Immunity and The Athlete

SPORTS NUTRITION © Patricia Niland 2005

To realise potential, it is vital that an athlete has the
ability to train consistently. Successful training, over time,
builds a stronger, faster, more efficient body which will
hopefully go on to produce optimum athletic performances. Time
lost due to ill health, is time that a competitive athlete
cannot afford to lose. In the long term the athlete and his/her
coach needs to be conscientious about their own ‘care’ and
acknowledge that they have a responsibility for the training and
nutrition factors within their control, both of which can
influence success or failure.

Illness can have profound effects on an athletes mental
perspective, causing loss of rythym and habit. Once recovered
the athlete may need to mentally regain focus. Maintaining a
healthy immune system is therefore a considerable factor in the
athletes pursuit of success.

Moderate exercise has been demonstrated to have beneficial
effects on the immune system, reducing the risk of colds and
chest infections. However for the competitive athlete who trains
at a greater intensity and for longer durations, intensive
exercise has the potential to cause immune suppression, with a
recognised window of lowered post exercise immunity existing
where the athletes system is vulnerable to infection (Nieman
2003).

Post-exercise immune suppression is thought to be partly due to
the increase in production of stress hormones such as cortisol
and adrenaline. Athletes training or competing in a
carbohydrate-depleted state, will experience a greater increase
in these hormones. It is therefore suggested that the ingestion
of 30-60g carbohydrate per hour by athletes, during intensive
exercise can create a reduction in stress and immune markers.
(Gleeson et al 2004)

Reduction in immune status also occurs when an athlete has
compromised glycogen and fat stores. This can be caused by the
ineffective replacement of calories after exercise, or a
conscious avoidance of fat. Calorific expenditure should
therefore be balanced by an equivalent intake of calories, and
the consumption of essential fats become more commonplace. When
the diet shows signs of nutrient deficiencies, supplementation
should be utilised to provide protection. However care should be
taken not to overcompensate and the diet should always be viewed
as the main provider of nutrients. (Venkatraman et al 2002)

Training alone is not responsible for the suppression of the
immune system. Neiman identifies many factors that can
contribute and should be considered

Diet Training and competition Family/relationships Work Travel
Rest Boost immunity and train consistently Optimum nutrition,
should be the fundamental consistent factor for any athlete.
When training schedules are planned, time should always be taken
to plan an appropriate dietary programme. This should be
specific to the individuals training and competition
requirements. Revisions in training intensity, increases or
decreases, should always merit revisions to the diet.

DIETARY RULES

Fats Saturated fats and trans/hydrogenated fats are not
essential to the body and should be avoided as they suppress
immunity and inhibit the function of essential fats. However the
essential fats Omega 3, 6 and 9 are vital for the athlete as
they enhance cell membrane integrity, increasing metabolism and
immunity. Emphasis should be given to _3′s. AVOID: Margarine
(hydrogenated fats) Processed foods and foods high in saturated
fats INCREASE: Nuts – Brazil, almond, walnut, pecan, hazelnut.
Seeds and their oils – pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, hemp, flax
Oily fish – Mackerel, herring etc

Carbohydrates Refined carbohydrates (white rice and bread)
should be substituted for whole grains, ie. wholemeal bread and
brown rice, both for their nutrient and fibre content. Large
amounts of refined sugar should be avoided due to its immune
suppression potential.

Fruit and vegetable intake should be around 7-10 portions per
day. Organic produce is preferable and when possible vegetables
should be consumed raw to increase vitamin, phyto-chemicals and
enzyme content.

Protein Vegetarian athletes should ensure they are consistently
taking in high quality protein (see below). When the athlete is
not vegetarian, the increase/inclusion of vegetarian protein
would be beneficial. INCLUDE MORE: Beans, pulses, tofu and
quinoa, cheese (goats), eggs (with _3′s), oily fish AVOID:
Proteins high in saturated fats, red meats and processed meats
ie. burgers and sausages GENERAL RULES Stress Athletes need to
acknowledge stress and the role it can play in performance and
immunity. Priorities must to be identified, taking into
consideration all other life factors (see previous page).
Realistic, attainable goals can then be created, enabling the
athlete to train and compete whilst keeping stress levels to a
minimum.

Pulse test To check for over training/infection — this should be
done every morning before rising. Take the pulse. A rise of 8
beats or above from the average for the preceding week, would
signal that athlete should reduce training.

Sleep Quality sleep is essential.

Factors which suppress or inhibit immunity High intake of
dietary fats (saturated and trans fats) Compromised glycogen and
fuel depletion Training >90 minutes Over training Weight loss
Stress Lack of sleep Deficiency of dietary protein Deficiency of
vitamins A, C, E, B6 and B12 and the minerals iron, zinc,
selenium and copper

Reading Nieman DC. Current perspective on exercise immunology.
Curr Sports Med Rep. 2003 Oct;2(5):239-42. Gleeson M, Nieman DC,
Pedersen BK. Exercise, nutrition and immune function. J Sports
Sci. 2004 Jan;22(1):115-25. Venkatraman JT, Pendergast DR.
Effect of dietary intake on immune function in athletes. Sports
Med. 2002;32(5):323-37. Gleeson M, Lancaster GI, Bishop NC.
Nutritional strategies to minimise exercise-induced
immunosuppression in athletes. Can J Appl Physiol. 2001;26
Suppl:S23-35

Athlete Nutrition Guidelines

Nutrition can be quite an advanced topic when you reach elite levels, but there are some basic athlete nutrition guidelines that apply to mere mortals and dedicated fitness devotees alike.

The term athlete is used in a general as well as specific sense. In general, it means any sports person – one who regularly participates in sports. More specifically, the word is used to describe participants in track and field events, i.e. events involving jumping, running and throwing. Athletes have above average physical abilities. To achieve and maintain these abilities, they need to undertake a vigorous exercise routine, proper dietary intake, adequate rest and be very disciplined about all these. Neglect of any component can result in a below-par performance.

Food is what we eat, nutrition is what we need. Although the nutrition requirements vary according to the event in which the athlete participates, there are certain general guidelines regarding the diet of athletes. A healthy diet for an athlete includes the following elements:

Carbohydrates Fats Proteins Vitamins Minerals Fibers Water

Carbohydrates are the chief providers (about 50%) of energy during early stages of a medium level exercise and when the exercise is of a short duration (about 1 to 1.5 hours). Carbohydrates provide more energy for the same amount of oxygen consumed as compared to fats. Oxygen is obtained from inhaled air; thus burning of carbohydrates results in less exhaustion. Carbohydrates are available in honey, fruit, milk, cereals, potatoes, lasagna, other grain products and sugar. Fats are the main energy providers during long duration exercises; while free fatty acids supply the remaining half of the energy during moderate exercise (the other half being provided by carbohydrates). Fats are a concentrated source of energy and their use in providing energy avoids the use of protein for the same purpose. This is useful as protein is required for the building up of tissues.

Proteins are the building blocks of the body, building and repairing tissues and muscles. They along with carbohydrates and fats also provide energy and play a significant role in strengthening the immune system. The intake of proteins may have to be increased for an athlete. However, excessive intake of proteins results in increased water requirement for eliminating nitrogen through urine, thus leading to dehydration. Extra protein intake also results in a higher metabolic rate that requires more oxygen.

Minerals are an important constituent of an athlete’s diet. Potassium regulates muscle activity, iron is required for the formation of hemoglobin and therefore in carrying oxygen, calcium is essential for building strong teeth and bones and zinc is required for normal growth and for energy production in muscle cells. A normal diet diet is enough to replenish the loss of sodium due to sweating. Excessive sodium intake should be avoided. Potassium-rich foods like oranges, bananas and potatoes provide enough quantity of the mineral. Here again, excessive intake will lead to hyperkalemia, causing muscle weakness and palpitations. Iron is contained in meat, poultry, fish and some vegetarian diets as well. More than normal iron intake can lead to constipation. Dairy products are a good source of calcium.

Vitamins assist in better absorption of iron and play a role in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They also act as anti-oxidants preventing cell damage. Athletes are more vulnerable to cell damage as they inhale more oxygen. Fruits and vegetables in general, contain vitamins. Fibers keep the bowels regular and reduce blood cholesterol.

