Fueling

Education, Fueling, Heart Rate Training

Metabolism 101 Video Series #2 Making Energy Overview

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🔆Your body is pretty cool on this part. It has a lot of ways of accomplishing the same tasks, a hierarchy of activities and roles and ways to compensate like none other. I think our kind of primitive way of doing medicine, my opinion please, as insurance has driven a dumbie-ing down of things so to speak. The Indian wise woman knew a lot more. Functional nutritionists like myself and functional medical docs are going in the direction of the wise woman, with cool tests to back it up.

The intention of this lecture is to help you understand a bit more about: ✅HOW the body TRANSFERS ENERGY, ✅what that even means, and ✅how that applies to what you are doing. The hope is that you realize that things are bigger and more complex than what we are defaulting too.

Then you will realize that this diet or that diet, while it might have good intentions … we need to take a step back to see HOW and WHY and apply those principles to the INDIVIDUAL so a person can find their JAM, it be a lifestyle change. And they are smarter to support the BIG EPIC goals and activities, in a healthy and safe way.

ENERGY CAN NOT BE CREATED OR DESTROYED

Smarites many years ago came up with these principles. Newton and his laws. The laws of Thermodynamics. This principle is very important to understand. In life. We think we are invincible and and that we can just keep going forever. If we were to think about yourself as a car, with a battery, alternator, oil, gas and what not, we would be so much better off in understanding that we just can’t go 90 miles an hour all day long and something bad not happen. We know this about the car. How in the world do we lose sight of this with our own body.

The science behind this is, for nutrition, is simple. The nutrients in food, they are put together with chemical bonds. Like two or three ingredients that “combine” to form say glucose. When the body uses ENZYMES to “break” the “bonds”, energy is “released”.

First.

ATP: body’s “energy currency”. Just about every CELL in the body needs ATP to do it’s J O B

  • ATP is required to move skeletal muscle
  • ATP is required to contract our digestive muscles
  • ATP is required to produce enzymes
  • ATP is required to carry molecules across cell membranes
  • ATP is required to process what you see
  • ATP is required to think thoughts
  • the list goes on and on and on

ATP is made from nutrients in the body obtained from metabolism, or what we eat and digest/absorb/…

To keep it simple, just think about it like this. Your body is super cool in that on the fly it can use the nutrients in the blood to combine and break in order to make ATP. Then the body will “pull” nutrients for the liver and the muscles in order to do this J O B. Again to keep things simple, in relation to working out and ENDURANCE training, we get these nutrients for two places.

💥Triglycerides💥 & 💥Glycogen💥

These are the “storage” form of FATTY ACIDS (fat) and CARBOHYDRATES. These two are stored in both the liver and the muscles. So two important things to say here.

  • ❤️Be mindful to not villianize Triglycerides. They aren’t from the devil. They are needed in the body. In the correct amount.
  • ❤️ While the body CAN use protein for “fuel” to make ATP, it is not really designed to do that. It is a BACKUP method. Please think about that for a moment. And don’t take this to think that protein isn’t important in the body. It is not the designed means for making ATP, but it is required to provide the building blocks to help the body make ATP from triglycerides and glycogen.

BEANS WITH OUR AVOCADO / GUACAMOLE

  • 💥Simple sugars (glucose) from the BEANS (complex carbs)
  • 💥From the beans: fiber for the GI track to feed gut bacteria to convert short-chain fatty acids
  • 💥Beans Protein: amino acids
  • 💥Avocados fat into fatty acids
  • 💥Glucose goes to our liver, stored as glycogen
  • 💥Short-chain fatty acids that the gut bacteria makes from the fiber, usually used as energy within the colon/intestinal epithelial cells
  • 💥Avocado’s longer-chain fatty acids go to the liver to be converted into triglycerides
  • 💥Amino acids from this meal go into the body’s amino acid pool, which provides the body with material for new proteins, but can be used as fuel as well.

