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February 25, 2022HPN 31: Are Food Intolerance Tests Reliable for Healing? Plus: Identifying Root Causes, Intuitive Eating, Hair Loss Solutions and More!
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Sponsor:
Body Health’s PerfectAmino® 300-count Tablets are NSF Certified for Sport, so you can trust that they’re clean and free form contaminants and banned substances. What you see is what you get. Please note: at this time it’s just the PerfectAmino® 300 count bottles that are NSF certified but all PerfectAmino® is made under the same roof with the same standards.
PerfectAmino helps you fight fatigue, maintain and/or build lean muscle mass, and better sustain your training loads. It literally counts toward protein grams in your diet and vegan friendly. Buying PerfectAmino through us helps support the podcast and ensures that you are getting the highest efficacy and quality care in your supplements rather than risking old, poorly stored, less efficacious supplements bought elsewhere on the internet.

Welcome to episode 29 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
Maryam asks:
Food Intolerance Testing & Healing for Intuitive Eating
I’m a fairly new listener & have been thoroughly enjoying binging on the endurance planet podcast! I don’t think this question has been asked & think it’s most appropriate for HPN but feel free to direct to another episode if warranted. I am a 33 year old female dealing with amenorrhea since coming off of the IUD 2 years ago. My question pertains to intolerances; testing, reintroduction, & symptom assessment. 4 years ago, I was experiencing significant digestive issues, most notably acne (cystic looking), bloating, constipation, and bloody stools. I was advised by a friend to have an IGG test done which indicated intolerances to egg whites, wheat, gluten, brewers yeast, mustard seed, dairy, and potatoes to name a few. For years prior, And following, I can now see that I was significantly overtraining with two workout days consisting of CrossFit, spin classes, etc and underfueling. I know now many of these symptoms to be attributed to hormonal dysfunction but at that time, I was on the IUD & blamed everything on food. Prior to this testing I had been eating mainly paleo-ish from Monday to Friday, was counting calories, & had eliminated processed sugar for fear of addiction & binging. Following this test, I eliminated all of the “high” foods, of course leading to more restriction. I’ve tried to add these foods in randomly following the elimination diet but would at least think that I had symptoms such as cystic acne. I can remember having an ice cream cone and having a headache & becoming irritable, blaming it in the sugar. I also remember having lactose free ice cream and whey protein which was noted as being okay, and experiencing acne symptoms days following. I felt okay with keeping these foods out and that it wasn’t worth the potential symptoms, so just opted to keep all of the foods out. After the last two years of amenorrhea, I’ve become more aware of the impact of hormones and question the symptoms that these foods supposedly caused. So my question, how do you know the difference in symptoms between an actual intolerance and just due to re introducing a food group you haven’t had in years? I know the advice is to add in one food at a time for 3 days and look for symptoms but is there reason to believe there may be symptoms that occur without knowing? Such as low grade inflammation in the gut or acne that pops up a few days later? What would you recommend for this protocol & how would you suggest one become more of an intuitive eater after having been reliant on the same foods & calorie tracker for so long?
I appreciate you both tackling this question! The restrictive diet has had a significant impact on my life and I’m trying to eat more intuitively & fuel for performance, with the tips and guidance provided on your platforms
Again, thank you so much!
What the coaches say:
IGG Food intolerance testing & reliability
Science and peer reviewed research on IGG testing is insufficient and not conclusive or determined to be reliable at this point.
More about getting to the root cause rather than chronically eliminating foods.
Results with IGG food modifications, must consider placebo effect + how sustainable this will be?
If your gut is a mess you will react to many foods. And you CAN fix this (great news)!
The majority of reactions are likely more tied into gut dysbiosis so consider instead investing in a high-quality GI test, which may be more beneficial in the long run for total healing.
Some immune system reactivity is considered normal.
A detectable immune response does not directly imply pathology.
Study mention on IBS patients you tested food elimination based on IGG testing.
Consider placebo effect
More resources:
2008 Review by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Other ways to heal from food reactions
Gut healing, look at the 5R approach
remove
replace
repopulate
repair
rebalance
In the healing equation, yes, a healing process may require a special type of diet ie FODMAP, anti-candida, low histamine, SCD, AIP, gluten free/dairy free, and so forth…. either partial or full, but only meant to be temporary to heal and then allow for proper reintroduction. The other problem is that these temporary special diets are not considered in IGG tests yet are huge for so many of us.
Always the goal should be to tolerate most if not all foods, unless a true allergy is present. and then the question is “what if i feel better when i don’t eat gluten” and i think this is fine, but the goal again should be able to tolerate some gluten without having significant reactions.
Acne
Gut dysbiosis and hormonal imbalance is also often the culprit for skin issues like acne.
Of course, dairy is a big culrpit/trigger for acne issues, but is it the chicken or the egg here when you are considering gut health?
Also if there’s a history of being on BC, there can be a reaction when coming off that causes androgens (ie T) to surge, resulting in more incidence of acne
It’s hard to say more specifically what the exact underlying presentation and situation is for you, but again it’s definitely something that can be addressed and worked with- keeping a loving heart and knowing you are worth it!
Holistic approach
There is certainly a history with fear, worry and anxiety over food and imbalances within the body that have taken place (over exercising, underfueling, restriction of certain foods and so forth) and THIS is where the healing lies, to create a more calm interval environment and making peace with food+body to allow proper digestion and assimilation. Relax into your meals and see food as your friend, not the villain.
Look for the root cause, e.g. body needs to feel safe for healing to occur.
What led you to overtrain and undereat? Body image? Control? Societal pressure? Pressure for better performance? High expectations from self or someone else? Fear of gaining weight…and why?
When overtrained we don’t sleep well which will disturb the whole system
A tricky thing is healing gut dysbiosis and special diets when also coincidentally healing ED behavior and really it often comes down to being so DONE with the vicious cycle and adopting more self-love where the elimination comes from a place of love and abundance not from restriction and control. I’ve been through this and it wasn’t easy mentally, but it’s very possible and you also end up being that much more of a mental warrior in the process where you become empowered and like nothing can take you down! You got this!
Digestive issues when reintroducing foods
The majority of absorption happens in the small intestine where you have these wavey finger-like projections that jut out of the small intestine known as Villi and microvilli.
These are used to digest and absorb your food, and like other parts of digestion, they are affected by stress and reduced energy.
When this happens, they atrophy – leading to poor digestion, bloating, constipation, and missing out on much needed nutrients you need.
Goal is to heal the gut in this way.
Also: slower transit time can occur when a food is brought back in. Could also affect bowels. These factors lead the person to believe these foods ARE bad and having symptoms confirms their fear. BUT this may just be a temporary response, the body is out of practice so continue to include the foods and digestion will improve.
Intuitive eating
Bit by bit work on full permission and pay attention. Let go. Stop pushing. Patience and trust.
Setbacks are a part of the process. Make peace with the worst case scenario. Giving full permission to eat all the foods throughout the week.
When people begin to intuitively eat some lose weight, some gain weight, but most stay the same.
Unfortunately, we live in this culture where we believe (have been hammered to believe) that gaining weight is the worst thing that could ever happen to us, therefore losing weight is the best thing.
Honor the body for the work it’s doing at rest to keep you alive. Learn more about it. It’s always working FOR you.
You have to love yourself if you want to make a change, you have to believe you’re worthy of better health. Cultivating a loving relationship with yourself/body and not only listening to it, but acting For and With it, will change your life.

Annie D asks:
More on Greens Powders + Hair Loss
Listening to HPN 30, which led me to two questions:
1) Athletic Greens – is that bad for a morning vitamin routine? Julie – you spoke against green powder, so not sure if that includes AG or not. I drink that before my coffee (w. heavy whipping cream nom). And of course get lots of veggies throughout the day. It doesn’t replace that. But am I a victim of podcast marketing (I think you’re the only pod that I listen to that doesn’t market AG ha!)?
2) Hair loss. I turned 40 this year, and have noticed significant hair loss – more in the form of breakage and thinning than actual bald spots. I just scheduled an appointment at LabCorp to get things looked at. But is there anything else that I could or should be doing? Maybe re-listen to the thyroid episode – ?
What the coaches say:
Greens powders
If you’re bloated or feel weird from it, then yes it may be too many ingredients at once for your body.
Limit these powders, maybe a few times a week or during stressful periods, low sleep, high exercise, traveling, when everyone around you is sick etc. Not necessary if you’re cooking at home and eating a whole food nutrient dense diet. I just like myself and my clients to get back to the basics and eat more simply. Whole foods instead of powders. Prioritizing cooking more and getting into the habit of meal prep.
Yes on paper it looks like a “clean whole food” product and is fabulous for a lot of people, but not necessary.
What is DONE to the food we eat matters. Using powders as supplements has a time and place and there are great ones out there, but should be used just as that, a supplement for when you’re under high stress, training, or in a food desert.
Don’t need to throw these things out just understand that they may not be a cure all as these types of products are often hyped up to be.
Podcasters and marketing are directed at general audiences and they may not know what YOU specifically need or don’t need.
Hair loss
Definitely start with the full thyroid panel if you haven’t yet, what you describe certainly lines up more with a thyroid issue. For example, hair loss and present differently which can then tie it to different root causes.
TSH, free T3, free T4, anti-TPO, anti-thyroglobulin, total t3, total t4.
May also test cortisol and sex hormones, HPA axis (for this run a DUTCH test).
Estrogen makes hair soft and silky while testosterone makes it thicker and coarser. Too much estrogen can make hair too thin and soft, and an oversupply of testosterone, unbalanced by enough female hormones, can make hair fall out.
We need adequate iron stores to grow hair back so low iron and ferritin should be checked.
B vitamins to repair as well as adaptogens especially if stress balance is off.
Protein deficiency, excess dieting, and insufficient zinc and EFAs can increase hair loss
Also consider stress, exercise and fueling- are you over training and underfueling? This imbalance can affect hair- hair loss, brittle hair that breaks easily.
Also too harsh of shampoos can cause hair loss, so check what you’re using, how often, see if there’s a more gentle and natural option.
Or if you really want to go out on a limb, here’s a personal testimony- Tawnee stopped using all shampoo and conditioner in January and there was a transition where hair gets really oily at first but then it balances out and I’ve noticed less hair loss when I brush and in general.
Of course some hair loss is normal but we all kind of know intuitively when it’s more than our norm.
Watch for “dirty” ingredients: parabens, silicones, sodium laureth sulfate, phthalates.
The post HPN 31: Are Food Intolerance Tests Reliable for Healing? Plus: Identifying Root Causes, Intuitive Eating, Hair Loss Solutions and More! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 4 min
February 11, 2022ATC 337: Swim Erg vs Lap Swimming For Triathlon Performance, When Can You Cease Strength For More Sport-Specificity (and Still Maintain Gains), Marathon Transfer To Ironman Run, and More
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Study Mention:
The Effects of Resistance Training Cessation on Cycling Performance in Well-Trained Cyclists
“Supplementary (i.e., concurrent) resistance training can enhance cycling performance among competitive cyclists. However, a lack of knowledge exists about the retention (decay profile) in mechanical muscle function and cycling performance after concurrent resistance and endurance training. The present exploratory intervention study investigated the effect of 6 weeks of resistance training cessation when preceded by 8 weeks of concurrent resistance and endurance training on mechanical muscle function and cycling performance in 9 male well-trained competitive cyclists (V[Combining Dot Above]O2max = 66 ± 7 ml·min−1·kg−1). Cyclists performed periodized resistance training targeting leg and core muscles for 8 weeks as a supplement to their normal endurance (cycling) training. This was followed by 6 weeks of endurance training only (retention period) leading up to the start of the competitive season. Maximal leg extensor power, isometric leg extensor strength (maximal voluntary contraction [MVC]), rate of force development (RFD), and long-term cycling performance (2-hour submaximal cycling at 55% of Wmax), followed by 5-minute max cycling were evaluated. After 8 weeks of concurrent resistance and endurance training, leg extensor power, MVC, and RFD increased by 12, 15, and 17%, respectively while mean power output (W) during 5-minute max cycling increased by 7% (p < 0.05). Training-induced gains in Maximal Voluntary Contraction and 5-minute max cycling power were retained after 6-week cessation of resistance training (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that competitive cyclists can focus on cycling training alone for at least 6 weeks leading up to competition without losing attained gains in maximal muscle strength and cycling performance achieved by preceding periods of concurrent resistance training.”
