During my last year of college, when I was not studying physiology, jointplay, pathology or theory, I was the assistant supervisor in the sports teaching clinic. There were some very interesting cases during my tenure, but the case of the female marathon runner stands out. It seemed like she visited the clinic every week with yet another soft tissue injury. My schoolmates asked me to intervene because she was a difficult case to handle. We discussed her training regime, her recovery program and her dietary needs as a female endurance athlete. I encountered instant hostility once we began to talk about her diet. She insisted that her dietary needs were well in hand, and that I should instruct the therapist how to resolve her injury. I could not help wonder how on earth her dietary needs were in control when I stood there looking at an emaciated body in a constant state of injury.
We've all heard of encounters like the one described above. It is easy to separate ourselves from those who have obvious eating disorders, but when it comes to the effect of malnourishment in endurance athletes the line is often blurred. Those with no particular - or perceivable - psychological issues can still suffer from health issues even if no eating disorder is present or obvious, especially if a demanding athletic lifestyle is combined with an eating regimen strict in the abstinence of certain key foods.
I have always worked with a nutritionist and continue to do so, not just to maximize my athletic performance but for my overall state of health. Working with a nutritionist has been of tremendous value. I thrive on an altered vegetarian regime, and have since the age of five. My dietary intake is carefully planned around fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish. I say "carefully planned" because I do not eat meat, fowl, diary or wheat products. This takes special planning to ensure I consume all the vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain optimal health and performance.
Yes, a preoccupation with weight and body in the quest for a never-thin-enough body can lead to a sacrifice in important nutrients. But so can a heavy regimen of endurance training combined with a vegetarian diet. In the former case protein is often eliminated or severely restricted because of the fat content. In the latter a vegetarian diet -- even a diet like mine, which includes fish -- can make getting enough protein and iron difficult. Recommended daily allowances for endurance athletes are 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass. Protein is very important in tissue repair, injury prevention and muscle development (just for starters).
Eliminating protein in the form of meat, chicken or fish also restricts the athletes consumption of important minerals such as iron and zinc. This decreased consumption can lead to iron-deficiency anemia which, over time, can reduce the hemoglobin levels in the blood. This adversely effects training and performance. Iron and zinc deficiency will effect immune function, temperature regulation and energy metabolism.
The best sources for dietary zinc are meat, liver, eggs and oysters, all of which are more easily absorbed than when eaten in plant form. The zinc found in plants may not absorb as easily due to the fiber content, and phytic and oxalic acids.
The best source of iron and most easily absorbed is found in heme iron food sources such as liver, oysters, lean beef, tuna, turkey, pork and chicken. Non-heme sources are fruits, vegetables and grains, such as raisin bran, dried figs, lentils, blackstrap molasses, kidney beans, spinach, kale, wheat germ and enriched pasta.
Teas, coffees and red wine, which contain tannins, also lower the absorption rate by as much or more than half. To increase absorption rate of the iron foods mentioned above, consume with vitamin C enriched foods such as citrus fruits or a bowl of fresh strawberries. Why a bowl of strawberries? It has more vitamin C than 1-cup of orange juice.
It's easy to point to those with more obvious eating issues, and conclude that one is safe from such diet-related health issues. This is especially the case if one is strict about eating well. The irony is, sometimes those of us -- especially endurance athletes -- who maintain a strict diet may rest in the notion that we're out of harm's way.
Further information about JulieAnne's coaching services, contact julieanne@semicolon.org. or visit, Semicolon.org.