MAKE AND REPLENISH ATP IN MANY WAYS DEPENDING ON:

  • How QUICKLY we need energy
  • How FAST the reactions are happening
  • What nutrients are AVAILABLE (c / f / p)
  • If there is ENOUGH O2 to contribute to the reaction

3 Main Ways the Body Produces ATP

  • 💥ATP-PCr (super fast)
  • 💥Glycolytic Pathway
  • 💥Oxidative Phosphorylative Pathway

ATP-PCr is a super fast system that can only support a couple of sections of activity. This system recovers fairly fast. But it does take some rest. Think of this like when you are doing sprint intervals.

Glycolytic Pathway is a very quick system as well, providing ATP for just a bit longer, like 10-15 seconds. This system makes ATP much slower than the ATP-PCr though they both last about the same. This is a much more complex system, with many more enzymatic processes involved. It produces a lot of hydrogen as a by product which can be harmful. Think of them as very unstable and can be like Wreck it Ralph. Hydrogen gets gets “buffered” with the ending result a lactic acid.

Lactic acid is designed to buffer the hydrogen ions (harmful dudes) and carry them out of the cells where they don’t reek havoc. This is what allows us to continue to exercise.

Oxidative Phosphorylative Pathway uses two processes, the krebs cycle and the electron transport chain. This process is designed to run a lot slower. So when the requirement for energy (aka ATP) is lower/slower, instead of using “energy components” to make lactic acid, it shuttles those “components” into the krebs cycle. And this is where we start thinking about carbs, fats and proteins can be used to provide “components” into the krebs cycle to support this “engine” of making ATP. When things are rolling smoothly, the hydrogen ions made during this process do different things than make lactic acid and get moved to the electron transport chain where they will make MORE ATP. A LOT MORE!!!! This is why that gray zone training, where you aren’t completely in this way of producing energy can be hard on the body.

Heart rate training aligns directly with these three ways of producing ATP / ENERGY. If you follow a good heart rate training program that stimulates and helps the body improve and become more efficient with these. AND YOU UNDERSTAND it better, you become a smarter and stronger athlete and racer. In this way you can do well with training, racing and what sideways stuff happens. Like it’s HOT. Or mother nature decides to throw 25+ MPH winds your way and you have to work hard, but your race is x long so you know you can do y.

Athlete, Coaching, Diet, Eating, Fueling

Food prep for the busy triathlete

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No one is going to argue that eating well is super important. Now what to eat … thats a different blog for a different time. 😎🥳

We aren’t going to argue that food is fuel. And a lot of us understand that food is so much more than fuel. And one of the biggest things that we ARE NOT is CONSISTENT. So enter the habit of food prepping.

  • Carbs, proteins and fats provide the energy to burn
  • Micronutrients like vitamin c and magnesium support a plethora (PLETHORA) of processes that go on in the body. Like magnesium so you don’t cramp and have restless legs at night.
  • Phyto-chemicals or plant substrates do a ton of stuff like protect your DNA, protect against cancer, decrease the risk of heart disease and on and on.
  • Zoo-chemicals or animal provided substrates reduce inflammation and blood clotting, suppress cancer cell development and inhibit complications from diabetes to hit some big ones.
  • You also get some organic molecules form your food that help, such as bacteria that helps your body to produce B12.

So in order for the triathlete to achieve the following, we need to do our best to eat right. In my experience and training, the majority (75 to 90% of women triathletes aren’t eating enough calories, a different blog for a different time, and certainly not getting all the “stuff” from food that they need.

  • Fuel your body for activity
  • Provide the basic building blocks, like sodium, in order to support the activity AND do vital jobs like keep your brain cool so you don’t melt your brain and die (thats how the body thinks of it).
  • Provide the building blocks like amino acids to aide in recovery and repair. Why do a hard work out if in 10 days you aren’t going to see the results because you didn’t eat good enough to give the body what it needs?
  • Support all the hormonal functions like sleeping well, regulating metabolism, keeping that sex drive UP, supporting bone health and the list goes on and on and on …
  • Keeping you from getting sick. Let’s be real … who wants to get sick when the training gets really real? How does it feel to miss that LONG brick?
  • Keeps your brain happy
  • Which keeps the house happy
  • Insert beautiful orchestra chord.