The question that athletes and coaches might have is “How long should I strength train during my training cycle, and/or when should I stop ST and focus on sport specificity?” This gives some valuable insight…
What the coaches say:
What this study investigated and found:
Subjects were 9 competitive Danish male well-trainer sub-elite cyclists.
Note: small sample size and no control
“Although most research generally reports positive effects of concurrent resistance and endurance training on both short-term and long-term cycling performances, limited knowledge exists about the retention of mechanical muscle function and cycling performance when concurrent resistance training is removed from the training schedule.”
What they did:
8 week strength training intervention.
6 week no strength (but maintaining cycle training).
Strength sessions of 60 minutes including squat, abdominal crunch with olympic weight bar, unilateral leg press, back extension with handheld weight(s), and planks.
“A rest time of 3 minutes between successive sets was used for squat and unilateral leg press exercises to emphasize the improvement of maximal strength and RFD because moderate to long rest intervals should demand heavier loads and faster concentric phases than using shorter rest intervals (11,20). By contrast, 1 1/2-min rest periods were used for the less strenuous exercises (abdominal crunches, back extension, and plank).”
The volume and intensity of the endurance (cycling) training were kept stable throughout the study period.
Results:
They gained and retained a boost in 5-minute maximal cycling power coming off a 2hr submax ride.
Another study looked at something similar but had different protocols and all the strength training gains that had been observed tended to decrease showing a detraining effect.
“This study demonstrates that concurrent resistance and endurance (cycling) training can elicit improvements in mechanical muscle function and cycling performance, respectively, in highly trained competitive cyclists. Perhaps more importantly, maximal muscle strength and cycling performance may be maintained in this athlete population for at least 6 weeks after withdrawal of resistance training.”
The practical implications are that coaches/ cyclists can choose to either maintain or remove resistance training when preparing for competition.
The study authors note that a “single weekly session of heavy resistance training during 25 weeks of the competition season seems effective of retaining the positive effects from preceding periods (12 weeks) of a heavy resistance training intervention period among well-trained cyclists (41).”
The subjects of this study did not gain body mass during the 8-week strength training intervention period, i.e. no muscle hypertrophy occurred. Instead gains seem in part due to increased neural drive.
They also speculated that there could have been in a shift from type IIx to type IIa myofibers to led to gains that were retained without hypertrophy taking place.
Type IIa are oxidative and more fatigue-resistant compared to type IIx fibers.
Some take-homes and limitations:
Cyclists are a different beast than triathletes, runners, etc. So how would this carry over in different endurance sports?
Grace asks:
Swim erg vs lap swimming for real-life triathlon swim performance?
Hi guys! Ever since C entered our world swimming laps in the pool has become exponentially more difficult and a pain in the butt. Plus it’s just hard to get to the pool—as Lucho has talked about on recent shows, it ends up being such a trek!
I bought a Vasa swim Erg machine last year, and love it–and no, it is NOT an easy workout. I want to use this for the bulk of my swim training for triathlon this year, but is that a risk? In 2022, I plan to do a couple Olympic distances and at least one 70.3, all this summer. I’ve heard people say that the crossover is incredibly specific, and that the swim erg can be a solid substitute for actual pool swims, but how accurate is this? Should I trust that advice and feel comfortable mostly sticking to the erg for training and not stress over the pool so much? I still want to get to the pool on occasion but not like I would have before, when it was swimming 2-3x a week. Now it would be pool swims 2-3x a month + erg multiple times a week. What do you think? Is it a risk? Are there any studies or evidence in support of the swim erg for real-life crossover in swimming? Thanks!
What the coaches say:
The swim erg has been around since late 80s / early 90s, but there is minimal literature on the effectiveness of a training intervention utilizing a swim ergometer for swim training crossover.
Nothing on dryland can truly replace the sensation of water, but the erg gives a swim-specific strength workout.
When options are limited training on something like an erg is better than nothing at all! Do what you can; control what you can.
We’d suggest using the erg multiple times a week but still trying to get in the pool for a real swim once a week if possible.
2021 Study: The Effects of Anaerobic Swim Ergometer Training on Sprint Performance in Adolescent Swimmers
Participants in the ERG group experienced a greater increase in the speed of the 4th 50m effort following the intervention period compared to the pool swimming (PST) group
Participants in both groups experienced a significant increase in every measure of power output
The similarity in training response to ERG and PST SIT over 4 weeks suggests that the swimming ergometer may be utilized as a dryland training modality in swimmers
What the erg can potentially do for your swimming:
Increase stroke rate.
Improve power and distance per stroke, with less effort.
Movement pattern that translates to the water.
Can help with technique, keeping high elbow and good form gives direct feedback.
Allows you to work on biomechanics without having to struggle with breathing like some will in the water.
How much is needed?
Just 20-30min can be incredibly effective.
Ideally a training regimen would include weekly volume of 2-4x @ 20-40min each.
However, how does this translate to long-course endurance swims? We know that it can help power and short duration, but what about all the triathletes swimming non-stop longer distances in races? Evidence seems to be anecdotal.
More resources:
Vasa blog on substituting pool training
Vasa blog on erg training during the pandemic
Dave F. asks:
When you’re 18 weeks out…
Hi guys,
Firstly love the show! I am a relative newbie into triathlon this is my fourth year of training and racing.
My only race in 2021 was my first marathon (3hr10min) the beginning of December (avg; 60km/week training for 8 weeks).
Being 35 and with a young family, my wife and I have decided that if I would like to compete in an Ironman, now is the time! So I have signed up to Port Macquarie (Australia).
18 weeks out at the time of this email (sent 12/27/21), I have started following a training peaks program (10-15 hours per week). Would love a coach but we just can’t afford it right now.
Example week: threshold sessions (SBR) Monday and Tuesday; long run Wednesday; and two long rides + brick of a weekend to fit in busy schedule. I also do 2-3 strength sessions plus some easier swimming other days.
Going this pretty much alone, my question is around pacing. Having just completed the marathon, is it reasonable to say I will hold my run fitness doing avg. 40-50km/week. Is 3hr30min (5min/km) a reasonable target? Or should I be more ambitious?
I continued cycling 2 times per week during marathon build, but no swimming. Did a 160km ride week after marathon no problem. Plan this far out, would be to get fit enough to hold high zone 2 for the ride.
The swim, is the swim.
For reference:
70.3 pb 4hr35min
Slow swimmer
Cycling for ~8 years >300FTP
Played football growing up
Really appreciate all the help!
What the coaches say:
This adjustment seems right (i.e. ~20min drop), but a lot of variables that can affect this so it’s impossible to predict.
High Z2 on the bike affects the run more than low/mid Z2; tradeoffs.
Running a 3:10 on fairly minimal training for the marathon was a fantastic result, shows running strength. (And that there is a lot more potential for a faster marathon performance in the future!)
Make sure FTP is on point, Z2 is a % of FTP so the higher FTP is the higher your Z2 can be for better performance.
3:30 may no be competitive in this particular Ironman, would need <3:20; while a 5-hour bike is competitive.
So in the race: bike more cautious, and go for it on the run! However, if you end up cooking it on the bike and go a too hard then you’ll need to dial it back on the run. All a juggling act.
With Lucho: he is using mileage (not time) for his Ironman training.
When running, look for the hardest sustainable effort for the distance remaining.
Do a brick/big day of a 4-5 hour bike with high percentage at Ironman effort followed by a 1-hour run at about 20 seconds faster per mile; 10-15 seconds faster per km from your IM goal pace (for him 5:00/km).
The post ATC 337: Swim Erg vs Lap Swimming For Triathlon Performance, When Can You Cease Strength For More Sport-Specificity (and Still Maintain Gains), Marathon Transfer To Ironman Run, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 1 min
January 28, 2022Sock Doc 16: Your Immune System Part 3 – Role of Mental Stress, Supporting The Immune System For Vaccines, Boosters and Your Body, Athletes Who Get Sick A Lot, and More
Sponsor:
Be sure to open Amazon via enduranceplanet.com—it’s just one extra click to link to Amazon through the ads on the sidebar banner or the Amazon search bar (to the right of the page); or click the Amazon links in the show notes. Thanks for supporting the show!

Sponsor:
Body Health’s PerfectAmino® 300-count Tablets are NSF Certified for Sport, so you can trust that they’re clean and free form contaminants and banned substances. What you see is what you get. Please note: at this time it’s just the PerfectAmino® 300 count bottles that are NSF certified but all PerfectAmino® is made under the same roof with the same standards.
PerfectAmino helps you fight fatigue, maintain and/or build lean muscle mass, and better sustain your training loads. It literally counts toward protein grams in your diet and vegan friendly.
Buying PerfectAmino through us helps support the podcast and ensures that you are getting the highest efficacy and quality care in your supplements rather than risking old, poorly stored, less efficacious supplements bought elsewhere on the internet.

Dr. Steve Gangemi, The Sock Doc, is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness.
This is Part 3 of our 3-part series on the immune system and how you can get healthier and stronger immune function. If you’ haven’t yet go back and listen to Part 1 & Part 2 first. On this episode we tie it all together and cover mental stress, neurotransmitters, nutritional protocols to support your immune system in general and before/after vaccines, the question of vaccines/boosters and individual responses and approaches, athletes who seem prone to getting sick and more…
Part 1
Role of mental stress on immune function
How tangible is the effect of mental stress on immune function? How can we better check and monitor or stress levels?
Triangle of health: Structural, chemical, mental/emotional, e.g. this shows how mental stress can be just as detrimental as other types of stress.
Gut-brain connection:
Nearly all serotonin made in your gut and this affects how we feel.
Up to 55% of dopamine is made in the gut as well and this affects our emotions and how we feel.
When we’re injured or sick for a long time there’s a lot going on- we can get angry etc and this can be tied into HPA axis, cortisol, etc., and affect mood and emotions.
Chinese medicine meridians
Meridians affected by emotions and vice versa.
Emotional turmoil can affect organs.
Liver is affected by or contribute to anger and frustration, lung correlated with grief, kidney/ low back pain with fear.
The journey of healing is never over, what better time to address our mental and emotional health?
Neurotransmitters and their role
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that transmit signal from one nerve cell to another, or muscle or a gland.
Eg histamine, to some degree, it’s a neurotransmitter
Most people think of serotonin as the thing that “gets you to the race”, whereas dopamine “gets you to win the race.”
Neurotransmitter levels can go both ways: If you’re someone who’s always in a funk for no specific reason, you could actually create a serotonin imbalance which could then affect gut health (motility, etc)- it’s not always about something else outside or a gut issue in itself that is causing deficits and imbalances in neurotransmitters.
If you’re anemic or having hormonal issues (sex hormones, stress hormones), or even blood sugar regulation—these issues could influence neurotransmitter dysfunction.
An ongoing cycle:
WBC are thought to tag neurotransmitters as they’re being made and there’s a memory that’s created.
If you’re overwhelmed with an infection and neurotransmitters are imbalanced, your body can get an imprint of that and tag WBCs. This can impact how immune system then affects emotions even after the infection!
Eg if serotonin levels are not functioning properly, the immune system gets an imprint and then after the infection is cleared, you can kind of get stuck in a similar pattern as when you were sick/imbalanced- i.e. serotonin symptoms of depression.
Receptors aren’t being activated properly due to the imbalance.
How to fix neurotransmitters or get out of a rut/cycle as mentioned above?
Starts with diet.
Check exercise, stress, breathing, cortisol levels (are they through the roof? this matters).
Check gut health- are you making them, and enough?
SSRIs: they can help but they don’t help your body make more neurotransmitters; instead, they help what you do have stay active; i.e. they can help but not fixing root cause.
