The Importance of Gut Health for Athletes

Your gut health has a larger impact on your life than you might think. It is crucial to the normal functioning of your body.

Unfortunately, the modern diet is slowly contributing to the demise of our ability to function at our optimal capacity. Ultra-processed foods make up “almost two-thirds of school lunches” in the UK, so it’s time to take charge of our future and our gut health.

In this article, I’ll show you how you can identify gut issues and how to solve them.

Why Gut Health Matters

Think of your gut as the control centre for your health. A control centre with trillions of bacteria living in it, responsible for fighting off diseases, digesting food, and more.

A healthy gut is a gut with a diverse community of bacteria in your digestive system.

The more diverse this community is, the better your health, and the more resilient you are to chronic diseases. It’s that simple.

However, there’s a problem that is prevalent in your supermarket receipts…

Over 50% of household grocery bills in the USA and the UK are spent on ultra-processed foods. Foods like pastries, ready meals, chocolate and crisps often lack the nutrients your gut needs to thrive, and they can actively harm your gut health.

I’m not saying you need to completely stop buying and eating these foods (I’m lethal with a full tube of Pringles), just know that it is probably contributing to your bad mood and/ or why you feel tired most of the time.

Factors Affecting Athlete Gut Health

If you’re an athlete, your gut health can be even more critical. Athletes often face gut problems like gas, bloating, constipation, and more. But to be an elite athlete, you must first be a healthy human. Your gut health plays a huge role in that.

Let’s explore some of the common factors that can sabotage the gut health of athletes:

1 – Overtraining

Too much exercise can lead to a rise in pro-inflammatory cytokines, causing harm at the genetic level and compromising your body’s energy production efficiency.

2 – Prolonged Exercise

I felt this one 18 miles into my first marathon, when my stomach felt like the evacuation alarm was going off in my stomach. That is because prolonged exercise can release stress hormones that lead to oxidative stress in your gut, reducing blood supply.

3 – Sports Drinks

Excessive consumption of simple sugars from sports drinks can feed harmful gut bacteria, disrupting the delicate balance of your microbiome.

4 – Processed Grains

Processed grains can trigger inflammation and increase visceral body fat, contributing to gut problems.

5 – High-Fat Diets

High-fat diets can increase gut wall permeability, allowing harmful substances to enter your bloodstream.

6 – Chronic Stress

Stress can wreak havoc on your gut health. Counter it with relaxation techniques like breathwork, stretching, meditation, or float tanks.

Preventative measures for gut issues

Now that we understand the challenges, let’s explore how athletes can build a healthier gut microbiome:

1 – Before you can thrive, you must first be a healthy human

You don’t need to make any drastic changes to your diet. However, starting from zero is often the best strategy. For example, it would be great to drive to work every day, but if you don’t know how to drive, you’ll encounter endless problems before you reach the office. The same principle applies to your health. Small changes over time make a huge difference.

2 – Try the 50-food challenge

I’m exploring the power of the 50-food challenge, which encourages you to eat a wide range of foods from all parts of the colour spectrum. This includes carbs, veggies, leafy greens, fruits, beans, legumes, and animal proteins. This diversity supports a broad network of gut microbiota.

3 – Source your food locally

You must pay attention to the quality of your food. Consider sourcing your weekly groceries from farmers’ markets or growing your food, rather than supermarkets. It is easy to get sucked into the marketing and convenience of supermarkets, but they look for any means to drive profits and increase prices. This means the food you eat is often filled with chemicals.

4 – Get 25 – 35 grams of fibre per day

Aim for an adequate intake of fibre, around 25-35 grams per day. Opt for whole, natural foods over packaged and processed ones if you want to not only feel better but perform better every day.

Resolving Gut Problems

If you’re already experiencing gut problems, there are actionable steps you can take to address them:

1 – Dietary Restrictions

Consider restricting your intake of carbohydrates, fibres, and prebiotics temporarily to allow your gut to heal.

2 – Weed Out the Traitors

Herbal antimicrobials like garlic, oregano, or ginger can help combat bad gut bacteria.

3 – Prime the System

Take steps to prime your gut for better health. This includes consuming fermented foods and resistant starches, which help extract energy from otherwise indigestible fibres and starches, mediating inflammation.

Recap

Your gut health is a pivotal aspect of your overall health. If you don’t take steps to improve your gut health, you’ll be worse off in the long term.

To prevent that from happening:

1 – Evaluate Your Diet

Assess your food choices and try to reduce ultra-processed foods. Opt for diverse, natural options.

2 – Mind Your Gut

Pay attention to gut problems and consider the dietary and lifestyle changes mentioned.

3 – Prioritise whole and natural foods

Be mindful of the foods you consume and how they impact your gut. Invest in the right foods to live a happy and healthy life.

Remember, your health is an ongoing journey. Small changes today can lead to significant improvements in the future.

I’m always available for support if you want it. Sometimes all you need is someone to keep you accountable for your health.