So here are some simple ideas on how to look at food prep. WHICH STARTS AT THE STORE!

Admittedly, this one is for those that are ok with the Zoo-chemicals.

  • Hard Boiled Eggs: Cook a dozen or more and have sitting in your frig. Adding sirachi mayo or something to spice it up is a wonderful snack. And salt. ADD THE SALT.
  • NUTS: Brazil nuts for the guys which provides selenium for better testosterone levels. Ladies too. You need this. Salted almonds. Cashews. Nut butters.
  • AVOCADOS: Great source of fat and protein. Be mindful that there are some carbs in them. OH THE SALT!!! 😉
  • Cook up hamburger patties and store in the frig. Like 10 of them. Then you can add a bit of a dressing or tear up into a quick salad or mix with some sautéed veggies that you prepped.
  • Sautéed Veggies: chop up some veggies, add the garlic and onions (stupid good for female health and heart health). Add to meals when you are rolling through your day.
  • Breakfast burritos: Cook up veggies, scrambled eggs (like 12 of them), and make a whole pan of yumminess. Then package in a torilla wrap. You can add flaxseed and other goodness to kick it up a notch.
  • Cook beets like eggs and have them in the frig to eat ala cart or add to your smoothies.
  • Breakfast: handful of nuts, a bit of oatmeal, a bit of berries and add extras. Put in food prep containers and BOOM! Add hot water to eat. On the GO GO GO nutrition.
  • Purchase clean family serving dishes of meat. BOOM!
  • Get containers to put in breakfast, salads, dinner, etc.

There are so many things that you can do if you practice and get into the habit of prep prep. Plus if you are just a bit more mindful, you can involve your kids and teach them vital and precious skills for cooking and the LOVE for good food. TO LOVE THEIR BODIES. To nurture themselves. This is one of the biggest things we need to be role modeling to our little people. You can get your spouses involved. If you are a lady ironman in training, this is one great way of involving that husband that might get to feeling left out. I’m not saying give him the task of meal food prepping and all that, just a little bit of involvement will go a long way to not leaving him on the side of the street.

CONSISTENCY!!!! Being consistent and having the attitude that we need to take care of our bodies, not keep pushing pushing pushing, we will get way better results and in general be more content and happy. And everyone around you will benefit. 🙂

Plus this is more time efficient so you will rock out mid and later in the week when training and life has got you pressed. You can throw together a wonderful meal and then someone will probably rub your feet because your a super mom or dad or whatever. 🙂 <3

Fueling, Ironman, Triathlon

Test for your sweat rate

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Every IRONMAN competitor anticipates, experiments, and maybe stresses a bit (or a lot) about race day nutrition, starting with the foundation of fluid replacement. They appreciate that dehydration can slow you down, wreak havoc with your gastrointestinal system, and lead to overheating. On the flip side, over hydrating increases your risk for developing exercise associated hyponatremia, a fluid overload condition characterized by abnormally low levels of blood sodium that can be serious and even fatal. To find your own hydration sweet spot for race day—not too much and not too little—you can set up a process to check your sweat rate throughout your training season.

Got thirst?

You may have heard recently that thirst should drive your drinking. While this is safe and prudent for the recreational exerciser to prevent fluid overload, we can all appreciate that Ironman events are not casual, no matter your race day goals. Just as you have a planned race day pace, you should also have a paced plan for hydration during the bike and run. However, endurance athletes will need to be prepared to adapt and adjust on race day as well.