So a lot of people aren’t making sufficient amounts- goes back to methylation (and folate, B12, et- methylated nutrients), iron/anemia, gut health.
Women end up on meds more than men, tied into hormonal issues and even more incidence of iron/anemia etc.
Fix/control what you can fix: diet, exercise routine, etc. These things are often at the root cause. Work on 2 sides of the triangle.
Nutritional protocol to support Th1/Th2 and vaccine support
Refer back to Part 1 for a more detailed rundown of the Th1/Th2 responses in the immune system.
Th1 is supported by astragalus, olive leaf, vitamin A, vitamin D.
Covid specific: What is helping includes elderberry, astragalus, A, D, zinc.
Th2 is supported by OPC from grape seed phytosomes, and we’re seeing that this has been really helpful to support the Th2 response from a vaccine or otherwise.
OPC info:
OPC is showing to be helpful to support your body when getting the vaccine.
This compound is found naturally in apples, raw chocolate, blueberries, strawberries
We recommend Thorne brand of OPC.
You can take OPC in advance or after the shot; so far we know more about it when taking it after the shot.
When taking after the shot – if using Thorne, take 3 capsule 3x a day for 3 weeks, and this helps with immune overstimulation that happens.
Vaccine can lead to an overabundance of Th2 cells.
Th2 supported by antioxidants—helpful foods and nutrients include: tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, quercetin, onions, kale, resveratrol, green tea extract.
But sometimes the food form isn’t enough and supplements really help for a bigger boost.
Are vaccines throwing off our Th1/Th2 balance? it seems like it results in being Th1 deficient with heavy Th2.
Vaccines and breakthrough covid infections, what’s going on here? Or is it just that the immune system is very overwhelmed from these interventions, etc?
Part 2, Listener Questions
Suzanne asks:
Based on your latest podcast I would love to hear Steve’s thoughts on how to support your immune system to prepare for Covid booster shots. (Perhaps I should search his sight first for more information.) I recently had mine not sure how I feel about it but each time I’ve had a pretty significant response. The second go around I actually got shingles. I do you have underlying autoimmune condition (Raynaud’s) I don’t consider it severe enough to be a concern with the vaccine. Perhaps I am wrong. it’s hard to know what the right thing is to do these days. There just isn’t enough information available to make a solid decision. Im trying to good for my community and I have potential high exposure at my job as a massage therapist. Ugh!
Intellectually I agree with science and vaccines. But my gut disagrees.
What we say:
Discussing the value and validity of trusting your gut and intuition.
Don’t lose your intuition, this means we lose our own compass.
Being in alignment and true to yourself, our purpose, etc.
Uncertainty or indecision affects large intestine (going back to Chinese medicine).
If an autoimmune condition is present that should be a red flag when deciding to get a vaccine.
IL-4 is the predominant cytokine of the Th2 response and when you combine that with TGF-beta, this leads to a Th9 response, which is another pathway in which someone develops autoimmunity.
If we provoke the Th2 pathway excessively (can happen with allergies, asthma, parasites, vaccines) you’re more susceptible to developing or worsening autoimmunity.
Shingles is a sign that immune system set off, this condition is the reactivation of the virus for many of us (as it lives dormant in us usually), and the Th1/Th2 imbalance at play in leading it to surface.
What about “mild” autoimmune cases or those in remission from autoimmune conditions?
If it’s present and an issue, even minor, that is considered a risk factor.
Remission is another issue and a deep question.
Recent data indicates that the vaccine may only diminish transmission/reduce exposure for 3 weeks.
The vaccines for covid aren’t lasting very long but what they are doing is hoping to reduce severe cases.
What about natural immunity? Herd immunity? And helping to end the pandemic.
Typically vaccines don’t last as long as natural immunity for many viruses (i.e. viruses other than covid).
And with covid we just don’t know everything yet for one reason: time.
So bottom line: how do we prepare and support my immune system for a better Th2 response when getting a vaccine or booster?
If you want to get the booster and more shots going forward: support immune system, A, D, OPC are high on the list to support.
Emily asks:
Just discovered endurance planet a couple of weeks ago and have been gobbling up the episodes. Thanks for your important perspective on the whole person not just the performer. I am striving for balanced and health-focused marathon training if such a thing is possible.
I’m a mother of two and my kids and marathoning are my joys.
I’m a 4x marathoner and have progressed from 3:20 (2014) to 2:56 (2019) with a baby born in 2016. My second was born March this year.
Nothing inspires me like the marathon and I overperform at it relative to my other distances. I know I should probably take a season or two to run shorter distances but whenever I do that I often lose motivation and don’t enjoy myself.
I’m a huge fan of building up to 100km weeks I like to hold for about 10 weeks each cycle. My workouts are fairly light — I rarely go to the well and focus on threshold and hills for power— and love the long run.
However every build my limiting factor is illness. I have mild asthma that flares up with respiratory infections. When I train and race through these infections, I know I potentially damaging my lungs by prolonging the infection and exacerbating my asthma symptoms. I’ve worked with a naturopathic doctor in the past and I’m not sure the supplements help if I only take 3 days off instead of waiting for the illness to subside. I usually get very antsy about losing fitness. I have taken up to a week off but find it very difficult. I am getting better with a meditation practice and improved perspective at listening to my body.
I’ve moved to a new area and made fast friends with other runners also running marathons this spring. I promised myself I’d put health and family first but am so tempted to run Boston 2022 for social reasons and to do what I love. Somehow I still qualify from 2019. I have not run it before. It feels “right” but daunting.
My first race post partum (8 months post partum) was to be this weekend (nov 8). I didn’t line up because my two sons got ill earlier this week and I got sick beginning Thursday. Scratchy throat, dry cough keeping me up at night, and runny nose. Not major but I’m just not interested in it developing into an upper respiratory tract infection so I DNSed. So far asthma feels controlled.
I’ve been running 60k a week with little strain and lots of enjoyment and think I could easily build to 85k and maybe 90-95 by January.
OTHER LIFESTYLE FACTORS
My baby sleeps better than my first but sleep and diet are definitely some areas I could improve. When babys not teething or unwell I usually get 4-5 hr stretches once 3-4x a week. My partner works shift but for the next few months will have all weekends off which will allow me to train with friends for every long run on Sundays. It’s much less stressful than my normal training cycle where I sometimes and doing my 35k long runs at 7pm.
My naturopathic doctor has me trying out an elimination diet for 4 weeks because I also had iron deficiency and low hemoglobin through my pregnancy. I’ve had chronic anemia and needed to supplement on and off for a decade and we suspect a gut issue. I got iron infusions due to my pregnancy January 2021.. We are eliminating alcohol, dairy, gluten, and added sugar for 4-6 weeks and adding a probiotic. A decade ago I had an eating disorder but I truly feel released from it. I can eat a variety of foods without issue now, fuel very well when I train in particular, and know I need to eat nutrient dense food and put away the junk. I eat about 70/30 whole to processed foods.
Questions!
Is it foolish to train for a respectable Boston (I’d love to run sub 3:15) given my current lifestyle of young kids, less than ideal sleep, and susceptibility to illness?
What is your thinking on training through mild illness or maintaining fitness without overall stressing the body or is total rest required?
Any other tips for runners prone to illness? Nutrition, supplements, or lifestyle? It’s complicated for supplements bc I am breastfeeding and plan to continue for another 6 months most likely.
I love marathoning but also know I may need to be patient.
Much thanks.
What we say:
The concept of “runners who are prone to illness”—the key here is, we shouldn’t be prone to illness. It’s ok to get sick on occasion but it’s how those illnesses affect us (severity, duration, etc). But if you find yourself catching everything, especially as an athlete, there is a clear imbalance between health and fitness, and something needs to change.
If the training is too much and heavily weighted in one’s life, i.e. having a negative effect on ability to recover or stay balanced, then that will show itself in the illness and allergies, etc.
Aerobic system is dependent on iron; iron is tied with T-reg cells.
And vitamins A, D, copper, glutathione—these all needed for T reg cells.
Iron helps make superoxide dismutase, which is a powerful antioxidant right up there with glutathione.
So back to the training, is it worth it? Is it foolish? Yes but….
We’ve all done dumb things like training and racing when we were sick and prolonging that illness.
Thorne article and facts on the J curve with exercise, with more that we discussed in Part 2 of this series.
Fit but unhealthy? Refer to Maffeotone/Laursen article.
We also discuss more on fit but unhealthy in this podcast.
More tips and considerations:
Athletes are a bit stubborn and tend to train/race even when worn down and/or sick.
Also, in being a mom, is your ability to parent and show up for your kids negatively affected?
Total rest isn’t necessary, you don’t have to quit running.
Asthma resources by the Sock Doc:
Better understanding of asthma
Asthma and athletes
The idea here is: What if you can make your lungs stronger and not just manage the deficiency? So you can train and race and get rid of this condition and catch fewer respiratory infections.
With medications, how are these affecting you, what is the mechanism taking place? Important to dive deeper on this.
Last word: The races will always be there… it’s ok to hold off on having to everything right now.
The post Sock Doc 16: Your Immune System Part 3 – Role of Mental Stress, Supporting The Immune System For Vaccines, Boosters and Your Body, Athletes Who Get Sick A Lot, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 20 min
January 14, 2022ATC 336: In-Depth Sweet Spot Bike Training Guide for Ironman and Beyond, Going From Too High Heart Rates to MAF Focus for Master’s Athletes, and More
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Greg asks:
Sweet spot training: How much and how far out for Ironman?
Hey guys! I am curious to hear Lucho talk more about sweet spot training on the bike for Ironman. I am 42 with a cycling background and have done some triathlons but starting training for my first full Ironman in 2022 and feel like sweet spot training makes sense for me on the bike, but I can’t find much information on this approach and just wanted to hear more from you guys.
When you should start this in the training cycle? How much time spent in this sweet spot zone per week? What other bike workouts complement this type of training? Are there times it should be avoided? Thanks so much for any input!
What the coaches say:
Sweet spot on the bike is applicable to athletes who need lower volume training.
e.g. 8hr/wk or less on the bike; or if you’re training for Olympic distances races
It’s not for everyone- it does add a strong stimulus and added risk for some!
Look at TP TSS- if you’ve 1hr to bike, is Z2 going to stimulate you if you’re already pretty bike fit?
Sweet spot is
Mid Z3 and higher, don’t go over Z4.
It is 84-97% of FTP
If you’re doing Z3/Z4 sweet spot- must realize the stress is higher than usual Z2 training.
It’s like tempo-plus, higher stimulation of muscle tendon than pure tempo.
Meanwhile not much muscle stress at Z2- so volume matters to get the stimulus, i.e. 3hr minimum if doing Z2 but less with sweet spot.
Can implement sweet spot in the base period.
Weekday rides could be: 45-60min high Z2/low Z3 into sweet spot but not over Z4; weekends 4-6hr Z2 ride.
Sweet spot is supplementing Z2 work, it’s slightly harder effort but still aerobic.
Don’t fear tempo/sweet spot; it is not true intensity nor will it mess up your fat burning or base training.
When should you start this in training cycle?
Immediately if coming in fit….
But if not that fit, you can tweak it and still achieve the goal: Can be as simple as 10 x 1 min /1 min off at sweet spot watts (a lower risk workout).
Watch TSS- only bumping it a little bit not crushing yourself.
So, do sweet spot in base, not mid-season build, and it is for time-crunched athlete
Caveat: sweet spot not good for run training or runners.
Running too hard is the biggest mistake we make (however, tempo ok!)
How much time spent in sweet spot?
You can try to predict it but we’re not some machine so there’s an intuitive nature to it.
When getting into a sweet spot workout: you can be a bit tired and its still ok, but adjust intervals, if you don’t feel good back it off.
Don’t get locked into trying to hit a data point if it’s not the day!
With sweet spot, train to fatigue- i.e. do as much as you can…
For example of a 3-day block of descending intensity:
Get on the bike and do as much as you can, hold watts till “it sucks” then back off, and repeat intervals.
