To build lean muscle mass, you have to train hard, train heavy and train consistently. One of the biggest obstacles along the way is maintaining optimal health. Staying healthy during a regimented training program is critical for success. However, staying healthy during intense training programs is a common problem that affects elite and recreational athletes worldwide. And if you are constantly battling off colds or infections, you’re not able to consistently train at a level you should. If you’re not training at the highest level, you’re not gaining at the highest level.
This topic was a feature of a recent conference on Athletes & Immunology.
Here were the main findings . . .
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If hard training is not managed properly it has a detrimental impact on the immune system.
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Surveys demonstrate that few athletes follow a dietary pattern that will enhance immunity and reduce risk of illness and infection.
Regarding nutrition and immunology during intense training, here are the most relevant to weight training athletes . . .
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Gleeson and colleagues presented data that showed athletes on low carbohydrate diets exhibited the highest levels of stress hormones (plasma cortisol concentrations) after training. Also, athletes on low carbohydrate diets exhibited the greatest immunosuppression after training.
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Athletes that maintained their glucose stores with carbohydrate drinks during training maintained immune competence. The message is clear; carbohydrate feeding appears to minimize the detrimental impact of hard training on immune function. Before, during and after training, keep carbohydrate intake up. You will recover better and stay healthier.
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However, carbohydrates did not raise low glutamine levels after training.
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Unless an athlete is consuming at least double the RDA for protein intake, that’s 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day, they will most likely be in a negative nitrogen balance (losing muscle) and this was shown to have a detrimental impact on immune function.
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Over-training is associated with low plasma glutamine levels. However, feeding overtrained athletes an additional protein via supplementation increased plasma glutamine levels.
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Greater amounts of vitamin C, E and β-carotene are essential to hard training for antioxidant protection. Studies on athletes showed they metabolize these micro-nutrients at a much higher rate than regular folks and supplementation did prevent oxidative stress!
Strategies to prevent the breakdown of the immune system . . .
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Careful management of training volume. After a planned program, rest weeks (no-training) for full recovery are required. In fact, planned rest and recovery are equally important as the heavy-duty sessions.
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Limiting exposure to harsh environments such as excessive heat, humidity, altitude or air pollution. Always allow for a time period of acclimatization to a new environment, even change of seasons.
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Psychological aspects; learn skills to cope with the day-to-day rigors of hard training. That means time allocation for meal planning, preparation and uninterrupted sleep. Striking a balance between work, intense exercise and life’s other commitments can be a more difficult task that the training itself, but it underlines your results from a training program.
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Micro-pathogens transferred from individual to individual or from surface to hand are the biggest causes of infection. Gym and training centers are a cesspool for infections such as a cold or flu that can derail progress for weeks. The best protection? Wash your hands after training and before you handle food.
Immune boosting supplementation protocols . . .
Before & after every workout:
- 1 scoop of VP2 Whey Isolate
- 20-40 gram DGC
- 5 grams of GL3 L-Glutamine
- 500 mg Vitamin C within 3-hours post workout
- 1 tablet MultiPro 32X morning and night – critical for high nutrient demands in athletes
To help prevent immune suppression that occurs up to 24 hours after intense exercise . . .
Between Meals:
- 5 grams GL3 Glutamine
- 1 scoop VP2 Whey Isolate or Raptor-HP
Source: International Journal of Sports Medicine