Getting started

Start by collecting your own sweat data. You can start anytime, but should do this throughout the training season to capture changes in your sweat rate that occur with increased fitness, acclimatization, increased training intensity, and of course the full smorgasbord of potential weather conditions. Creating a flow sheet for tracking is wise as this allows you to review data from the past as you develop and refine your hydration. Race day weather can differ greatly from recent training conditions due to travel to other climates and venues famous for labile weather conditions. Looking back at your records allows you to confidently tweak your race nutrition plan accordingly as the race day weather forecast emerges.

How to check your sweat rate

Begin to think of your sweat losses as an hourly rate specific to the bike and to the run. Fueling guidelines are also described at carbohydrates per hour, so this is a good base for your full race nutrition plan development.

While you are preparing for a long race, it is best to check sweat losses during shorter workouts- about 60 to 90 minutes. That’s because you burn stored fuel or muscle glycogen during exercise, contributing to the weight loss. Longer workouts mean more glycogen and water loss, so it throws off the data.

It is also important to be well hydrated prior to workouts when you are completing a sweat check. Weighing sweaty clothes and hair also throws off your calculations as does consuming solid or semi-solid products during the workout, so stick with liquids.

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2015/11/calculate-your-sweat-rate.aspx#ixzz4vFxTn93z

Originally from: http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/news/articles/2015/11/calculate-your-sweat-rate.aspx#ixzz4vFtJmQic

THE TEST

1) Weigh yourself nude right before a run (or bike).

2) Run at race pace for one hour, keeping track of how much you drink (in ounces) during the run (or bike).

3) After the run, strip down, towel off any sweat, and weigh yourself nude again.

4) Subtract your weight from your prerun weight and convert to ounces. Then add to that number however many ounces of liquid you consumed on your run (or bike).(1 pound = 1 pint or 16 oz. of water)

(For example, if you lost a pound and drank 16 ounces of fluid, your total fluid loss is 32 ounces.)

5) To determine how much you should be drinking about every 15 minutes, divide your hourly fluid loss by 4 (in the above example it would be 8 ounces).

Other Thoughts:

  • Many factors affect the sweat rate!  Check out the Electrolyte podcast for further educational information!
  • Because the test only determines your sweat losses for the environmental conditions you run in that day, you should retest on another day when conditions are different to see how your sweat rate is affected. You should also redo the test during different seasons, in different environments (such as higher or lower altitudes), and as you become faster, since pace also affects your sweat rate.
Diet, Eating, Education, Fueling

The Real Super Foods

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LETS THINK OLD SCHOOL

“Superfood” is a popular buzzword you’ve probably seen on health blogs, in grocery stores, and from well-meaning friends. It sort of scares us away because it seems that something is new and involved every time we turn around.   Whether the latest fad is a rare fruit from the Amazon or a seed that cures every disease known to man, most superfoods build on hype, not evidence of real health benefits.  HOWEVER … your grandma had it right!

Here are some foods that are MOST EXCELLENT FOR YOUR HEALTH.  And they are easy.  And cheap!

1. Garlic

Garlic has strong evidence to suggest it can improve circulatory health by facilitating blood flow, reducing blood pressure, and improving cholesterol levels. Garlic also provides antioxidant benefits because it supports the activity of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. There is also evidence to suggest garlic consumption may ward off upper respiratory infections. It even has an anti-cancer effect. Including cloves of garlic in your diet is one of the healthiest habits you can have.

What you really want to know, garlic can positively impact …

  • Acne, especially the big ugly ones under the chin
  • Special issues in bikini area, like those ingrown things from biking!
  • Bacterial infections, in the groin area, on the butt, etc.

2. Dark berries

Dark berries, including blueberries, are a rich source of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins have antioxidant properties and can reduce DNA damage related to oxidation and stress.

Older people can eat dark berries to improve memory. Though the mechanism behind this effect — increasing a growth factor called BDNF — could potentially work for young people as well, this has yet to be confirmed by dedicated studies.