Next day, that feels too hard? stick to Z3/tempo but not as hard as sweet spot.
3rd day now just do Z2- and this is more quality because you’re tired now.
You can use fatigue to complement the next workout.
How much time per week at this zone?
As much as you can handle without it screwing up the rest of your training!
Word of caution: Sweet spot the day before a run can screw up a run.
Complementary bike workouts:
Z2 rides, sweet spot will increase FTP- don’t mix sweet spot with FTP, Z5,Z6.
However if you want to raise FTP to raise sweet spot wattage, this is not a complement to your current sweet spot training.
Sweet spot WILL increase FTP in itself, so don’t overdo it by doing quality more than this.
When you reach your IM build period (after base):
Back off sweet spot a bit, and edge more toward a polarized approach as training goes on (z1/Z2 and Z5-Z7 or VO2 power).
A traditional linear periodization training cycle is about 8-week blocks that include:
Base: 18-26 weeks out and the time to do sweet spot if coming in bike fit (20-28 weeks with longer taper).
Build: 10-18 weeks so now do less sweet spot, start work more polarized with more time in either Z1/low Z2 or Z5/Z6- can still do sweet spot just be on top of recovery (and also things like not running hard).
e.g. Lucho says he is not running or swimming hard at all, all Z2/MAF focus in those sports.
In this build you can stimulate VO2 but not crush it, don’t need to wreck your world.
*minimal effective dose- VO2 max 8-9 minutes TOTAL.
Specificity: The last 10-12 weeks abandon polarized/Z5 and go back to sweet spot because this is still considered specific and complements IM wattage/Z2.
Is the “gray area” really that bad?
Not if you’re using data to guide you! You will be forced to back off and not get stuck there.
Nutrition considerations:
If you are going to do sweet spot, you better factor in calories… as well as other markers of holistic health, don’t start this kind of training if you’re drained and worn down already.
Jennifer M. asks:
53 and MAF—help!
I’ve been dabbling in endurance training and triathlons for the last 10 years or so, basically ever since my kids were older and I had more time to myself again. For a long time I’ve been training by pace and grit while ignoring HR but realizing my training and racing heart rates were just so high (I would see HR in 170s in training and even over 180 in races like half-marathon!). I started working with a coach who applied zone training to my workouts, based off lactate threshold, and my Z2 was set at 140-155. I was running an ok pace at this zone and getting the training done, but not recovering well and still worn down, so after some research I came across MAF method and have been dabbling with my 180-age HR (a whopping 127- yikes!) and I’m STRUGGLING. This has me at a 13:00+ pace on average, usually with walking to keep HR down. I am not signed up for anything this year and self-coached at the moment, but have my heart set on doing an Ironman before I turn 60! I have time, so should I just stick to this low HR and hope for the best? Or with a higher heart rate that I’ve seen in the past should I adjust my MAF? How much run mileage/week would you recommend for someone in my age group? How long should it take till I expect results with MAF, before adjusting the HR or training? Also- if I’m looking long term at Ironman, what tips now would you have for getting my bike up to speed, I can go all day but I’m sloooow and probably on the weaker side.
What the coaches say:
Testing lactate threshold, how was that done?
If you’re doing a 20-30min run TT (or bike TT too), you have to subtract- e.g. Take 95% and subtract 10 watts for the bike
These numbers are pretty arbitrary and can be wrong
For her, she can stick to MAF if everything else in life feels good and balanced
However, it might help to split the difference and set your modified MAF zone at 130-145 HR, that will fulfill that goal and keep it fun and enjoyable!
Don’t look at the physiological aspects in a vacuum—if you hate it it’s not going to work
Start from a point of building confidence and gaining satisfaction
For example regardless of how useful it is, if it’s not sustainable and you hate it, it’s useless
It’s not like 140-150 bpm is completely anaerobic
How long till you should expect to see results? Give it 3-4 months of this.
Along the way you will see subtle increases and training benefits that may not be as obvious as faster pace per mile, pay attention to your body and the signs. For example, just getting less tired for the same training load. Something that once was hard maybe isn’t as hard anymore—that’s a boost in fitness even if not easily measurable!
Monitor recovery… does it improve at this new, revised range?
How is nutrition, be sure to think outside the box in how your training is progressing—it’s more than just heart rate and mileage.
Maybe not “go all day” on the bike at this point and give the run a shot first. You can still bike just not to the point of draining you and negatively affecting the run.
Use data and auto regulation to guide training and not overdo it!
The post ATC 336: In-Depth Sweet Spot Bike Training Guide for Ironman and Beyond, Going From Too High Heart Rates to MAF Focus for Master’s Athletes, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
59 min
December 31, 2021Sock Doc 15: Your Immune System, Part 2 – The Exercise ‘Sweet Spot,’ Deep Dive on Immune-Supporting Supplements, Self-Assessing Your Needs, and More
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On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness.
In part 2 of this 3-part series we take a deeper dive into immune system function.
If you haven’t yet, listen to part 1 here.
Exercise options for optimal immune function
Exercise- some is good, too much has negative effect.
Thorne article: How Athletes Can Support Their Immune Function (with links to relevant studies)
Equation of fitness isomer than just the exercise itself- so many other variables from sleep to work stress to family stress, diet and so on.
Endurance athletes have a greater demand since the amount they mush themselves, and if not careful can be more susceptible.
Overtraining runs system down (even if you’re not doing high intensity).
Immune cytokines- some are inflammatory and other anti-inflammatory, this impacts immune system function and other systems in the body.
Too much HIIT can put us into sympathetic overdrive – symptoms manifest in many ways and could include: skin issues like eczema, fungal infections (including toenail issues), you catch every cold going around, allergies and asthma, and so on.
How to find our sweet spot with exercise for robust immune function?
Trial and error: See how you respond to different exercise modalities and stimuli. Listen to your body. If you have cravings this could be a sign that things are off.
If you had done too much long slow aerobic training and switch to HIIT with low volume helps, you may see better sleep, sharper cognitive function, and so on.
If craving sugar, this could be a sign you’re burning too much sugar and not a great fat burner.
If craving salt, this could be a sign you’re depleted in electrolytes and/or adrenal glads.
Sensitivity to bright lights or sensitivity to sounds are a sign of sympathetic overdrive.
Are you peeing during seeing hours? This is not a normal thing.
What about people who have a lot of stressors that can’t just change everything, such as shift workers or people traveling to different time zones?
Quality diet and training have a bigger positive impact than we may even realize- and those are well within all our control.
Sleep habits as well.
Offseason, training in winter and vitamin D
Should we worry about training too much in winter months when we’re not getting an immune boost through the sun?
Not necessarily, it depends and shouldn’t negatively affect every single person. Why? You can still supplement with Vitamin D. And also when it comes to illness and things like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), there are typically other issues going on not just a low D thing.
The “Vitamin D border” in winter
The changing angle of the sun in the winter, and why the latitude in which you live matters.
Above the 37th parallel where you won’t get D from the sun in winter months (can get D from the sun above that latitude in summer months).
More info: Vitamin D winter by Sock Doc
Shadow trick- what is it?
D Minder app to monitor your Vitamin D status and more
Self assess & healing
Blood markers discussed in detail in part 1.
The path to healing and building a stronger immune system.
So many speciality labs exist these days. But too much information can be overwhelming. Blood is a great way to start cheaply.
Past that, measuring immune markers via blood even just basic Vitamin D.
Vit D ideally in 50-80 ng/ml range.
Labs are great to point you in the right direction but use caution to not be overwhelmed.
Food sensitivity tests- Steve is not a big fan because of false positives. Not really addressing where the problem actually is.
Hormone tests via saliva are more accurate than blood because you can see free levels more accurately for both men and women.
In blood- there are a lot of issues that can affect hormone measurements that won’t give you the info you need. Saliva tests may be a better bet especially if symptomatic.
If you’re seeing that you’re extra sensitive to minor things even smells of all kinds, chemicals or seasonal things (like pollen in spring), indication that immune system needs work regardless of what the bloodwork may say.
Don’t try to just push through it or push harder, it’s ok to go easy and take care of yourself when you need it- listen to how you feel and function.
Bloodwork is not going to tell you everything. Listen to your body.
LINK And genetic testing? It’s not the be all end all. Our podcast with The Sock Doc on genetic testing here.
He’s also not a fan of vitamin and mineral tests in blood because your blood is typically one of the last things to change when there’s an imbalance in the body. You could do a major chemistry analysis and it may not accurately reflect little imbalances, nor does it address why that imbalance is there and supplementing alone may not be the long-term effective answer. Maybe it’s major diet and lifestyle changes.
Is it worthless to test those things? Eg B vitamins? No… just don’t rely on single lab tests.
Vitamin D is another example that we can’ trust that one marker along- don’t jut test 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, also test the 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D to measure the balance between the two. But few people do this. If you see levels go up with supplementation then plummet back down after you stop supplementing, then that could be indicative of needing to test both. But then where does the testing end?
The bigger issue is that we’re seeing less critical thinking and clinical observations, instead relying too much on labs and numbers not the thorough exam and history.
A case for holistic healthcare and functional medicine.
Nutrition & supplements for immune health and overcoming illness
Are there supplements we should take daily?
Stick with the ones that are proven to support and improve T regulatory response: EPA/DHA, grassfed/grass-finished fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, zinc.
Vitamins A& D
Don’t need to fear Vitamin A. Not going to toxic taking it for a short period of time. High doses up to 100,000 IU have been used for certain illnesses.
Throughout the winter a normal supplementing routine could include 10,000 IU Vitamin A to 2,000 IU Vitamin D (10:2 ratio), a few times a week. Half that for kids 12 years old and under.
Based on your diet or sun exposure, you may not need to supplement that much with these.
Warning signs off too much A: headaches, pressure behind the eyes, and others… it takes a while to actually reach toxic levels and poison yourself with Vitamin A.
Forms of Vitamin A and what other ingredients are in your supplements?
A lot of vitamin A is beta carotene, and just about 30% of that is converted.
Buy Vitamin D in D3 form.
Biotics Research is a good brand for these supplements.
Ingredients and sources matter!
Watch out for seed oils in your supplements and/or a long list of unnecessary ingredients added into supplements.
You get what you pay for with supplements, don’t go cheap. Especially things like fish oil that can so easily go rancid, and don’t buy non-triglyceride form.
Titanium dioxide was pulled from Europe’s safe ingredient list but has potential side effects, yet is found as an ingredient in MANY supplements.
Buy from trusted sources like Wellevate, Fullscript, Thorne, and so on. They stand by their products and have great customer service.
Why is Vitamin C perhaps isn’t as powerful or as necessary as we have been led to believe?
Most comes from GMO corn. Over 500mg of ascorbic acid caused some DNA issues.
In regulating your immune system better, Vitamin C is not even in that pathway.
Vitamin C sacrifices itself when other deficiencies are present, i.e. C can make up for other antioxidant deficiencies.
Zinc
Huge value in zinc.
Astragalus
Can aid in immune health in athletes.
Reference: Latour E, Arlet J, Latour E, et al. Standardized Astragalus extract for attenuation of the immunosuppression induced by strenuous physical exercise: randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021;18(1):57. doi: 10.1186/s12970-021-00425-5.
Anti viral and anti microbial.
Can support immune system generally speaking and actually strengthen it; improves Th1 response in the body
Anti inflammatory due to high concentration of flavonoids.
It’s been used for diabetes, male hormone and sperm health, asthma, decrease mucus production, protect kidneys, anti-cancer properties, can even help methylation issues.
Very few if any side effects; don’t take if on immune suppressants or lithium drugs.
How it’s produced matters, herbs can easily be screwed up.
A good source for quality herbs: HerbPharm
Comes in powders, tinctures, capsule form- keep as pure as possible.
Multivitamins or immune supplements stacks?
Biotics Research Immune Support packs to cover a lot of your bases without going crazy picking and choosing a million different bottles.
Elderberry
Used with astragalus, works really well.
Diminish viral replication.
Sambucal syrup loaded with sugar isn’t it. Get a good quality tincture, locally made, used with a natural sweetener.
