Supplements
Supplements for Athletes: What Works?
Let’s talk about what supplements are supported by research, and what may not be worth the money for endurance athletes.
Blood Monitoring
The “Big T,” yes we are talking about Testosterone
Drops in testosterone can decrease libido, lead to mood changes, decrease energy, and prolong recovery from workouts. Fortunately, some interventions may increase testosterone naturally.
Athlete Life & Training
Testing Options for Athletes: The Proven, Unproven, and TBD
Questions contact: [email protected] The wide world of sports is being inundated with physiology tests promising data to determine your unique physiological needs. From blood tests to genetic tests, saliva tests, and even hair analysis, the options seem to be expanding. For this reason, we decided to grade each testing method Read more…
Athlete Life & Training
Is There a One-Size Fits All Diet for Athletes?
For those of you “get to the point” people, the answer to the title is no. But, that is not the real point of this blog. Read on, it will be worth your time, I promise. Dietary advice for athletes is everywhere. Bananas make you fat, avocados make you fast, Read more…
Blood Monitoring
Red Blood Cell Turnover In Endurance Athletes: How to Apply This Information
Red blood cells are one of the most important physiological components for athletes, especially endurance athletes. These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the body’s tissues (including muscles). Without adequate oxygen delivery, muscles cannot perform well. When red blood cells become too low, a person becomes anemic, which is Read more…
Nutrition
Juicer: The Athletes Friend
Endurance athletes demand a lot from their bodies. Hours of training depletes micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and stresses cells. Although some supplements can help replete important micronutrients, research suggests repletion through whole foods is far superior. Whole, unadulterated foods contain thousands of enzymes. At the current time, the complete role Read more…
Nutrition
Cramps: What We Know About Prevention
Cramps are a very common occurance in endurance athletes. Despite plenty of research, the science of cramping is still a bit inconclusive. Despite our desire to pin cramping down to a single nutrient deficiency or event, it does not appear we will find this. So, what do we know? Here is Read more…
Supplements
Supplementing Iron In Athletes: The How and Why
In past blog posts, I have briefly touched on iron supplementation. This practice is common among endurance athletes, especially triathletes, cyclists, and long distance runners. It is done because of the high risk of anemia and pre-anemia due to increased red blood cell turnover secondary to training. However, iron supplementation Read more…
Supplements
Folate For Athletes: Don’t Ignore This Micronutrient!
Over the last few years, iron has become a supplement found on the shelves of most endurance athletes. Rightfully so, depleting iron levels leads to pre-anemia and anemia. For more information on iron, see my blog post on the topic (http://scienceoftriathlon.blogspot.com/2012/05/supplementing-iron-how-and-why.html). However, somehow the micronutrient folate has not received adquate Read more…
Nutrition
Does Running Make You Fat? – Debunked
Warning…the first seven paragraphs are a preamble. If you just want the tips, feel free to skip to the “Meat and Potatoes” section. Several months ago my wife told me I need to read a blog post one of her friends shared on Facebook. Her friend shared the post with an attached Read more…