What you really want to know, dark berries can positively impact …

  • Eye twitching brought about by stress, deficiency in a B vitamin
  • Cracks in the sides of your mouth, another deficiency in a different B vitamin
  • Immunity, happiness and cardiovascular health

3. Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algae with a 55–70% protein content. It is safe to supplement and provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Studies suggest that supplementing spirulina can increase bile acid blood levels, a characteristic of Gilbert’s Syndrome. People with Gilbert’s Syndrome are at lower risk for diabetes and obesity, as well as cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Animal research suggests spirulina may also be neuroprotective, but human studies are needed to confirm this effect.

Unfortunately, spirulina is the worst-tasting supplement on this list.

 

4. Leafy greens

Leafy green vegetables contain high levels of nitrate, as do beetroot. In fact, beetroot has so much nitrate that it can serve as a legitimate ergogenic aid and pre-workout supplement.

Nitrates improve blood flow by dilating blood vessels. Eating nitrate-rich vegetables daily can help lower blood pressure over time.

What you really want to know, dark greens can positively impact …

  • Macular (eye) health
  • Clean up and nurture the liver and cardiovascular system
  • Provide iron and other plant nutrients that helps the body to deliver oxygen more efficiently, meaning better athletic performance.

YO!  Did you know that Juice Plus, the Orchard, Garden, Vineyard Blend along with the Complete Protein Powder  covers all of these!

 

Eating, Education, Fueling

10 Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

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Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a “superfood.”  Its benefits include weight loss, better brain function, skin health and many more.  Here are 10 impressive health benefits of coconut oil.

1. Coconut Oil Contains Fatty Acids With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Woman Holding a Cracked CoconutCoconut oil has been demonized in the past because it contains saturated fat.

In fact, coconut oil is one of the richest sources of saturated fat known to man, with almost 90% of the fatty acids in it being saturated (1).  However, new data is showing that saturated fats are mostly harmless. Many studies with hundreds of thousands of people have found no link to heart disease (2).  Additionally, coconut oil doesn’t contain your average saturated fats, like the ones you would find in cheese or steak.

They contain Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – which are fatty acids of a medium length.

Most of the fatty acids in the diet are long-chain fatty acids, but the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are metabolized differently.

They go straight to the liver from the digestive tract, where they are used as a quick source of energy or turned into so-called ketones, which can have therapeutic effects on brain disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s.

Bottom Line: Coconut oil contains a lot of medium chain triglycerides, which are metabolized differently and can have therapeutic effects on several brain disorders.

2. Populations That Eat a Lot of Coconut Oil Are Healthy

Coconut is an exotic food in the Western world, primarily consumed by health conscious people.  However, in some parts of the world, coconut is a dietary staple that people have thrived on for many generations.

The best example of such a population is the Tokelauans, which live in the South Pacific.  They eat over 60% of their calories from coconuts and are the biggest consumers of saturated fat in the world.  These people are in great health, with no evidence of heart disease (3).  Another example of a population that eats a lot of coconut and remains in excellent health is the Kitavans (4).

Bottom Line: Plenty of populations around the world have thrived for multiple generations eating massive amounts of coconut fat.

3. Coconut Oil Can Help You Burn More Fat

Coconuts

Obesity is currently one of the biggest health problems in the world.

While some people think obesity is only a matter of calories, others believe that the sources of those calories are important too.  It is a fact that different foods affect our bodies and hormones in different ways. In this regard, a calorie is not a calorie.

The medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) in coconut oil can increase how many calories you burn compared to the same amount of other fats (5, 6).  One study found that 15-30 grams of MCTs per day increased 24 hour energy expenditure by 5%, totalling about 120 calories per day (7).

Bottom Line: The medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil have been shown to increase calories burned over 24 hours by as much as 5%, potentially leading to significant weight loss over the long term.

4. Coconut Oil Can Kill Harmful Microorganisms

Running Away From Pathogens

Almost 50% of the fatty acids in coconut oil is the 12-carbon Lauric Acid.