Only use it when you are actively sick, great for that, won’t help just taking regularly to strengthen immune system (unlike astragalus is good to take regularly for oil support).
Can use it pretty heavily when sick, especially in the early phases.
Dilute your liquid herbs in water!
Glycine
Great to improve liver function, break down cytokines in the liver (diminish the cytokine storm and detoxify through the liver).
Sweet tasting amino acid, and you can’t really overdose on it. Can take it throughout the day while sick.
Quercetin
Antioxidant, found in onions, lemon peels.
Really good at repairing cell damage and improving IL10- the most important anti-inflammatory interleukin, thus improve immune system.
Can also use to negate effects of NSAIDs and detox when NSAIDs were overdone.
Safe to take.
Things that get attention but are the worth it and necessary:
Probiotics- ok to take but not something you shouldn’t need to stay on them long-term. You’re taking live cultures that should grow and thrive, to the point where you don’t need it anymore. When using a gut protocol go through the proper phases of cleaning up- kill phase to repopulate and so on.
Oil of oregano- more so used to clean up gut, anti-fungal; good to take but not one that you want to stay on or take long term
Digestive enzymes to support gut health – don’t take long term, could lower the bodies own ability to produce these enzymes so don’t keep taking them too much too long. You can become reliant.
More on immune health support for athletes:
Nieman D. Moderate exercise improves immunity and decreases illness rates. Am J Lifestyle Med 2011;5(4):338-345. doi:10.1177/1559827610392876
Pyne D, Gleeson M. Effects of intensive exercise training on immunity in athletes. Int J Sports Med 1998;19(s 3):s183-s194. doi:10.1055/s-2007-971991
The post Sock Doc 15: Your Immune System, Part 2 – The Exercise ‘Sweet Spot,’ Deep Dive on Immune-Supporting Supplements, Self-Assessing Your Needs, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 29 min
December 17, 2021ATC 335: Ironman Fueling Plans with UCAN and More, Transitioning from Ultras to Ironman – Mindset and Training Style Adjustments, and More Fun!
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On this episode of Ask the Coaches with Tawnee and Lucho:
Intro
Lucho updates us on Ironman St. George training and making the effort to get out the pool, making it a multi-tasking outing.
Tawnee and Lucho give some quick followup thoughts from the last show, ATC 334, on transitioning from endurance to a heavier strength training phase.
Tawnee says once she backed off endurance training/heavier run volume, and increased strength training and power workouts (eg kettlebells, rowing machines), that she got significant results with low volume, minimal equipment and without having to use very heavy weights.
Maybe the challenge for many of us is in the shift in training itself (i.e. from running to strength training focus) and how that affects us mentally. It doesn’t have to be about adopting the most extreme training plan.
Lucho’s Instagram account, follow along: @runnerlucho.
Andy asks:
Ultrarunner tackling Ironman & making the mental shift to a new way of training
My name is Andy. I signed up for my first triathlons this coming summer 2022. I am an ultra runner and I am struggling with changing my mental outlook towards training. I have been absorbing as much info on triathlon training as I can. I understand that I need to train totally different than I have been but find myself wanting to train for the swim and bike like I would train for an ultra. I usually would run around 50-60 miles a week in a normal training block heading into a shorter ultra like a 50k and increase that amount if I was training for a 50 miler or 100k. I find myself wanting to swim and bike at least the amount of miles the race will be a week. Like Lucho I always feel better if I destroy myself in a workout and have to work hard mentally to put in the easy miles for recovery. I know that I need to approach the marathon differently focusing on building speed with intervals and fartleks and don’t need to have the long runs I would normally do. Training for ultras I would do back to back long runs and usually run race distance a few times before the race. I was wondering if I swim much further than 2.4 miles in training a few times or ride over the 112 miles a couple times is that going to negatively effect my training. Or is it ok to push myself and get some long rides and swims in in order to make the race distance feel easier. Currently I am swimming 3 times a week and running and cycling 5 times a week. I have been doing high intensity intervals on the bike and swimming mixed with long rides and swims. Same thing with running. And doing brick workouts. I run after every bike session and ride after every run using the latter as a cool down.
What the coaches say:
Don’t change who you are. Don’t change your mental outlook, this is part of who you are and what drives you to
Make the training work for your mental outlook.
Follow your gut intuition and what makes you feel good and confident.
Ease off on the run a bit.
The run training for ultra has added a massive amount of durability. Durability is everything to avoid injury and setback.
Your ability to absorb load will be greater due to previous run training; don’t shy away from cycling volume (way less stress on the body
You could totally do the race distance(s) each week.
Doing 112 mile rides is totally reasonable, even more.
Don’t do your biggest workouts 4-5 weeks out, it’s too risky and too close to race day.
Starting 20 weeks out start you can be doing your longest rides, relates to the 20×20 idea.
Drive cycling volume safely because non-load-bearing.
Defining performance?
You don’t need to be doing speedwork in the run for Ironman; too non-specific. If you do do speedwork, make it 20+ weeks out from the race.
Just remember- when you come off the bike in Ironman your run mechanics are going to not be the same as when you’re running fresh or doing shorter races.
Ditch speedwork for run-specific strength workout: long tempo runs and threshold runs.
Too many athletes focus on the last 5%… but what about the volume that matters e.g. 40 weeks of 40 mpw.
For this athlete, run less (e.g. 30-35 mpw) and boost the bike and swim!
Then ~16 weeks out can add the threshold-type stuff (not traditional speedwork).
Two-hour trainer rides have value.
Be realistic with a good kind of hurt vs a bad kind of hurt when you’re in a workout.
Fins metrics/data to guide duration and intensity of a workout. E.g. watch your HR and don’t over-stress yourself. Don’t bike yourself into “useless puddle.”
If you do destroy yourself, take the next day EASY or off (hop into the pool if you must do something).
Triathlon swimmers: It’s OK to use the pull buoy and paddles (with a caveat on the paddles)!
But also don’t always use toys a crutch.
Wetsuit similarities to a pull buoy.
If it helps you enjoy the swim more to use something like a buoy, maybe that’s not such a bad thing! Especially if it helps you swim more without problems or loss in good form.
Ironman Cozumel mention: Kristian Blummenfelt and Dede Griesbauer- amazing performances!
Mel asks:
Using UCAN and other sports nutrition ideas for Ironman-distance racing
Hi, I’m wondering if you could address using Ucan during a full IM race. I’ve been using Tailwind for years with success, but would like to get off using so much sugar and natural flavorings. Ucan plain flavor doesn’t have any electrolytes added in…do I need to worry about that? If so, can I just add some pink Himalayan sea salt to my mix and be good, or would I need to also take nuun or the Ucan hydrate for a successful day? I’m more of a mid packer so I’m not biking or running at a really high HR so not sure how important the electrolytes are for me. ? I get really hungry on the bike, so I also fuel with some dr. Lim style sushi rice cakes that are more on the savory side. Would love your thoughts on a ideal IM race fuel strategy. Should I let go of the sugar drinks, or stick with what’s working?
Thanks!
What the coaches say:
General tips
Look at using more than just one product like UCAN to round out your race fueling plan.
Caution against highly concentrated sports drinks (e.g. cramming a bunch of scoops of any sports nutrition mix into one bottle is risky).
Mistakes with nutrition are much more likely when using concentrated bottles.
Don’t always focus on what other people are doing. If you do go this route, find people who race similar times as you.
We’re a huge fan of Dr. Alan Lim’s nutrition philosophy and his rice cake recipe(s), and Skratch Labs drink mix.
Start practicing your sports nutrition plan as early as you can to refine and dial it in so there are no questions come race day.
And if you’re still confused, talk to a sports nutrition professional or RD who works with Ironman athletes.
Keep it simple because you’re brain will be fried! Maybe “boring” is the key to success.
Don’t let media hype have you question what works for you!!!
How many calories per hour do you need for an Ironman, if you are a fat-adapted triathlete, on the bike and run? These numbers are fairly general; may want to tailor further for fat-adaptation levels, needs and more:
Smaller people (<150lbs)
300 calories per hour on bike
200-250 cal on run
Bigger people (>150lbs)
400 calories on bike
300-350 cal on run
UCAN-specific tips:
Preloading is a big deal with UCAN so if you do use it, incorporating into your pre-race meal is really helpful for sustained energy. Options would be like 1-2 servings mixed in a breakfast and then another bottle with 1 serving for sipping closer to race start.
Tawnee prefers plain UCAN during racing, mostly to just keep it simple on the gut.
1 scoop of UCAN can last you up to 90 minutes.
If you are more fat adapted you can use a serving of UCAN every 90 min, if less met efficient use every 60min.
Pro Triathlete TimO’Donnell nutrition plan with UCAN – this works for him, but is it for everyone? We discuss pros and cons to his plan.
UCAN’s triathlon nutrition tips for your race fueling plans
UCAN Facebook group – great support for UCAN users!
Longer than 3 hours, it’s recommended to include some variety of carb sources and solids too:
Variety of CHO sources may help because different carbohydrates are transported into cells with different transporters becoming the energy we need and use.
ISSN recommends a “variety of calorie-dense foods. Consideration must be given to food palatability, individual tolerance, and the increased preference for savory foods in longer races.”
ISSN says: A central aim of any periodized ultra-marathon training program should be to maximize capacity for fat metabolism, thereby sparing muscle glycogen for the latter stages of competition.
Carbohydrates (CHO)
On bike:
~300-400 calories an hour
CHO: 60-70g/CHO per hour (240-280 calories from just carbs) on the bike is usually the upper limit
Some people can handle up to 90g/CHO hr, or 360 calories from CHO, and if you are one of these people try it on the bike not the run
UCAN plain = 1 scoop = 90 calories with 22 CHO (basically pure CHO but as we know that is CHO in the form of super starch- low-glycemic, complex carbohydrate that doesn’t affect blood sugar)
So you could do 1 scoop mixes with 8-12 oz water or other drink; consider adding with a low osmo drink like 1 serving Skratch?
Refer to ATC 330, where we discussed sports drinks & osmolality in detail; the short: don’t pack too much in!
On run:
~200-350 calories an hour
40-50 g CHO/hr (160-200 calories from CHO)
This is newer to the scene but if you’re using UCAN can try UCAN EDGE gels instead of mixed bottles.
UCAN Edge gel is 70 calories with 19g CHO. Does have some sugar alcohols that some people may find they’re sensitive to, so test test test.
Then add in what else works for you
Fat
Factoring your CHO needs and metabolic efficiency to then determine fat during racing.
Fat is a worthy fuel source (oxidation of glycogen provides only ~2500 kilocalories of energy before depletion, whereas oxidation of fat provides at least 70,000–75,000 kilocalories of energy, even in a lean adult [31]).
Fat needs can be subjective and a lot of variables like what your gut can and will tolerate. For some people they can safely include MCT oil, for others this may send them to the port-o-potty.
Protein?
With ultra endurance events, you want to get in a source of protein/amino acids to prevent muscle breakdown + help with recovery.
Protein: approximately 0.25 g/kg protein per hour when taken along with carbohydrate is recommended by the ISSN to minimize potential muscle damage [9]. – so for 150lbs this is 17g/PRO/hr (can sub supplements like PerfectAmino)
ISSN recommends: 5-10g/PRO/hr.
On protein and central governor:
“Branched-chain amino acid supplementation still may help endurance athletes via central governor theory modulation [13]. BCAAs compete with tryptophan for transport across the blood brain barrier, and increased tryptophan may increase serotonin and contribute to feelings of fatigue [13].”
We like PerfectAmino.
Hydration and electrolyes
Fluids: ~400-800 mL per hour; not over 1L per hour.
ISSN: 450–750 mL/h− 1 (~ 150–250 mL every 20 min)
Electrolytes
Sodium: 300-600mg/hr if high sweater or 500-700 mg/L of fluid (32 fl. oz.). Some say salty sweaters: up to 1,000 mg/L (32 fl. oz.)
Lucho’s Ironman nutrition plan:
2 bottles on the bike each with 2 scoops; same bottles ready in special needs.
