot baths can be helpful alternatives when living in a cold environment and planning to travel to a hot environment. While not the exact same as actually training in the environment, it still gets the body sweating and making those physiological changes.

    Hydration and fluid intake

    Once in the environment, you will want to make sure your hydration and fluid intake is appropriate as well. As you become dehydrated, your body has a lower blood volume which decreases the ability to spread out the body heat and cool it down. The goal during competition/training is to drink enough fluid to avoid a weight loss of >2% from sweat. Maintaining that weight represents maintaining proper blood volume for the body to help dissipate that heat.

    In order to ensure that excess weight and fluid loss doesn’t occur, it’s important to begin hydrated and drinking early into the event. The goal is not to completely avoid weight loss and definitely not to gain weight. That would represent overhydrating and has it’s own complications associated with it. What we’re aiming to do is help minimize the water loss occurring with sweat. Your body can only absorb so much fluid at a time so by starting early it helps avoid trying to play “catch up” later on in the event.

    How much you need to be drinking during competition and training is very individualized. A general rule of thumb is around 1 liter (~32oz) per hour would be about the max to consume and still be comfortable. This can be played around with to find what feels and works best for you. Some may find a bit more can be tolerated while others may have to have a bit less. Adding in some sodium will help the body to absorb and retain that fluid and is important to keep incorporated as well.

    Additional considerations

    Outside of just general hydration, there are various cooling strategies that can be incorporated as able too. Things such as cold water immersion, cooling vests and mist fans are all great at helping decrease the body temperature. Consuming ice and slushies can be very beneficial as well. Not all of these strategies are able to be implemented depending on the situation but you should keep all options in consideration. Then when preparing figure out what all is feasible and works best for you to help keep cool.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Carbs, Gut Health, Metabolism, Performance, safety, Wellness

    Fiber is great but caution around physical activity

    Fiber intake and conversations are important at younger ages too! It’s not just for your grandparent’s old faithful prune juice. Having a healthy gut is incredibly important for your overall health and well being from head to toe. Included in that though is having regular bowel movements. If you’ve ever been constipated before you know how important that can be! While regular and adequate intake is important, there are times which having too much could actually cause more problems than good.

    What is fiber and its benefits

    The most popular impact of fiber is its ability to help ensure regular bowel movements. There are two main types of fiber; soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber helps to absorb water to soften the stool and make it easier to pass. Insoluble fiber provides bulk and speeds up how quickly it passes through you. Regardless the type, the result is having an easier time going which always feels better compared to constipation.

    Fiber is also able to help feed the good bacteria in your gut to keep that healthy. A healthy gut allows for optimal nutrient absorption while keeping out any potential contaminants. In short, it’s a pretty big deal. Absorbing nutrients into the body properly ensures that every part of the body needing to use those are able to acquire them. If those nutrients aren’t available, inflammation can begin building and cause some major problems.

    How much do you need to be having

    Consuming fiber is important for everyone at every level of physical activity and age. In general men should aim for 38 grams per day while women should aim for 25 grams per day. Great sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, oats, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans. If you take the time to evaluate your daily intake and realize you need to increase things a tad, do so gradually.

    Adding in too much too quickly can have the opposite effect. It can cause constipation and a lot of stomach discomfort. The best strategy is to gradually add in those higher fiber items while also making sure to drink plenty of water. Maintaining proper hydration will help to ensure the water that gets pulled in isn’t dehydrating. 

    When not to be having fiber

    Everything has its own time and place. For fiber, the time and place to AVOID it would be immediately before exercise and competitions. Digesting fiber takes a long time and when training your body is focused on other things. While busy elsewhere and unable to concentrate on digestion, that food just sits there. This results in some gas building and that cinderblock type feeling in the gut to arise. Not a fun time by any stretch of the imagination!

    Fiber has a lot of gut health benefits but when having fiber needs to be kept in mind to avoid problems during physical activity.

    Away from physical activity though fiber is a great thing to have incorporated. They body will have that additional time to digest it and no worries of discomfort. Low fiber foods are much easier on the stomach pre-workout and why going for things such as liquid sports drinks or applesauce would be better than whole apples or a smoothie with veggies and seeds in it. Those are all great things to be having but the time and place of them matter. Stay mindful of your intake and make sure it’s working in a beneficial manner for you.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Caffeine, Energy, Metabolism, Performance, safety, Supplements, Wellness

    Caffeine being marketed for increased fat loss. Beware the hype!

    Caffeine is one of the most used supplements out there. Partially due to how abundantly available it is. You have coffee, sodas, energy drinks, tea and many other items are infusing it as well. From a marketing perspective, it is sometimes presented as a fat burner. With many wanting to improve their body comp, this is a very attractive thing for many people. Due to that attraction, naturally marketing companies have jumped on it. Many supplements and other items claim that as a benefit of their product due to the addition of caffeine. These claims are likely a little bit skewed and blown out of proportion.