Last but not least, is water. Water levels directly affect fluidity of blood which transports nutrients, and therefore energy inside the body. Water also regulates the body temperature. Water is obtained through fluids. Low temperature fluids should be preferred as they are absorbed quickly. It is better to consume water at regular intervals during the day and not wait till thirst makes itself felt, as by then the athlete is exhausted. This is in addition to the ad hoc consumption during exercise.

Apart from the nutritional requirements, certain dietary practices are of great help. Having a healthy and adequate breakfast will keep hunger in control and start the day on high metabolism. Ideally, five meals should be eaten daily. This spreads out the intake, helps digestion and keeps the energy levels high. Post-exercise meals aid in quick recovery of lost energy. And, it is always advisable to stay away from canned and fried foods.

Read full article at Free Diet Articles

The Key to Good Athlete Nutrition

If you are an athlete you know that good athlete nutrition is essential. It’s not something you can just brush aside, saying, “Today I’ll be healthy, tomorrow I’m going to throw it all to the wind.” Good nutrition is as vital to your athletic performance as practicing, and when you learn the secret to good nutrition you’ll be able to enjoy improvements in your athletic performance that you never thought were possible!

The key steps to athlete nutrition:

1) If you’re thirsty, it’s already too late. Dehydration is the number one nutritional killer of most athletes’ performance, because they don’t drink enough water through the day. Not drinking enough water will leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, and when you’re an athlete involved in a sport where every second counts you know that a few minutes of feeling sluggish and sleepy can completely ruin your performance.

Although most doctors recommend you drink six to eight glasses of water a day, that amount actually varies from person to person. The best thing you can do is cut other drinks out of your diet and drink water all day long. Remember, if your body is so dehydrated that you feel thirsty, it’s already too late.

2) Take your vitamins. Vitamin and mineral supplements are a key element in athlete nutrition, since the constant demands placed on their body burn those vitamins up faster than the average individual. Talk with your coach and your physician to see what supplements are right for you.

3) Enjoy your carbs! Although the Atkins diet has instilled a deathly fear of carbs into a huge percentage of the population, the bottom line is that your body gets its energy from its carbohydrates. As an athlete, you need that energy to keep going; as an individual, you need those carbs to replace what you burn throughout the day.

4) Keep your meat lean. There’s nothing wrong with a nice, juicy steak every once in a while, but good athlete nutrition hinges on keeping the body at a cutting edge. Lean meats are much more effective for that purpose. Remember, however, that your body craves protein as well. As an athlete your daily protein requirements may be higher than many other individuals who live more sedentary lives.

5) Avoid sweets. Sweets and sugary drinks will dehydrate you and slow you down. That’s the last thing you need! If you can, cut these sweets out of your diet completely. If you can’t, indulge in moderation. Remember, there’s a vast difference between a small slice of cake at your cousin’s wedding reception and an entire apple pie devoured in front of “I Love Lucy” re-runs!

Good athlete nutrition is a vital part of staying on top of your game. Sit down with your coach and your physician as soon as possible to work out a detailed diet plan just for you to have you at your peak athletic performance. You’ll be surprised at the difference a little change can make!

Some Sport Nutrition For The Average Athlete

Why are we drawn to sports? It is because we appreciate and take pleasure in witnessing the human spirit in motion. Athletes competing and achieving despite difficulties inspires us all. It is a reality TV show in its best. Sometimes, we can’t help asking what sort of  “all in one sports nutrition” they are taking.

It’s heartwarming to us those ordinary mortals, after years of training and hard work had triumphed against all odds. We know that these athletes had worked hard to develop their physical skills. We can’t help but be one in their triumphs and empathize in their defeats.

But surely this privilege is only for the professional athletes who have all the time in the world to engage in sports and sustain this with appropriate nutrition? Not necessarily true.

For people juggling a delicate balance between their busy life and their need for physical health, all in one sports nutrition maybe a heaven sent.

The secret of all in one sports nutrition lies in its ideal balance nutrients, compacted in one package. This will save you so much time in just preparing and consuming different sports nutrition when you’re in hurry. This will also save you money since you wouldn’t be buying several packs of the sports nutrients with overlapping nutrients contents.

All in one sports nutrition is also scientifically designed to include all the necessary nutrients needed by any athlete, and specially includes you. After long hours of workouts, all in one sports nutrition will work its wonder by giving you sustained energy source. And since this is a complete sports nutrition, there’s no reason to worry about missing one important nutrient during your last meal.