Plus a gel flask diluted with water.
He likes to stay as self-supported as possible in racing.
However, in Leadville he was forced to go lower on calories jut logistically speaking.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6628334/
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-019-0312-9
The post ATC 335: Ironman Fueling Plans with UCAN and More, Transitioning from Ultras to Ironman – Mindset and Training Style Adjustments, and More Fun! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 17 min
December 03, 2021Sock Doc 14: Your Immune System, Part 1 – What Is It, Blood Markers To Analyze It, How It Can Be Affected by Toxins and Our Environment, The Rise of Autoimmunity, and More
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On this episode we have The Sock Doc, Dr. Steve Gangemi, joining us. Steve is a natural health care doctor who founded and practices at Systems Health Care, an integrative wellness center in Chapel Hill, NC. Steve is also a longtime endurance athlete and is a wealth of knowledge for athletes looking to optimize wellness.
In part 1 of this multi-part series we take a deeper dive into immune system function.

Immune system 101
We’re in an era where research on the immune system is exploding, and ever-evolving
Components of the immune system include
Gut
Spleen
Thymus
Lymph system
Skin
Point is, it’s not just one specific area
Every organ may affect the immune system in one way, and vice versa
The idea of practicing hygiene but also not trying to be overly sterile and germ-free. There’s a symbiotic relationship between
The role of the gut in immune system- it matters, but so do other things
Steve is seeing a strong need for other players too, and they’ve been minimized by our love for the gut. For example, he’s seeing a need to help spleen and thymus aide.
Signs to looks for: If you’re constantly fatigued, get sick and have a really hard time kicking it (weeks+), or you have some ongoing subtle health issues
Chronically high cortisol suppress thymus, therefore impairing
If you’re stressed out very easily this cold indicate spleen or thymus issues.
Blood labs analysis
CBC w/ Differential can direct or guide you on what is going on inside if you’re a bit unsure.
Do not just rely on conventional ranges on these tests.
Here’s a helpful guide of functional ranges (for optima health) to keep around and help you understand your results:
WBC
5,500-10,500 (5.5-10.5 mcL)
Some normal ranges go down to 3.5 but, anything below 5 is a sign of being run down
Neutrophils (eg Segs) 50-60%
If these are high over 60% that could indicate bacteria infection or some cases could be a virus
Also increase in a bad accident, etc.
When these drop below <40% and lymphocytes go up >40%, this indicates folate or B12 deficiency or malabsorption type problem
If MCV is also high, eg red blood cell is larger than it should be, this could also point to folate/B12 deficiency or malabsorption.
FIGLU test- only accurate way to test for folate deficiency. Folate breaks down FIGLU, and this breaks down histadine. If don’t have 5MTHF you’ll have high FIGLU in your urine, and this indicates inadequate folate levels in the body.
Lymphocytes 25-40%
Viruses increase these
Monocytes 3-8%
These get high when there’s a viral infection such as Epstein Barr, Hepatitis—but usually they are high after infection not necessarily in the acute illness phase
Heavy metals can also cause monocytes to go high
Eosinophils 1-2%
If these are over 2-3% this can indicate allergies or systemic infection (2-9%)
If they go high and stay high (>10%) it could indicate a parasitic infection
Esophogitis and how these drive up eosinophils
Basophils 0-1%
Too high indicate allergies
Individual immune systems- why does it vary so much?
Why are some people more robust, whereas others have weaker immune systems, and why is it that our own immune systems can change over a lifetime (eg developing autoimmune)
Genetics play a role to some degree, whereas others are born with a compromised immune system and that carries forward with them through life.
Is it healthy to get sick?
If you catch everything that goes around and are often sick, that’s not great and indicates a problem.
But if you’re always well and never get sick, that doesn’t mean you’re “better off”. Occasional sickness does help our immune system and it’s a part of normal functioning.
The rise of autoimmunity: why are we seeing this?
It begins with T helper cells, these come from thymus, and suppressor cells.
These cells “self-check” and help decide which way your immune system goes.
These Cd4 cells have certain pathways, and they make T regularity cells, which make autoimmune cells.
They make certain cells suppress or extenuate infections, they make cells that help you deal with allergies, etc.
Th1 & Th2 cells – T helper 1 and T helper 2.
Either end of a see saw- if they’re equally weighed you’re more in balance.
When you have an infection, your Th1 gets more robust.
When you have too many allergies, toxins, high stress, etc, your Th2 get more robust.
Either way these things cause you to be out of balance.
How about vaccines?
Vaccines increase Th2 response, so it’s like putting a weight vest on that side of the seesaw (heavy Th2 light Th1) and this can exacerbate with more intervention.
So now if you get sick your TH1 may not be as capable- it’s “too light” whereas Th2 is “too heavy” and this makes it harder to fight off viruses, bacteria, infections.
Th2 response combines cytokines and can create an autoimmune response.
More people have autoimmune because they’re living in an Th1/Th2 imbalance.
This is becoming more common.
Look at things you can improve in your own life: don’t eat things you’re allergic to or even sensitive to, clean up environmental toxins, etc.
The other pathway to developing autoimmunity:
And it’s not just a medical intervention like a vaccine. Autoimmune issues can happen independent of that.
Th17 reaction- a more direct route to developing an autoimmune issue.
Extracellular bacteria, fungi, candida, chronic yeast infections, allergies, food sensitivities, gut infection, or any other infection with skin and so on.
Toxins & chemicals in our environment, food and bodies
How do we know if these things are present and affecting us negatively?
Mold:
Some stats say that 50% or more homes in the US have a mold problem, and some people (maybe not everyone) seem susceptible to mold illness—how this fits into a immune function conversation.
To some degree we can and should be able to live symbiotically live with mold because it exists everywhere. However, what about issues like living in a home with excessive or dangerous mold (something we may or may not be aware of)?
individuality matters a lot here, as does the location of the mold (eg in a bedroom where you spend a lot of time).
Basic mold tests are available online or in stores. Varying degrees of in-depth testing depending how deep you want or need to go with it.
For example of a place with petri dishes for mold testing: microbalancehealthproducts.com
Changing your health for the better can often drastically improve our tolerance to mold.
It’s often more than just the mold! We don’t necessarily want mold growing excessively all over the place; however, often it is the case where someone who is reacting to mold is also having some other health issues going on.
If you are having a chronic health issue, it would be wise to do a deep dive on your environment and clean up what you can.
Mold needs a “food supply” (eg wood, etc) and water source.
If you see a spot of mold, don’t just “paint over it.”
Bottom line: Steve rarely sees it where it’s just a mold issue affecting one’s health. Usually there are other things going on too.
And then there’s glyphosate
Remove it as best you can, and don’t use it (i.e. RoundUp)
Yes, its effects can be felt and add up in a negative way over time
Ecoblend- a healthier alternative
Monitoring the food you buy, and be weary of produce such as the “dirty dozen” (ewg.org)
Cooking and eating at home as much as possible makes a positive difference, but don’t go overboard by being orthorexic or paranoid
Environmental concerns like bee colonies dying off
Other ideas:
Use low/no VOC paints
Personal care products with cleaner ingredients (even nail polish)
You may see over time that you could be getting sick fewer times when you start cleaning up your life and environment more.
The post Sock Doc 14: Your Immune System, Part 1 – What Is It, Blood Markers To Analyze It, How It Can Be Affected by Toxins and Our Environment, The Rise of Autoimmunity, and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 11 min
November 19, 2021ATC 334: Smart Ways To Incorporate Strides, Strength Training Programs To Try This Winter, Becoming A More Durable Ultrarunner and More
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Richard L. asks:
How many times per week should I incorporate strides into the end of my MAF runs?
From a neurotyping perspective, I’ve loved MAF and not loved speed work. However recently I’ve discovered that when I’m fully warmed up (40-60 minutes of MAF), I crave strides. The other day I was listening to EDM and timed some intense strides with the beat drop of the songs after an hour of MAF and it felt incredible. I want more of this but don’t want to overdo it.
I’ve also noticed that I tend to take a much longer time than others to warm up, 20-50 minutes before I can shift gears and enjoy pushing hard. Is that normal? In my half marathon I had to drop behind the starting pack for the first half an hour but then spent the rest of the race chasing down the person in front of me. Is this normal?
What the coaches say:
Neurotyping background: The Neuro Type Workouts
Use neurotyping not to lock into one way, but rather to better understand where you’re at and how you’ll excel.
Particularly useful for coaches to help guide an athlete in a way they’ll prefer and what hormones are dominantly driving their personality type.
For example:
Type 3 has high adrenaline and are highly stimulated, so they need to chill.
While a Type 1 is going to go hard and listen to hard music.
But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing with your neurotype.
You may shift and change based on your goals, and goals evolve.
Longer warmups are normal but more so in those who are overly tired (whether from training, life or both)
Switch up your warmups to something that will include more muscle activation—jogging, then walking lunges, air squats, hopping, 7-way hips, plyo-type jumps, followed by more jogging then strides. This will help prevent the long, slow warmup slog or those times when it feels like forever before you’re ready to go.
How many strides per week? it depends.
Strides are not a workout in itself, they are not meant to push you into fatigue.
Even 20 second strides is a bit long, but this is ok if you are gradually building into each effort.
Stride sets differ depending on whether you’re doing them for warmups vs neuromuscular development/running economy.
Strides for economy development:
10 x 20 second strides with the first 5 being warmup, more relaxed, as body loosens up push the speed… by the 5th or 6th build to top end speed and hold it for the rest.
But if you’re tired, then DO NOT do them for increasing fitness and run economy, skip them on the days you’re very tired.
Strides at the end of the workout or toward the end of a heavy week shift in what they are achieving, and they become more about muscular endurance.
You can’t really do them incorrectly unless you go too long… or if they hurt you in some way, but everyone is different here though in how they’ll respond.
Strides are unlikely to have a negative effect especially in a MAF program and when done in a non-fatiguing way.
Don’t force strides, let them happen.
Risks vs. benefits of barefoot strides at the end of a workout.
Molly asks:
Female runner tackling strength program this winter
I am looking to take a full 4-5 months off from structured run training and get into heavier strength training. I have always strength trained and I move well with no injuries or issues right now, so my question is, for a “skinny” female endurance athlete, what would you recommend for a fall/winter strength training program to add lean mass and see what I got as far as building strength and lifting heavy weights? I’ve been looking at 5×5 model, but it just seems like they only have you doing a few different exercises (squats, DLs, press, etc), what are your thoughts on that? What about kettlebell-focused programs? Lastly, what role does more functional low-weight or bodyweight training have here or is it a waste of time in a heavier lifting program?
What the coaches say:
Takeaways
Getting strong isn’t hard when:
You do it consistently
You don’t do excess endurance
You lift heavy enough
You eat well
Taking 4-5 months off isn’t necessary to make gains unless you’re actually ready for a break from what you’ve been doing and perhaps this can also become an education opportunity to study strength training and different programs and experts.
Perhaps look to your neurotype to help guide a plan, while even resources like T-Nation is a wealth of knowledge on everything strength training.
5×5 strong lifts
This method may or may not be necessary for her profile and goals.
5×5 came about in the 60s and 70s.
It includes 5 multi joint barbell lifts a week, done 3x a week.
Starting point is generally 50% of your 5-rep max for each lift.
A/B split program format, always a squat, usually only 1 set of 5 DLs.
Goal is to increase the weight you lift by ~5 pounds each workout and/or week.
Not going to failure.
It’s low maintenance from an equipment perspective, with no machines.
Modify as needed to fit your time frame (i.e. workouts can go long, like 90 minutes, but you can modify to fit your schedule).
Downsides?
5×5 format can be hard for some endurance athletes to sit around and take that much rest between sets.
It may not be the best place to start for a newer strength athlete who doesn’t need such a “loaded” program.
Not everyone does well with heavy squats or deadlifts so that could be something to consider if you need to omit those movements.
Are squats risky? They can be, every body is different. Some people just need to avoid them and their knees can’t handle them, but other people thrive off them. Same for deadlifts. Try and see, and make sure you learn good form before lifting heavy.