    Caffeine impact on fat

    Caffeine is one of the most widely studied supplements/ingredients out there. Amongst these studies there are a lot that analyzed its impact on fat utilization and in short, there isn’t much. While there is a slight increase in the body pulling fat for energy after caffeine, it’s not in a large amount. Certainly, nowhere near as much as the claims may try to make you believe.

    Caffeine marketing claims tout increased fat loss benefits. These claims are a little over stated and you should be cautious.

    Situations where the increase in fat utilization were most present were when at rest/lower intensity activities and in less trained individuals. For athletes and those who have been exercising for a long time, don’t look to caffeine for a magic pill. Again, there may be a small benefit but it will be incredibly minimal. The real benefit would be in its impact on performance. A benefit which doesn’t come from the increased fat usage to preserve glycogen stores.

    Caffeine impact on performance

    Where caffeine really shines is the benefit it can have on performance when used properly. This benefit is caffeine’s ability to decrease the feeling of fatigue during physical activity. There are certain receptors on the brain called adenosine receptors. These receptors typically receive messages from the body to slow down and hit the brakes through a compound in the body called adenosine.

    If adenosine cannot get to those receptors, the message to slow down doesn’t get to the brain. Just like if you are on the phone with someone and another person tries to call, they cannot get through. Without a stop sign being put up, the body is able to push itself harder and perform more/better.

    When used appropriately for this manner, caffeine can be beneficial. I recommend though using natural sources of caffeine and limiting things like energy drinks and pre-workout supplements. Coffee is my go-to but make sure it sits well for you and try it out during a practice first.

    Warnings of fat loss claims

    As we discussed, caffeine has a lot of benefits but fat loss isn’t one of them. Many supplements out their try to make this claim and if you see it that should be a red flag. They are targeting to an audience looking for a quick fix to achieve a goal many desire. These are the most common types of supplements which end up containing banned ingredients. For an athlete, at best this can mean disqualification from some competition. At worst, could result in serious health consequences.

    Appropriate strategies for fat loss

    Like most things in life, there isn’t a magic trick to achieve those results. It takes effort, consistency and everyone’s favorite P-word….patience. It all begins with making sure your portion sizes of meals/snacks are appropriate. They should contain a good protein source at each meal and snack and getting good sleep are all major factors. Throw in some exercise and you’ve got a recipe for success right there. It’s nothing crazy and it’s not supposed to be! Getting into a routine to maintain consistency is the real challenge but is very doable. Just don’t expect caffeine or any other stimulant to be a short-cut.

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Diets, safety, Supplements, Weight, Wellness

    Weight loss claims for benefits of capsaicin (hot peppers)

    Weight loss is a big topic year-round but even more so come holidays and the new year. Resolutions being made and everyone wanting to start off strong means an attractive time for marketing companies. Don’t fall for some of those claims and advertisements floating around. This study touting capsaicin is a good example.

    What is capsaicin?

    Capsaicin is a compound found in peppers. More specifically, it’s part of what makes peppers so hot. Studies have been coming out about the potential impact that capsaicin can have on overall appetite. Personally, if something is too spicy I would eat less of it too! Theoretically it makes sense due to that type of thought process. Turns out though that there is also a lot of neurological impacts coming from capsaicin that could be playing a role.

    Beware marketing claims of capsaicin helping weight loss

    Neurological impact potential of capsaicin

    Neurological can be a big confusion word. In this sense it simply is referring to how different parts of the body communicate with each other. Strengthened neurological connections can help the stomach and brain talk with each other. Like most things in life, better communication rarely is a bad thing and can help tell the brain when enough has been eaten and to stop. Results from a few studies show a potential benefit of capsaicin strengthening those lines of communication. In particular it is being targeted as a way to help relieve cramps a lot here of late.

    Impact on energy expenditure

    Another area being looked at is potential increase in indirect energy expenditure. There are two types of fat in the body referred to as white and brown adipose tissue. Brown adipose tissue help contribute to keeping our body warm and does this by burning more energy. Because of that brown adipose tissue is thought to be beneficial and certainly preferred over white adipose tissue. Capsaicin has a handful of studies showing it may help increase the body’s preference to brown adipose tissue. Combine all of these things and capsaicin is sounding pretty nice!

    What’s the catch?

    The actual amount of impact all of these things have is incredibly marginal. While these benefits may occur, it doesn’t mean noticeable changes will actually occur as touted. The total number of studies is also small and many done on rats. Those pieces of information though aren’t going to be advertised as much by supplement companies selling the capsaicin. Strategies like this are all too common amongst weight loss supplements. Next time you see those you now know to be very cautious. So please don’t fall for them!

    Going for a short walk daily will have significantly more benefit than taking some capsaicin. Walking and reducing calories may not seem as ‘sexy’ or potentially as simple as taking a pill but those are the keys if weight loss is the goal. Adequate movement and eating properly is the foundation but consistency is the key. That also is where the challenges tend to pop up as it’s not a quick fix. Developing the strategies to help with that consistency is very important. If needing someone to assist with developing those I’m more than happy to help. But even if not wanting to work with me just please promise me you’ll think twice before falling for any of those supplement marketing tactics. 