When lauric acid is digested, it forms a substance called monolaurin.  Both lauric acid and monolaurin can kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi (8).  For example, these substances have been shown to kill the bacteria Staphylococcus Aureus (a very dangerous pathogen) and the yeast Candida Albicans, a common source of yeast infections in humans (9, 10).

Bottom Line: The fatty acids and breakdown products in coconut oil can kill harmful pathogens, potentially helping to prevent infections.

5. Coconut Oil Can Reduce Your Hunger, Helping You Eat Less

One interesting feature of coconut oil is that it can reduce your hunger.  This may be related to the way the fatty acids in it are metabolized, because ketones can have an appetite reducing effect (11).  In one study, varying amounts of medium and long chain triglycerides were fed to 6 healthy men.  The men eating the most MCTs ate 256 fewer calories per day, on average (12).  Another study in 14 healthy men discovered that those who ate the most MCTs at breakfast ate fewer calories at lunch (13).  These studies were small and only done for a short period of time. If this effect were to persist over the long term, it could have a dramatic influence on body weight over a period of several years.

Bottom Line: The fatty acids in coconut oil can significantly reduce appetite, which may positively affect body weight over the long term.

6. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Are Turned into Ketones, Which Can Reduce Seizures

Open Coconut

A so-called ketogenic (very low carb, very high fat) diet is currently being studied to treat various disorders.  The best known therapeutic application of this diet is treating drug-resistant epilepsy in children (14).  This diet involves eating very little carbohydrates and large amounts of fat, leading to greatly increased concentrations of ketones in the blood.  For some reason, this diet can dramatically reduce the rate of seizures in epileptic children, even those who haven’t had success with multiple different types of drugs.  Because the MCTs in coconut oil get shipped to the liver and turned into ketones, they are often used in epileptic patients to induce ketosis while allowing for a bit more carbs in the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: The MCTs in coconut oil can increase blood concentration of ketone bodies, which can help reduce seizures in epileptic children.

7. Coconut Oil Can Improve Blood Cholesterol Levels

Coconut oil contains healthy saturated fats.  The saturated fats in coconut oil may increase “good” HDL cholesterol in your body, but also help convert the “bad” LDL cholesterol into a less harmful form.  Coconut oil may also improve other risk factors and therefore protect against heart disease.  In one study in 40 women, coconut oil reduced Total and LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL compared to soybean oil (17).  There are also rat studies showing that coconut oil reduces triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol, increases HDL and improves blood coagulation factors and antioxidant status (18, 19).

Bottom Line: Studies in both humans and rats show that coconut oil improves important risk factors like Total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, which may translate to a reduced risk of heart disease.

8. Coconut Oil Can Protect Hair Against Damage, Moisturize Skin and Function as Sunscreen

Cracked Coconut With Peels

Coconut oil can serve various purposes that have nothing to do with eating it.  Many people are using it for cosmetic purposes and to improve the health and appearance of their skin and hair.  Studies on individuals with dry skin show that coconut oil can improve the moisture and fat content of the skin.  Coconut oil can also be very protective against hair damage and one study shows effectiveness as sunscreen, blocking about 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

Another application is using it like mouthwash in a process called oil pulling, which can kill some of the harmful bacteria in the mouth, improve dental health and reduce bad breath.

Bottom Line: Coconut oil can be applied topically as well, studies showing it to be effective as a skin moisturizer and protecting against hair damage. It can also be used as a mild form of sunscreen and as mouthwash.

9. The Fatty Acids in Coconut Oil Can Boost Brain Function in Alzheimer’s Patients

Doctor With Thumbs Up

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and occurs primarily in elderly individuals.  In Alzheimer’s patients, there appears to be a reduced ability to use carbs for energy in certain parts of the brain.  Researchers have speculated that ketones can provide an alternative energy source for these malfunctioning brain cells and reduce symptoms of Alzheimer’s (26).

In one 2006 study, consumption of medium chain triglycerides led to immediate improvement in brain function in patients with milder forms of Alzheimer’s (27).  Other studies support these findings and medium chain triglycerides are being intensively studied as potential therapeutic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (28, 29).