At some point you may need/want a bit more complexity or different stimulus, so maybe a modified 5×5.
Limited exercises. We always recommend functional stuff that may or may not include weights. as well as other complex exercises like cleans, push press, KB swings, etc.
Easy Strength training program by Dan John and Pavel Tsatsouline
Easy Strength program utilizes the same lifts per day 5 days a week, with a lower intensity (lower % of 1RM than 5×5) and was found to be an effective strength training program.
It could be a great starting point!
What they do here is:
40 workouts total (ie 40 days of training), 8 week program consisting of five training days in a row followed by two days off. Loads based off 1RM.
In it, you never go close to failure or even struggle.
Exercises include:
squat
bench
DL
pullups
loaded carry
ab wheel
“The most likely mechanism for the strength gain was neurological adaptation. With the same lift performed on a daily basis, neurological adaptation will lead to increased “skill” at performing the movement (Tsatsouline 1999; Tsatsouline 2004). This could lead to higher motor unit recruitment or more synergistic motor unit recruitment (Duchateau, Enoka and Semmler 2006).”
“The lower percentage of 1RM, resulted in a low daily volume, helping to prevent excessive muscle fatigue and allowing for a faster recovery and adaptation (Tsatsouline 1999)…. but, the weekly volume for each lift was relatively high because subject worked out 5 days a week.”
Speaking of Dan John there’s an online article by him on T Nation that discusses the simplicity of strength training, and building your own straight-forward program for gains.
This really embodies how simple it can be and that too light of weights or chasing fatigue are NOT the answer.
Other ideas for strength training:
A more circuit-style of training with high reps and lower weights, which may fit an endurance athlete’s personality type better.
PAVEL Tsatsouline STRONGFIRST kettlebell training or classes.
An Olympic lifting program where you learn these lifts with a coach.
Lastly Charles Poliquin can’t be forgotten- if you want to go further down the strength training rabbit hole and be a student of lifting I’d definitely look at his resources, such as this.
Brad P. asks:
How not to slow down in a tough 100k ultra?
Hey Tawnee and Lucho!! Thanks so much for your great shows, I love the podcast and learn a ton from both of you. I have a question about attempting my first ever 100K ultra next year: How do I modify my training to be able to run strong for the duration of a 100K ultra on a tough technical course with lots of elevation gain?
A quick bit of background on me:
I have completed multiple 50Ks and two 50 mile ultras, along with a bunch of halfs, 25Ks and marathons
Primarily trained by HR (maff style) fo most of those ultras and focused mainly on high volume for those races (i.e. no outside work lifting weights, hardly any speed sessions, etc)
My first 50 mile finish was on an easy but muddy course, and I finished in 10:42. My other 50 miler (actually 52 miles) was at the Superior 50 in northern Minnesota. The course is super technical, with about 12,500 feet of ascent. That race took me 13:43
Woodstock 50 race data https://www.strava.com/activities/707748497/overview(10:42 finish) & Superior 50 race data https://www.strava.com/activities/1179748837/overview(13:43 finish)
Looking at my data from both races, I dropped way off pace wise in the last half of the race. I think my pace was way worse in the last half of superior because my stomach went south at mile 25 and I could not suck down any more Ucan; which is all I had trained with and also used on the previous 50 miler. I switched over to just taking 1 gel each hour, due to my stomach and I know I shorted myself on calories really badly. I think the thing that jumped out at me for the end of the superior 50 mile race was that my HR was not the limiter, my legs were just dead.
The 100K race I am targeting is called the Wild Duluth 100K and it takes place on a different section of the same trail system that the Superior 50 miler was on, so it will also be very hilly and technical. What do you think I need to add/modify in my training, as opposed to just volume volume volume? I have attached a screenshot of my training for superior 50 so you can see the volume, maybe I overdid it?
What the coaches say:
Shift the big block of training (peak mileage weeks) to earlier in the training cycle so it’s not too close to the race itself (finish biggest block at least 4 weeks before the race, not any closer, and even further away is ok too).
Any signs of a calf strain should be dealt with immediately and not let it drag on until it’s a bigger problem.
Maybe a bigger emphasis on recovery weeks and lowering volume even more on those weeks.
Being mindful of overall life stress and its role in recovery and fatigue.
No weighted packs for this type of training.
Figuring out nutrition—this is key and it was a monster red flag in what killed his last race (i.e. not being able to eat after 25k).
He definitely did enough, and the back to backs were awesome, but was it too much? Unlikely too much, but maybe it just needs to be modified a bit (i.e. enough rest in the weeks leading into the race).
Strength training will help if he’s willing to add.
Why does nutrition go south in a race for so many of us? Pacing… hormonal response… stress… GI issues due to going too hard (or going too hard too early).
The post ATC 334: Smart Ways To Incorporate Strides, Strength Training Programs To Try This Winter, Becoming A More Durable Ultrarunner and More first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 22 min
November 05, 2021HPN 30: Sports Nutrition and Wellness Trends in 2021 and Beyond, LCHF Diets Gain Traction, and Much More!
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Welcome to episode 29 of Holistic Performance Nutrition (HPN) featuring Tawnee Gibson, MS, CSCS, CISSN, and Julie McCloskey, a certified holistic nutrition coach who you can find over at wildandwell.fit.
On this episode:
More on Cold Thermogenesis (CT)
Male and female differences
We did a deep dive on CT in HPN 29 with caution against those who may want to steer clear of CT.
This episode we mention of more research on male vs. female differences:
One study on gender-specific cold responses found crucial differences between male and female participants:
Women’s peripheral temperatures were colder than the men’s, though internal temps were the same for both.
Metabolic heat production and shivering were greater in men.
This implies that the male body is better at warming itself up and, in so do, increases metabolism and fat-burning. Women just get (and stay) cold!
Men also exhibited larger changes in neuroendocrine and immune responses. So again, this implies that men (not women) experience improved adrenal function and immunity in response to cold exposure.
More research on CT
Metabolism. 2009 Apr;58(4):552-9. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2008.11.017.
Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova. 2015 Feb;101(2):145-62.
J Appl Physiol (1985). 1999 Aug;87(2):699-710.
Obes Rev. 2011 Mar;12(3):167-88. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00756.x.
Free Radic Biol Med. 1994 Mar;16(3):299-305.
Cryobiology. 2014 Aug;69(1):26-33. doi: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2014.04.015. Epub 2014 May 6.
Cryo Letters. 2015 Mar-Apr;36(2):120-7.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012 Apr;97(4):E584-90. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-2246. Epub 2012 Jan
Low(ish) Carb Lovin’
New research discussing low(er) carb, high(er) fat diets with our take-home messages for our audience, as this info gains more mainstream attention
Effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on insulin-resistant dyslipoproteinemia—a randomized controlled feeding trial
“A low-carbohydrate diet, high in saturated fat, improved insulin-resistant dyslipoproteinemia and lipoprotein(a), without adverse effect on LDL cholesterol.”
“Carbohydrate restriction might lower CVD risk independently of body weight, a possibility that warrants study in major multicentered trials powered on hard outcomes.”
NYT article on the above study
And more new research, related:
Alternative Dietary Patterns for Americans: Low-Carbohydrate Diets
Dietary Saturated Fats and Health: Are the U.S. Guidelines Evidence-Based?
Analysis of paper here
Takeaway messages
Moderate/low carb can be effective in reducing the markers in type 2 diabetes, obesity and CVD.
We don’t have to worry about consuming saturated fat like we were once told.
Obesity prevalence was 42.4% in 2018.
34 million Americans have diabetes, 90-95% of them with type 2; that’s 1 in 10 people.
We need to work on getting healthier vis diet, exercise, etc, and how we can help those around us who may benefit even if our own body is dialed in.
Insulin resistance 101
Quick overview of how we end up with chronically high blood sugar.
If you know someone who is obese, has type 2 diabetes, and/or is at risk for CVD then a low-carb diet is a really effective way to manage and reverse it.
It doesn’t have to be extremely low carb or keto.
Start with something as simple as tracking and slowly eliminating junk food and replacing with healthier options in a way that will be sustainable.
Carbs & saturated fat: time for updated recommendations?
We don’t have to fear fat, particularly saturated fat, and US guidelines may be outdated.
We now are seeing that saturated fat isn’t the demon we once thought, so be sure to include these solid fats but also eat other types! Nature doesn’t make bad fats. Switch up the types of food you eat and you’ll nail it. A balanced plate.
Not demonizing carbs, just promoting a whole foods diet. Increasing the quality and percentage of whole foods on your plate will increase the quality of your health.
As with most things, the dose makes the poison.
How many carbs were they eating in these diets that were studied?
“The Test diets, with protein controlled at 20% of total energy, were designed to vary in proportions of carbohydrate and fat by 3-fold (Low-Carb: 20%, 60%; Moderate-Carb: 40%, 40%; High-Carb: 60%, 20%). Saturated fat comprised 35% of total fat for each diet.”
Keep protein stable, and adjust carbs and fat as needed.
Does not have to be keto or super low carb!!!
“As reviewed below, a clear theme emerges — compared to low-fat diets, low-carbohydrate eating patterns result in equal or superior weight loss as well as the improvement of multiple established risk factors associated with IR and CVD [28,29,51].”
Sports Nutrition & Wellness Trends—2021 and beyond!
Overview
Sports Nutrition Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product Type (Sports Drink, Sports Supplements, Sports Food), By Distribution Channel (E-commerce, Brick and Mortar), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028 (Published May 2021)
Coming out of Covid, more consumers focused on self-care, preventive medication and fitness.
But meanwhile, as of 2019, 463 million adults between 20-79 years old were suffering from diabetes.
Estimated to increase to 700 million by 2045.
Rapidly increasing demand for nutritional products with plant-based ingredients and immunity-enhancing benefits.
We talk about pros and cons of greens powders and whether we need them, or when?
Mintel Health ingredients to watch in 2022 – Oct 13 2021
Mintel, a global market intelligence agency, with this data just presented at Vitafoods in October 2021. What people want more of in their products:
Immune health: Growing interest in natural ingredients and specifically botanical ingredients with immune benefits, e.g. ginger, turmeric, garlic.
Spotlight on the growing popularity of postbiotics
The rise of postbiotics
What’s the difference between prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics?
Pre– fibers that feed good bacteria, e.g. resistant starches or foods that the body can’t digest so they pass through your GI tract to become food for the bacteria and other microbes
E.g. garlic, green bananas, onions, asparagus, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and chicory root.
Pro– live beneficial bacteria that will be found in the gut and things we can supplement with to build populate gut or eat via fermented foods
Post– what probiotics produce by feeding on prebiotics, i.e. metabolites produced by good bacteria,
Examples are SCFA and supplement would be Designs for Health Tributyrin Supreme, available at fullscript.com.
We are seeing fantastic results in supplementing with postbiotics in clients when we keep hitting road blocks with healing!
DFH blog on postbiotics:
Certain SCFAs represent some of the most commonly produced postbiotics. Most widely studied of these is butyrate — “has the most evidence supporting beneficial effects on gut health and functioning of other body systems, including the brain and central nervous system. Butyrate occurs naturally in high-fat dairy products (butter, cream, cheese, etc.), but this diet-sourced exogenous butyrate is primarily metabolized in the stomach and small intestine. The endogenous butyrate, resulting from bacterial fermentation, is synthesized in the colon; therefore, its effects—particularly those localized to the gut—may be distinct from the biochemical or physiological properties of food-sourced butyrate.”