    Study referenced: click here

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  • Hydration, Performance, Recovery, Wellness

    Chill Out and Perform Better – Keeping Cool In Heat

    When we workout, train and compete our body generates heat. This heat is generated due to the energy our body produces to allow us to perform. Obviously though we don’t want to get too hot! As our temperature increases our body has to work harder to maintain our performance and keeping cool. Fatigue then begins to set in and our body forces us to slow down. If we don’t slow down and our temperature continues to climb we can have big problems! To fight this our body works to try and cool itself down but there are things we can do to help it.

    Why do we care about keeping cool? Safety

    If we get too hot it can become very dangerous. Just like a car will breakdown if it overheats, our body’s respond the same way. A significant increase in our internal body temperature can lead to heat exhaustion and heat strokes. Neither of those are a good time. Unfortunately though many people suffer from over heating every year.

    High school football has in particular received a lot of attention due to the number of players who have collapsed from heat exhaustion. This can be attributed to several factors leading it to be a perfect storm. A major reason is simply the equipment that is used with helmets and pads. On top of that two-a-day practices are very common causing increased exposure to the heat outdoors and potential dehydration. But perhaps the biggest factor that applies to much more than just the sport, is the age of these athletes.

    High school football players in full pads in the heat.

    Adolescents are at an increased risk for heat related problems due to their body’s not being fully developed yet. Their body’s don’t have the full capability to cool themselves yet which we’ll dive into here shortly. Because they’re still developing, coaches and training staffs need to be very cautious and mindful with youth athletes.

    Our body naturally try’s to keep us cool

    The human body is incredibly resilient and try’s really hard to keep us up and moving. Which is greatly appreciated! In regards to what our body does specifically to keep us cool, sweat and blood flow distribution are the main methods.

    Athlete sweating profusely in the heat.

    We’ve all been in a hot situation where we are sweating buckets! Sometimes it’s out on the field and other times it’s at that family member’s house who keeps the heat on way too high. We’re ok for a little bit but eventually the sweat inevitably comes. The interesting part though is that simply sweating isn’t what cools our body down. It’s when the sweat evaporates that we cool off.

    Think of when you get out of the shower. Even though there’s no wind blowing we feel noticeably more cold. If our sweat isn’t able to evaporate then sweating doesn’t help us and is simply reducing our blood volume due to the volume of liquid being lost. When it’s very humid outside there’s already a lot of moisture in the air and it prevents our sweat from being able to evaporate and cool us off. That’s why extra caution is needed on those hot and humid days especially!

    Now for the blood distribution piece, this involves our body pumping blood towards our skin. By having blood closer to the surface of our skin, the wind/air traveling over it will help to cool down the blood. Then the slightly cooled down blood can travel back through the body helping cool the body down internally.

    Have you ever notice your veins sticking out a bit more in hot/humid environments? Now you know why! It’s the body directing the blood to the surface more in hopes of cooling down more. When we’re dehydrated though, this becomes very challenging.

    Athlete with extra vascularity.

    Keeping cool means keeping hydrated

    If we don’t replace the fluid being lost in sweat, our blood volume decreases. Less blood means it gets hot faster and isn’t able to stay at the surface of the skin long enough to cool down because it has to keep circulating. No rest for the weary!

    Athlete in the sun wiping the sweat off his face.

    Think about what takes longer to come to a boil on the stove; a cup of water or a large pot? Spoiler, it’s the cup!

    In our body, we want to avoid that boiling point for as long as we can. Like the large pot of water, not being dehydrated and drinking plenty of fluid keeps our blood volume up. Cheers to that.

    Having some extra sodium with that fluid though can be very helpful. Sodium will help our body to absorb and hold onto that water a bit better. The main goal of all of this is to increase that blood volume to keep us cool and avoid overheating.

    Ways to help chill out

    In addition to simply drinking more, there are several ways in which we can help keep our body cool.

    Keeping our beverages cold is the low hanging fruit of everything. Pack your water and electrolyte drinks in a cooler with ice packs as a simple and quick solution. Pro tip: freezing a water bottle will allow it to act as an ice pack and then when it melts you have extra fluid to drink. Helps to make the most of limited space and the cold beverages help to cool us internally from the inside out.

    In a similar manner slushies and popsicles can be a great way to help drop our core temperature. As an added benefit, making slushies out of sports drinks can help to provide some additional electrolytes as well. Who wouldn’t like a cold lemon lime Gatorade after a hot practice?

    Popsicles and fruit on ice to help cool down body temperature.

    Cooling ourselves externally is incredibly helpful as well. Grabbing some cold towels and ice packs to throw on ourselves is great. There are a few specific locations though that can impact our temperature to a great extent though and should be the areas to focus on when possible. These areas are where larger blood vessels are closer to the surface allowing closer direct contact to our blood. Those hot spots (pun intended) are our neck, armpits and groin. If needing to cool down quickly, that is where you need to focus placing ice.

    So chill out, stay safe and keep your performance up. The more of these things you can incorporate, the cooler you will be.

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