Some sports nutrition claims that having all nutrients in one package is not advisable because there is the tendency that the manufacturer will limit other vital nutrient. This maybe true for others but not with all in one sports nutrition. All in one sports nutrition was formulated exactly to contain the right balance, in the right amount, nutrients needed by athletes and sports enthusiasts, including you.

All in one sports nutrition contains ingredients designed to improve athletic performance. It is also designed to hasten the recovery of muscle fatigue every after exercise. All in one sports nutrition contains the perfect combination of complex and carbohydrates. This combination is at the heart of every successful sports nutrients product for carbohydrates provide sustained energy needed in a sustained exercise.

Balanced carbohydrates content of all in one sports nutrition

Most commercial sports nutrients product derives all of their calorie source from simple carbohydrates. This almost always results in blood sugar swings, making it hard for athletes in general to balance and steadied their movement during training or competition. Slow and steady delivery of calorie during regimen help the muscles not to deplete its supply of blood sugar. This is very critical during your exercise because this depletion can cause too much fatigue. This prevents also gluconeogenesis, a form of muscle cannibalism resorted to by our to produce energy during  “emergency” or regimen.

Protein content of all in one sports nutrition

Aside from carbohydrates, nutritional supplement high in quality protein, will you’re your muscle’s re-growth and repair. Protein is a hard workers nutrient that goes a long way in maintaining your health during intense exercise. Protein produces the enzymes needed to help carbohydrates maintain energy levels during regimen.

Benefits aside, protein intake is one the most debated issue in the fitness and sports nutrition world. Too much intake of protein, claimed by many, harms the body. Consensus however, among fitness professionals and sports nutritionist suggest a different direction. Protein intakes above the RDA appears to stimulate the loss of body fat while increasing muscle tissue.

But all in one sports nutrition follows the RDA not because it supports the claims of anti-protein intake. All in one sports nutrition is perfect balance of necessary nutrients, carbohydrates and protein included. Aside from these two most important elements in any sports nutrition program, all in one sports nutrition also contains other minerals needed by your body to sustain itself during heavy exercise and other physical activities.

So you see, there’s no reason to loose hope joining the privileged groups of athletes. Your all in one sports nutrition will sustain you during your regimen, and it will help your muscles recover fast enough for your work office work tmorrow!

Sports Nutrition – The All In One Nutrition For Athlete

Why are we drawn to sports? It is because we appreciate and take pleasure in witnessing the human spirit in motion. Athletes competing and achieving despite difficulties inspires us all. It is a reality TV show in its best. Sometimes, we can’t help asking what sort of “all in one sports nutrition” they are taking.

It’s heartwarming to us those ordinary mortals, after years of training and hard work had triumphed against all odds. We know that these athletes had worked hard to develop their physical skills. We can’t help but be one in their triumphs and empathize in their defeats.

But surely this privilege is only for the professional athletes who have all the time in the world to engage in sports and sustain this with appropriate nutrition? Not necessarily true.

For people juggling a delicate balance between their busy life and their need for physical health, all in one sports nutrition maybe a heaven sent.

The secret of all in one sports nutrition lies in its ideal balance nutrients, compacted in one package. This will save you so much time in just preparing and consuming different sports nutrition when you’re in hurry. This will also save you money since you wouldn’t be buying several packs of the sports nutrients with overlapping nutrients contents.

All in one sports nutrition is also scientifically designed to include all the necessary nutrients needed by any athlete, and specially includes you. After long hours of workouts, all in one sports nutrition will work its wonder by giving you sustained energy source. And since this is a complete sports nutrition, there’s no reason to worry about missing one important nutrient during your last meal.

Some sports nutrition claims that having all nutrients in one package is not advisable because there is the tendency that the manufacturer will limit other vital nutrient. This maybe true for others but not with all in one sports nutrition. All in one sports nutrition was formulated exactly to contain the right balance, in the right amount, nutrients needed by athletes and sports enthusiasts, including you.

All in one sports nutrition contains ingredients designed to improve athletic performance. It is also designed to hasten the recovery of muscle fatigue every after exercise. All in one sports nutrition contains the perfect combination of complex and carbohydrates. This combination is at the heart of every successful sports nutrients product for carbohydrates provide sustained energy needed in a sustained exercise.

