So you’ve been thinking hard about your max heart rate, your muscular endurance, and your macros. But one thing you may not have given much thought to is your microbiome—specifically, how it can help or hinder your athletic performance.
Simply put, yours microbiome it is the combination of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses that live in and on the body. And the microbiome, the mix of flora that occurs inside the colon, intestines and stomach, can be responsible for much more than digestion.
Although more research is needed, studies have shown potential promising link between your body’s gut health and the good performance you can expect.
“When your gut is healthy, you have more energy, your hormones work better, and your body is able to absorb the nutrients you eat,” she says. Laura LondonBoard Certified Health Counselor (AADP) and Fitness Specialist. “This, in turn, can give you more energy, stamina, endurance and focus.”
How does the microbiome affect fitness?
Here are some ways that taking care of your gut can help you pass the time under the bar, on the track or in the gym.
1. Metabolic function
Gut microbes help absorb the essential nutrients your body needs to function properly. When you exercise, the increased metabolic activity puts more demands on your body, which means it requires more energy (from nutrients) to meet that demand.
A healthy gut that contains the right balance of microorganisms can help your body metabolize and absorb nutrients more efficiently and lead to better performance.
2. Sound sleep
Most athletes know that a good night’s sleep can greatly affect performance. And smart athletes know that gut health is the first line of defense against these big energy thieves: insomnia and poor sleep quality.
While these two factors are important enough to make a big difference for most active people, researchers are working hard to find links to other systems and functions. Bottom line: If performance is important to you, you can’t afford to overlook your gut health.
How to improve gut health?
So how do you achieve a healthy gut? It may be helpful to start with what you don’t do it i mean, an imbalance of gut flora, such as overgrowth of “bad” bacteria or fungi. These imbalances have been linked to poor digestion and absorption of nutrients, reduced immune function, reduced ability to recover after exercise, lower overall energy, and even joint and bone pain.
Diets high in sugar and processed foods and low in minerals and healthy fats have been linked to out-of-whack guts. Overprescribing antibiotics doesn’t help either: they tend to wipe out the “good” bacteria along with the bad, leaving the intestines and colon susceptible to being overwhelmed by an imbalance of “bugs.”
1. Exercise
Yes, a healthier gut leads to better athletic performance, but the opposite is also true. Studies suggest that people who exercise may have healthier microbiomes, even those without previous sports routines.
Here’s the trick: exercise must be regular and continuous. Once the participants stopped exercising, their gut health returned to its previous (less healthy) state.
2. Consider supplements
Probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes help improve your gut health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut (the role of prebiotics), putting them there (the role of probiotics), or helping your body break down food to allow greater absorption of nutrients (the role of digestive enzymes).
3. Speed up your diet
Cutting back on processed and high-sugar foods while increasing fiber intake and adding fermented foods (like kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt) has been shown to improve the microbiome and create an environment where healthy microorganisms can thrive.
If digestion control or performance is difficult with modest nutritional changes, you may want to consider a more restrictive regimen such as the Diet for Gut and Psychological Syndrome (GAPS). The GAPS diet is based on the understanding that your gut can influence your physical and mental health. Consult and work with a qualified professional (GI doctor, dietitian) who specializes in the GAPS diet.
Regardless of your fitness level, one thing is for sure: it always feels better to finish a workout feeling calm and energized rather than tight and exhausted. The next time you’re thinking about how to break a plateau or just get back on track, consider your gut health. Your colon and intestines will thank you and reward you.
4-week intestinal protocol
If you want to experience the benefits of a healthier microbiome, The 4-week intestinal protocol is a comprehensive program with a three-pronged approach to help promote gut health:
- Nutrition: Over the course of four weeks, BODi Super Trainer Autumn Calabrese will help isolate the seven most common foods and ingredients that can cause gastric upset and undermine your overall well-being.
- Supplementation: The program includes two supplements. Revitalize is a powerful combination of prebiotics and probiotics that supports the beneficial flora in the digestive tract. optimize includes digestive enzymes to help support nutrient absorption and bioavailability.
- Exercise: Designed to be followed with the nutrition program, 4 Weeks for Every Body is a low-impact program that makes consistency and results achievable for anyone. You’ll do a total of 16 workouts, four workouts per week for four weeks, all under 30 minutes.