Bottom Line: Studies show that the fatty acids in coconut oil can increase blood levels of ketones, supplying energy for the brain cells of Alzheimer’s patients and relieving symptoms.

10. Coconut Oil Can Help You Lose Fat, Especially The Harmful Abdominal Fat

A man who needs to lose weight

Given that coconut oil can reduce appetite and increase fat burning, it makes sense that it can also help you lose weight.  Coconut oil appears to be especially effective at reducing belly fat, which lodges in the abdominal cavity and around organs.  This is the most dangerous fat of all and is highly associated with many chronic diseases.  Waist circumference is easily measured and is a great marker for the amount of fat in the abdominal cavity.

In a study in 40 women with abdominal obesity, supplementing with 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of coconut oil per day led to a significant reduction in both BMI and waist circumference in a period of 12 weeks (17).  Another study in 20 obese males noted a reduction in waist circumference of 2.86 cm (1.1 inches) after 4 weeks of 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of coconut oil per day (30).

This number may not seem too impressive on the surface, but be aware that these people aren’t adding exercise or restricting calories. They’re losing significant amounts of belly fat simply by adding coconut oil to their diet.

Not All Coconut Oil Is the Same

Optimally you want organic, virgin coconut oil, not the refined versions.

Education, Fueling, Triathlon

#44 Ironman Louisville Race Review

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louisville

Coach BK and Coral Owen chat about the logistics and everything to do with Ironman Louisville.

Coach BK offers free athlete health assessments, which includes an online form to fill out and a 30 minute rockstar chat on the phone to go over the form results.  Coach BK will provide 3 action steps to help you get to the next level of your training.  START HERE >>> Athlete Health Assessment Form

 

louisville2

 

Athlete, Education, Fueling, Triathlon

Magnesium is CRITICALLY important for the person and the ENDURANCE Athlete

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Magnesium deficiency…what foods are good sources of magnesium? Is magnesium important for training and racing, or for general health?

CHECK OUT what Dr. Marshall Porterfield from NASA says about magnesium.

Magnesium is involved in numerous processes that affect muscle function including oxygen uptake, energy production and electrolyte balance. Thus, the relationship between magnesium status and exercise has received significant research attention. This research has shown that exercise induces a redistribution of magnesium in the body to accommodate metabolic needs. There is evidence that marginal magnesium deficiency impairs exercise performance and amplifies the negative consequences of strenuous exercise (e.g., oxidative stress).

Magnesium is an essential mineral that demands attention when it comes to health assessment. It is required by virtually every cell, and it’s vital in more than 300 chemical processes that sustain basic human health and function, including muscle contraction and relaxation, nerve function, cardiac activity, blood pressure regulation, hormonal interactions, immunity, bone health and synthesis of proteins, fats and nucleic acids. Magnesium is also crucial for energy metabolism by the activation of enzymes known as ATPases, which are needed to generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

When ATP is broken down, energy is released for all muscle contractions, and when exercising strenuously, this turnover is extremely high, meaning that ATP needs to be synthesized quickly. Thus a shortfall of magnesium can limit energy production, leading to fatigue, lethargy, reduced power, muscle twitches or cramps. Chronic deficiencies of magnesium are also implicated in reduced bone mineral density and increased risk of osteoporosis as well as anemia, depression and irregular heart rate. Virtually every body system can display symptoms because systems throughout the body rely on magnesium. Athletes in particular might find it easy to explain away fatigue or muscle cramps, lowered immunity, and even altered heart rates, and indeed these symptoms are common and multi-faceted in cause. However, a simple magnesium deficiency could also be the underlying factor.

There is emerging evidence that magnesium requirements are significantly elevated in athletes, and that performance might benefit from higher intakes. Aside from being used up in the production of energy, magnesium might also assist performance by reducing accumulation of lactic acid and reducing the perception of fatigue during strenuous exercise through its action on the nervous system. Magnesium is also lost through sweat, so athletes training hard in hot and humid environments might further increase demands.

Magnesium Depletion

The “Journal of Nutrition” reported on a study in 2002 that examined the effect of magnesium depletion on cardiac function and energy needs during exercise. Post-menopausal women were put on a diet supplemented with 200 mg of magnesium, followed by a non-supplemented diet. The restriction of dietary magnesium resulted in decreased magnesium concentrations in the body, which translated to poor cardiovascular function and poor energy during exercise, the study showed.

Effect of High Intensity Exercise on Magnesium Concentration

A 2006 review by Forrest Nielson and associates reported in the journal “Magnesium Research” stated that your body responds to exercise by redistributing its supply of magnesium. Concentration of magnesium in the blood increases by 5 to 15 percent after short bouts of high-intensity exercise. An increase is also seen after moderate exercise that is done over an extended period. This is a transient change, however, with plasma levels returning to normal within a day. Possible explanations put forward for this phenomenon include decreased plasma volume, muscle breakdown and transfer of magnesium out of the muscles during contractions.

Endurance Exercise and Magnesium

According to the Nielson study, there is evidence that cross country skiing, marathon running and other extended endurance exercises decrease plasma magnesium concentration. This may be the effect of increased loss of magnesium through sweat and urine, and the movement of magnesium into other areas of the body. The explanation seems to be that your body sends magnesium to the parts of the body with the greatest metabolic need, where increased energy production is required.

Magnesium is not produced by the body, so it needs to be ingested daily through the consumption of magnesium-rich foods such as whole grain cereals, leafy greens, nuts and seeds. Magnesium deficiency is actually quite common—dietary surveys indicate more than 70 percent of the population consumes insufficient magnesium. This is probably because our eating habits generally rely on processed, high-starch and refined foods, which are all poor sources of this vital mineral.

Eating a variety of food will help you meet and maintain magnesium requirements, and provide you with other essential vitamins and minerals.

Pumpkin seeds are one great source of magnesium and an easy addition to any diet—add them to cereal, salads, pasta and rice dishes for extra crunch or simply eat a handful as an afternoon snack. Spinach and kale are also rich in magnesium, but some magnesium is lost through the cooking process. Some common foods might also be magnesium fortified, and certain sports foods and supplements do recognize this important mineral by including it in significant amounts. All of these sources contribute to overall requirements, so check labels to gauge your intake before turning to a supplement.

The recommended daily allowance for the general population is a minimum of 300 to 350 mg for women and 400 to 450 mg for men. Research suggests that endurance athletes can safely consume 500 to 800 mg daily, and there is debate as to whether this amount should be higher still.

Aside from poor dietary intake, there are other potentially serious factors that may cause a magnesium deficiency, such as gastrointestinal absorption problems, physical stresses such as illness or even very cold weather, alcoholism and diabetes. Additionally, medications, prescription and non-prescription, and/or other supplements can interact with magnesium and its absorption or action within the body. So it’s important to first discuss with your doctor your own circumstances and any other medical issues that may be causing your low magnesium status and whether supplementation is required in addition to eating magnesium-rich foods.

Source: Triathlete, Pip Taylor Jan 14, 2015

Magnesium-Rich Foods

Brazil nuts225Sesame seeds200

Pumpkin seeds (roasted) 532
Almonds 300
Peanuts (roasted, salted) 183
Walnuts 158
Rice 110
Whole-grain bread 85
Spinach 80
Cooked beans 40
Broccoli 30
Banana 29
Potato (baked) 25

(Milligrams per 100 grams).

References

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  • Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
  • “British Journal of Sports Medicine”: Oral Magnesium Therapy; R. Pokan; 2006
  • “The Journal of Nutrition”: Dietary Magnesium Affects Metabolic Response; H. Lukaski; May 2002
  • “Magnesium Research”: Relationship Between Magnesium and Exercise; F. Nielson; September 2006
  • USDA nutrient database

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