Balanced carbohydrates content of all in one sports nutrition

Most commercial sports nutrients product derives all of their calorie source from simple carbohydrates. This almost always results in blood sugar swings, making it hard for athletes in general to balance and steadied their movement during training or competition. Slow and steady delivery of calorie during regimen help the muscles not to deplete its supply of blood sugar. This is very critical during your exercise because this depletion can cause too much fatigue. This prevents also gluconeogenesis, a form of muscle cannibalism resorted to by our to produce energy during “emergency” or regimen.

Protein content of all in one sports nutrition

Aside from carbohydrates, nutritional supplement high in quality protein, will you’re your muscle’s re-growth and repair. Protein is a hard workers nutrient that goes a long way in maintaining your health during intense exercise. Protein produces the enzymes needed to help carbohydrates maintain energy levels during regimen.

Benefits aside, protein intake is one the most debated issue in the fitness and sports nutrition world. Too much intake of protein, claimed by many, harms the body. Consensus however, among fitness professionals and sports nutritionist suggest a different direction. Protein intakes above the RDA appears to stimulate the loss of body fat while increasing muscle tissue.

But all in one sports nutrition follows the RDA not because it supports the claims of anti-protein intake. All in one sports nutrition is perfect balance of necessary nutrients, carbohydrates and protein included. Aside from these two most important elements in any sports nutrition program, all in one sports nutrition also contains other minerals needed by your body to sustain itself during heavy exercise and other physical activities.

So you see, there’s no reason to loose hope joining the privileged groups of athletes. Your all in one sports nutrition will sustain you during your regimen, and it will help your muscles recover fast enough for your work office work tomorrow!

Sports Nutrition For Advanced Athlete

Do you somehow feel that your sports is not enough or it doesn’t sustain you in your struggle to reach the next higher step in fitness? Chances are, your instinct is correct. It’s about time for advance sports nutrition. But before buying your advanced sports nutrition, there are few things to consider in assessing your readiness.

Level of recovery between games

First, several questions to ask yourself. Can you still feel the results you achieved during your off-season training? Do your muscles still feel as if you’re starting all over again whenever you attempt even a warm-up? Is the level of your motivation so diminished that simply stopping your exercise regimen seems to be the most logical thing to do?

If your answers to all of these are affirmative, then we’ve got a serious situation. Far on the other side, however, is a solution that is very simple. You only need to strengthen your resistance. That means improving your supplement to accommodate the growing need of your body for a stronger supplemental formula. You need advanced sports nutrition as part of your regimen program.

The level of your recovery tells you many things about your preparedness to reach into a higher level of fitness. Your feeling of inadequacy is never a proof of your lacking in physical talent. It is a proof that your current sports nutrition does not providing you enough nutrients for harder regimen.

The natural reaction of your body is to relax when it’s getting the same intensity of physical workout. And your body tends to resist exercise that it doesn’t have the strength to sustain. The tendency of your mind, naturally, is to think that you can’t make it so you’ve got to stop.

But, in a way, this is positive. Your mind is telling your body to stop and think. Because, really, you have many things to think about. One is changing your supplement into advanced sports nutrition supplements.

Assess the level of your commitment

Okay, so you have enough supply of advanced sports nutrition at your disposal. Is that it? Of course, not. You need to remind yourself that being an athlete, particularly if you decide to climb the next higher level of fitness, is a fulltime job. What’s the reason why electricity is a simple matter if you’re an electrician? Because that’s what you do on a daily basis. Your mind reacts automatically to support every work or problem that you encounter, as long at it’s a work related situation.

This is the same with your body. You need to constantly work, for your muscles to “remember” what it should remember, that is, supporting your workout. Remember that your muscles only assist you in achieving your goal. Your ability to convince yourself, stay focused on what you want, and maintain a certain level of discipline with regard to your regular exercise regimen is the supplement for your advanced sports nutrition program.

There are interesting studies regarding improvements in exercise performance which correlate with the degree of specific nutrients stored in the muscle after taking particular supplements. This somehow proves that our muscles “remember” and knows how to store the necessary elements for future use, that is, for our next workout. But if it’s not properly supplemented, where would it take the nutrients?

It is only natural to be confused on what to eat, which supplemental nutrients to take to allow you to sustain your daily regimen, and to let reach the advance level of fitness.

