Food intolerances and fitness – what’s the connection?

We are well and truly in the “Fitspo” era – strength, muscle tone and energy are the new hallmarks of health and a life well lived. Yet, the people we hear from on a daily basis are exhausted, suffering with chronic symptoms and overwhelmed by wellness information overload. How do we separate real and personalised health from the glorified diets touted by the seemingly stress free lives of Instagram influencers?

The first step is to determine what does and does not work for you. Have you ever been told that you need to eat more protein, and are then confronted with the option of which protein supplement to buy, or how to get adequate protein in your meals? While it’s easy to say “Eat more protein”, what you really need to ask is “Am I digesting well enough to break down proteins?” and “Which proteins does my body react to?”.

It is not uncommon for Personal Trainers to recommend whey or casein protein supplements without considering that it could be a major source of inflammation for an individual…

This is because it is the proteins in foods that can be hard for the body to break down, leading to bloating and gas when intestinal bacteria try to ferment what remains. It is the proteins which, if not  broken down adequately, can slip through the intestinal walls and enter the blood stream, encountering IgG antibodies which try to protect us against invading pathogens. When the inflammation cascade is triggered, specific symptoms and fatigue result. If you have an intolerance to cow’s milk proteins, you will likely get a flare up of symptoms some hours or days after consuming whey or casein protein. It is common for Personal Trainers to recommend whey or casein protein supplements without considering that it could be a major source of inflammation for an individual with elevated IgG antibodies.

Under permanent high performance with maximum oxygen consumption taking place in the muscles, the intestine can become undersupplied with oxygen.

This is especially important to consider if you are on a strenuous exercise regime. Under permanent high performance with maximum oxygen consumption taking place in the muscles, the intestine can become undersupplied with oxygen. This results in the intestinal cells (enterocytes) becoming damaged and more permeable (a process which is worsened by pain killers) which is the main cause of developing IgG food intolerances.

The continuous ingestion of trigger foods can cause chronic inflammation by increasing the level of TNF-alpha, a signalling substance of the immune system in the body. This signalling substance can block insulin receptors and promote insulin resistance, hence carbohydrates cannot be fully utilized and transported to the muscles for energy. The formed IgG immune complexes can also bind to red blood cells  and make them clump, reducing the amount of oxygen that is able to be transported to the muscles, effectively reducing performance and lengthening recovery time.

By avoiding your trigger foods, inflammatory processes can be reduced or even stopped and your body can recover.

We often see people who were eating 3 eggs a day as their protein source who develop very high readings of IgG antibodies to egg white and yolk. Following the removal of this completely unsuspected food, their symptoms eventually disappeared. ImuPro will help you find the foods that are good for you and to pinpoint your individual “trigger foods”. By avoiding your trigger foods, inflammatory processes can be reduced or even stopped and your body can recover.To identify the foods that are causing problems, a specialised laboratory analyses your blood serum and determines the presence of specific IgG antibodies to a broad variety of foods.

Identify your personal trigger foods before adopting generalized  and fashionable dietary advice –  it may help you to increase your power, endurance and performance. Let your Personal Trainer or Practitioner know your food intolerances so they can tailor your fitness program accordingly.

 

 

 

References:

(1) Gisolfi, C. V.: Is the GI-system built for exercise? In: Physiology, June1, 2000: Vol. 15no. 3:114-119. |

(2) Eltzschig, H. K., M. D., Ph. D.; Carmeliet, P., M. D., Ph. D.: Hypoxia and Inflammation. In: N Engl J Med 2011: Febuary 2011: 364:656-665: DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra0910283. |

(3) Hotamisligil,G. S.; Arner, P.; Caro, J. F.; Atkinson, R. L.; Spiegelman, B. M.: Increase adipose tissue expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in human obesity and insulin resistance. In: J Clin Invest 1995: 95: 2409-2415. |

(4) Hotamisligil, G. S.; Shargill, N. S.; Spiegelman, B. M.: Adipose expression of tumor necrosis
factor-α: direct role in obesity-linked insulin resistance. In: Science 1993: 259: 87-91.|

(5) Bäumler, H.; Neu, B.; Donath, E.; Kiesewetter, H.: Basic phenomena of red blood cell rouleaux formation. | In: Biorheology 1999: Vol 36: Numbers 5-6:439-442

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