Nutrition

No Guts, No Glory

Running faster times is not just about logging miles. Training programs that take nutrition into account are essential for maintaining high performance. As more studies illustrate the undeniable relationship between the foods we eat, the diversity of our gut bacteria, and the power of our immune systems, naturally, athletes are beginning to take notice and seeking out new dietary strategies to help reduce risk of injury and illness due to high training loads.

We can thank the symbiotic bacteria living in the lining of our gastrointestinal tracts for activating our immune responses and preventing harmful microbes and their endotoxins from entering our bloodstream. However, the heat stress of exercise is known to temporarily increase the permeability of the gut lining and increase our risk of infection and inf lammation for a few hours post-exercise.

Luckily, not only can we can alter the diversity of our gut bacteria and activate our immune systems with certain foods, supplementation with probiotics themselves may actually improve the body’s antioxidant status and reduce risk for infection post-training. Here are some of the ways athletes can keep their gut health in check to build powerful immune responses during intense training periods: