Athletes Avoiding Gluten and Grains in Rock Hill SC

The gluten-free (GF) trend is popular and many athletes have hopped on the bandwagon thinking it might improve their health, digestion, and athletic performance. People with celiac disease (about 1% of the population) need to absolutely avoid gluten because it damages their intestines. Although many people report feeling better without eating gluten in Rock Hill SC, evidence shows this is likely the result of people paying more attention to their overall diet, a strong placebo effect, or choosing healthier options; after all, eating an orange instead of a bagel provides more nutrients and fewer calories.

Avoiding Gluten and Grains in Rock Hill SC

Many people eat more vegetables and fruits when they eliminate gluten and often discover a variety of other healthy grains. Also, someone who adopts a gluten or grain-free diet could be eating better than their previous diet if they are replacing grains with more nutritious food choices. If a person notices health benefits after eliminating gluten or wheat, they will attribute the benefit to going gluten/grain/wheat free. But it's almost impossible to attribute the benefits to the absence of a specific grain or gluten, since so many other dietary variables change with this elimination (overall calories, ratio of fat/carbohydrates/protein, fiber intake, dietary glycemic index, and intake of many other nutrients not related to a specific food). Also, when people pay more attention to food labels and to what they're eating, they're more likely to eat better and may lose weight, which can lead to a host of benefits unrelated to gluten/grains/wheat.

Gluten-Free Diet Can Also Be Less Nutritious

Many GF foods aren't fortified with iron or folic acid. Also, when manufacturers remove gluten from foods they may add additional sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats. Many GF products use a refined GF flour that lacks the fiber of other grains. Consumer Reports provides several examples of glutenfree foods that are unhealthier than their gluten-containing counterparts.

Examine The Evidence

While gluten can cause problems in a minority of the population, there is no good evidence that gluten is problematic for most. Many people get their information from popular anti-grain or anti-wheat books (Wheatbelly, Grain Brain), which are not based in good science and have been widely criticized by most academics and nutrition experts. A 2010 study in Gut Microbes suggests that a
gluten-free diet may decrease the count of beneficial gut bacteria. Another issue is that some of the most popular anti-gluten books promote low-carbohydrate diets, which can leave endurance athletes short on fuel for their workouts, compromise recovery, and suppress their immune system.

Are You Avoiding Gluten to Improve Your Athletic Performance?

Some athletes erroneously believe that eliminating gluten from their diet will make them faster or stronger. There is no evidence to support this claim, and the available research shows that gluten doesn't influence performance. A 2015 study published in Medicine Science and Sports Exercise found that a GF diet has no influence on performance (15 km cycling time trial), GI symptoms, well-being, and other inflammatory markers or indicators of intestinal injury in non-celiac endurance athletes.

Are you Avoiding Gluten because of Stomach Issues While You Exercise?

You're not alone. Studies suggest that 30-50% of athletes experience gastrointestinal problems during endurance events. It's important to recognize that GI issues can be very complex, and although "gluten" is a popular villain, it's likely not the cause. Try incorporating these nutrition strategies:

• Avoid high-fiber foods in the day before competition or before strenuous workouts (but keep fiber in your regular training diet!).
• Avoid aspirin and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen.
• Avoid high-fructose foods (in particular drinks that are exclusively fructose); fructose and glucose combination may be better tolerated.
• Avoid dehydration, which make stomach symptoms worse. Start your race/training well hydrated.
• Consume carbohydrates with sufficient water or choose drinks with lower carb concentrations.
• Always experiment with nutrition strategies before race day.

The Benefits of Whole Grains for Athletes

Athletes (especially endurance athletes) require more carbohydrates than non-athletes so that they can fuel their muscles for activities. Of course, many other foods besides grains contain carbohydrates (for example fruits and starchy vegetables), but including grains can help you get a wider range of vitamins and minerals and improve the overall quality and variety of your diet. Including more fruits and vegetables in your diet is a good idea, but it's probably best if you don't do it at the exclusion of whole grains, especially if you're an athlete with high calorie requirements you might have difficulty meeting your carbohydrate needs. Whole grains are linked with many health benefits including lower risk of heart disease, stroke, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced risk of some cancers, and reduced risk of diabetes. For your everyday diet, it's best to focus on whole, unprocessed grains.

Bottom Line

There is little evidence that avoiding gluten or wheat will improve your health or athletic performance. In fact, whole grains have many health benefits. Gluten-free diet won't help athletic performance. This study in competitive cyclists used a controlled randomized double-blind, crossover design to examine the influence of gluten (athletes didn't know if their 7-day study diet contained gluten or not). Investigators found that a gluten-containing diet did not influence performance, GI symptoms, well-being, and other inflammatory markers or indicators of intestinal injury in non-celiac endurance athletes. (Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 May 12.)