But, don’t worry. These are problems that almost every athlete or sports enthusiast faces. What you need is to look for things that would encourage you to reach the next level of fitness. But after finding the right reason on reaching the next higher level of physical development, your sports supplement should be able to meet your growing requirements.

This higher level of encouragement should be supported by a higher of nutritional supplement. Therefore, you need advanced sports nutrition to sustain you.

If your body does not get the right concentration or nutrients it requires for a higher level of physical exertion, it will revert itself to a hibernation-like refusal to work. And when the body so decides that it can no longer work, no amount of mental discipline will suffice in overriding it.

Sports Nutrition For The Average Athlete

Why are we drawn to sports? It is because we appreciate and take pleasure in witnessing the human spirit in motion. Athletes competing and achieving despite difficulties inspires us all. It is a reality TV show in its best. Sometimes, we can’t help asking what sort of “all in one sports nutrition” they are taking.

It’s heartwarming to us those ordinary mortals, after years of training and hard work had triumphed against all odds. We know that these athletes had worked hard to develop their physical skills. We can’t help but be one in their triumphs and empathize in their defeats.

But surely this privilege is only for the professional athletes who have all the time in the world to engage in sports and sustain this with appropriate nutrition? Not necessarily true.

For people juggling a delicate balance between their busy life and their need for physical health, all in one sports nutrition maybe a heaven sent.

The secret of all in one sports nutrition lies in its ideal balance nutrients, compacted in one package. This will save you so much time in just preparing and consuming different sports nutrition when you’re in hurry. This will also save you money since you wouldn’t be buying several packs of the sports nutrients with overlapping nutrients contents.

All in one sports nutrition is also scientifically designed to include all the necessary nutrients needed by any athlete, and specially includes you. After long hours of workouts, all in one sports nutrition will work its wonder by giving you sustained energy source. And since this is a complete sports nutrition, there’s no reason to worry about missing one important nutrient during your last meal.

Some sports nutrition claims that having all nutrients in one package is not advisable because there is the tendency that the manufacturer will limit other vital nutrient. This maybe true for others but not with all in one sports nutrition. All in one sports nutrition was formulated exactly to contain the right balance, in the right amount, nutrients needed by athletes and sports enthusiasts, including you.

All in one sports nutrition contains ingredients designed to improve athletic performance. It is also designed to hasten the recovery of muscle fatigue every after exercise. All in one sports nutrition contains the perfect combination of complex and carbohydrates. This combination is at the heart of every successful sports nutrients product for carbohydrates provide sustained energy needed in a sustained exercise.

Balanced carbohydrates content of all in one sports nutrition

Most commercial sports nutrients product derives all of their calorie source from simple carbohydrates. This almost always results in blood sugar swings, making it hard for athletes in general to balance and steadied their movement during training or competition. Slow and steady delivery of calorie during regimen help the muscles not to deplete its supply of blood sugar. This is very critical during your exercise because this depletion can cause too much fatigue. This prevents also gluconeogenesis, a form of muscle cannibalism resorted to by our to produce energy during “emergency” or regimen.

Protein content of all in one sports nutrition

Aside from carbohydrates, nutritional supplement high in quality protein, will you’re your muscle’s re-growth and repair. Protein is a hard workers nutrient that goes a long way in maintaining your health during intense exercise. Protein produces the enzymes needed to help carbohydrates maintain energy levels during regimen.

Benefits aside, protein intake is one the most debated issue in the fitness and sports nutrition world. Too much intake of protein, claimed by many, harms the body. Consensus however, among fitness professionals and sports nutritionist suggest a different direction. Protein intakes above the RDA appears to stimulate the loss of body fat while increasing muscle tissue.

But all in one sports nutrition follows the RDA not because it supports the claims of anti-protein intake. All in one sports nutrition is perfect balance of necessary nutrients, carbohydrates and protein included. Aside from these two most important elements in any sports nutrition program, all in one sports nutrition also contains other minerals needed by your body to sustain itself during heavy exercise and other physical activities.

So you see, there’s no reason to loose hope joining the privileged groups of athletes. Your all in one sports nutrition will sustain you during your regimen, and it will help your muscles recover fast enough for your work office work tmorrow!

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