Postbiotics and Their Potential Applications in Early Life Nutrition and Beyond
“Postbiotics are functional bioactive compounds, generated in a matrix during fermentation, which may be used to promote health. The term postbiotics can be regarded as an umbrella term for all synonyms and related terms of these microbial fermentation components. Therefore, postbiotics can include many different constituents including metabolites, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), microbial cell fractions, functional proteins, extracellular polysaccharides (EPS), cell lysates, teichoic acid, peptidoglycan-derived muropeptides and pili-type structures”
Other highlights of postbiotics:
Supports leaky gut & tight junctions
Gut motility
Heal mucosal layers
Healthy histamine and healthy mast cell levels
Weight management
Chronic diarrhea
“One study investigated the effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus LB in adults, 16 years and over, compared to living L. acidophilus LB on chronic diarrhea. From the second week onwards, stool frequency was significantly lower in the postbiotic group, as well as improvement in clinical symptoms. This indicates that the postbiotic product was more effective than the living L. acidophilus LB in the treatment of chronic diarrhea.”
Mental wellbeing
Using natural supplements to support mental health:
Magnesium
Viewed as the “mindfulness mineral.”
4th most abundant mineral in the body.
Cofactor for more than 300 enzymatic actions in the body.
Key mineral for optimal brain function.
Works to calm the nerves and relax the muscles, which in turn can help people fall asleep. Signs of low magnesium can include constipation, muscle cramping or pain, nausea, headaches, fatigue, brain fog, depression, irritability, anxiety, mood disorders, PMS, insomnia, and more.
Different forms can achieve different results, and some are more bioavailable than others.
Try glycinate for a good go to for relaxation, sleep anxiety, female cycle help (pms relief cramps), cravings and overall wellbeing.
For a brain boost try: magensium L-Threonate
This form crosses blood brain barrier to help in memory and cognition; learning; depression and anxiety.
Study: Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium (Cell 2010)
“Here, we show that increasing brain magnesium using a newly developed magnesium compound (magnesium-L-threonate, MgT) leads to the enhancement of learning abilities, working memory, and short- and long-term memory in rats.”
Tawnee mentions using DFH NeuroMag recently.
From DFH: “Researchers at MIT concluded that elevating brain magnesium content via supplementation with magnesium L-threonate may be a useful strategy to support cognitive abilities and decrease common age-related memory decline.”
You can overdo it with Mg, and Julie shares her experience with this and signs to watch out for such as night sweats.
L-Theanine
Offers calming benefits; may reduce stress and anxiety.
Stimulate alpha brain wave activity.
Promote relaxation without drowsiness.
Can boost your meditation practice, anecdotally speaking.
Used to increase mental performance and attention.
More trends
Sports nutrition grows up: Behaviors, trends, ingredients, and advancements driving today’s sports nutrition products – Sept 14 2021
Between 2019 and 2020, the global sports nutrition market declined by 32.1% primarily due to COVID-19.
That said, the “global sports nutrition market size was valued at $10.7 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.9% from 2021 to 2028.” accd to a recent market analysis report.
Trend: choosing products and dietary changes to support healthy aging rather than solely athletic performance
“More than 20% of consumers seek performance products that offer value-adds, such as anti-inflammatory effects or support for cognitive, vision, or bone and joint health.”
SPECIFICS:
Increasing emphasis on clean-label statements
Demand for plant proteins
Focus on pre-workout formulations
Mintel’s data suggest that most consumers between the ages 18-54 believe that performance and nutrition drinks contain “too many artificial ingredients.”
Collagen continues gaining traction
Green powders and beverages
Medicinal mushrooms
Replacements for morning coffees and tea. Supplement form. Everywhere these days. Few examples:
Lion’s Mane – neurotrophic factors, which promote the growth and differentiation of neuron; aids in brain function & neuron regeneration
Reishi – immune support, sleep/calm, stress relief (so don’t combine with caffeine)
Cordyceps – energy aid, ATP and mitochondrial support/protection, anti-aging, performance.
Couple different types that target different things (Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris)
Athletes take note of this one!
In TCM used for lung function, asthma or allergies
Chaga – antioxidant, immunity, liver, digestive aid
Turkey tail – immune support, in TCM used for lung disease
Perluxan instead of ibuprofen?
Perluxan softgels is derived from hops = “unique botanical anti-inflammatory agent that has been clinically demonstrated to quickly relieve minor joint pain.”
Study: randomized, double-blind, parallel-design trial compared Perluxan vs ibuprofen.
19 subjects were randomly assigned to receive either
1) 400 mg of ibuprofen 1x day,
2) a softgel containing 450 mg of the hops resin 1x day, or
3) a 300-mg capsule containing a powdered form of the hops resin 4x per day, for 14 days.
Both hops formulations inhibited COX-2 as well as ibuprofen starting nine hours after the initial dose; however, the hops formulations did not inhibit COX-1, while ibuprofen did.
Of note- the hops resin softgel was only administered once over 9 hours but was as effective as ibuprofen.
Shows promise.
Our takeaway: We have hesitancy with all anti-inflammatories due to blunting the bodies natural process, but they have their place if used occasionally as needed. Good for the short-term, but often the healing is delayed and you’ll be suffering for longer.
Other anti-inflammatory options: fish oil and wobenzyme.

The post HPN 30: Sports Nutrition and Wellness Trends in 2021 and Beyond, LCHF Diets Gain Traction, and Much More! first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 8 min
October 22, 2021ATC 333: St. George Becomes World Champs, The “Sweet Spot” With Salt (And Why Too Little Isn’t Good), Plus: A Quick Gut Health Protocol
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On this episode of Ask The Coaches with Tawnee and Lucho:
Intro:
Tawnee shares a few cute mis-pronunciations that Cora is saying these days.
Lucho shares some innovative ideas and tweaks he’s making to his Ironman training.
Sweet spot—how and why it’s useful, works and is ok for seasoned athletes but also making sure you don’t get into trouble with it.
What he’s doing:
Sweet spot on the bike
MAF/polarized on the run
Kara asks:
Lucho’s Doing the Ironman World Championships, Say What?!
You guys, I’m pretty sure this is the most important question ever: Did Lucho have some sort of insider info where he knew that his Ironman comeback would end up being the freaking Ironman world championships?! Seriously, what the heck!? Haha. (And in all seriousness, how do you guys see this mix of races unfolding? Lucho how does this change things for you if at all?)
What the coaches say:
We discuss the recent news that Kona 2021 is postponed again and how the Ironman World Championships will unfold in 2022 with two world championship events—the first in May at Ironman St. George and the second in October in Hawaii.
How the May IMWC race in St. George impacts racers.
Thoughts on racing in Hawaii these days and what must go into it, i.e. cost!
Our thoughts on this decision.
James asks:
Pass the Salt?
I’d love for Tawnee and Lucho to elaborate more on eating salt, which was mentioned in the last episode–where Lucho said he doesn’t salt his food and Tawnee was a bit shocked by it, from what it sounded like and told him to have some sort of other “salt and mineral cocktail”. I know this isn’t a sports nutrition show, but love your guys’ take on things and some good banter Basically: Does lower sodium intake result in better health? Or is that idea outdated? How much is too much? How little is too little?
What the coaches say:
We draw our answer off this new open access review article, which you can read too:
Sodium Intake and Health: What Should We Recommend Based on the Current Evidence?
Below are quotes pulled from this scientific review article:
Sodium and Cardiovascular Events: Randomized trials to specifically determine the effect of low sodium intake (i.e., below 2.3 g/day) compared to moderate intake on clinical outcomes are still not available.
Sodium Intake and Blood Pressure: The impact of sodium intake on BP has been evaluated in numerous clinical trials. Most were short-term trials (95% with less than 6 months duration) with relatively few participants [22,23].
Several health organizations recommend low sodium intake (<2.3 g/day, ~1 teaspoon of salt) for the entire population [1,2,3], a level that has not been achieved by any modern population in the world.
Fewer than 5–10% consume below 2.3 g/day.
Most people (95%) around the world consume a moderate range of dietary sodium of 3 to 6g/day.
Globally looking at 187 countries: the mean intake of sodium was estimated at 3.95 g/day [7].
In the United States, mean sodium intakes for the eight population samples ranged from 4.1 to 4.4 g/day in men and 3.0 to 3.5 g/day in women.
Current evidence from cohort studies suggests a J-shaped relationship between sodium intake and cardiovascular events, and suggests that the lowest risk of death or cardiovascular disease occurs in populations consuming an average sodium intake (3 to 5 g/day) [9,10,11,12,13].
3-5g/day = This level of intake is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
The risk of adverse health outcomes increases when sodium intakes exceeds 5 g/day or is below 3 g/day.
The evidence linking sodium consumption with cardiovascular disease has been inconsistent, with no study reporting lower risk of cardiovascular events with low sodium intake (below 2.3 g/day).
In the majority of people with normal kidney function and blood pressure (BP), the kidney is sufficiently able to deal with wide variations in sodium intake, without eliciting increases in BP. However, in some individuals, moderate changes (1 to 2 g/day) in sodium intake can result in marked increases in BP, a concept called salt sensitivity [18]. This can be mitigated by a high potassium diet [19].
Sodium restriction is increasingly shown to activate the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS), which itself is associated with increased cardiovascular risk [20,21].
Observational study on BP: The largest international study of sodium intake and BP was the PURE study [35], which included more than 102,000 adults from 18 countries. PURE reported a positive, threshold association of sodium intake with BP (2.11/0.78 mmHg increment in BP per 1 g daily increase in sodium), which was only statistically significant for sodium intakes above 3 g/day and was strongest in those with consumption exceeding 5 g/day (2.58 mmHg increment in BP per 1 g increase in sodium) [35].
In addition, targeting a very low sodium intake may have implications for overall dietary quality. An analysis of the NHANES cohort suggests that achieving an overall high-quality diet is more difficult with sodium intake of below 2.3 g/day than with higher sodium intakes [69].
PURE also showed that in those with high potassium intake and higher-quality diets, the association of high sodium and cardiovascular events was mitigated [47].
Collectively, there is no robust evidence that lowering sodium below an intake of 3 g/day is likely to lead to a lowering of cardiovascular disease or death compared to a sodium intake of 3 to 5 g/day. There are, however, concerns that sodium intake below 3 g/day may be associated with a higher risk of death compared to intakes between 3 and 5 g/day.
Christian asks:
Long-Time Gut Issues, Finally Ready To Heal This…
Hey Tawnee and Lucho!
Long time listener and question asker here! I’ve been listening since the very beginning! It has been a fun transition in my endurance journey of short to long triathlon to ultra running, back to fast 5K’’s and now back to Half and full marathon distance.Throughout the whole process I have struggled with gut issues. I switched to gluten-free nearly 8 years ago which has helped a lot. I still constantly battle leaky gut and stomach distress when my heart rate and intensity increase. My goal is to run a sub 1:35 half at the end of November (12 weeks away today).I would really like to get my gut fixed long term. I know that occasional alcohol drinking is not helping me as well as other sugars. I’m willing to really hunker down and be committed to a cleaner diet and lifestyle leading up to this important race and a marathon and or 50K I plan to do in January to celebrate my 40th birthday. I want to still run fast and not settle for slower speeds because of my stomach.I know that you’ve done quite a bit of info on leaky gut and stomach issues. I have never found the magic bullet. This is a journey that I’ve been on for almost 10 years trying to get it figured out. Help! Thank you for all you do! And you have improved my running and triathlons so much over the years!
What the coaches say:
No magic bullet exists. Hard, consistent, intentional work (and moderation!) lead to success.
First! Look to mental health and stress management. Healing won’t effectively take place if you’re too stuck in the sympathetic fight or flight or parasympathetic freeze state. Healing only takes place in a relaxed body and vagal tone is adequate. May require some time off from training if that is putting body over the edge with stress and depletion.
Check breathing- are you nasal breathing?
Test don’t guess, is always our first recommendation but if you can’t afford testing right now you can still do some things to help including:
Avoid NSAIDs and whenever possible avoid antibiotics, medications that can affect GI health
ION Gut Support
Soil-derived mineral supplement that strengthens the gut wall.
Not a probiotic.
Defends from environmental toxins (antibiotics and pesticides etc) and diversifies your gut microbiome naturally.
Communication network that gives our bodies the tools to create their own bacterial ecosystem again.
Helps good bacteria flourish.
Probiotics
Either supplement or whole food types (eg fermented foods).
Can take a few different kinds of probiotics.
Sally Fallon Nourishing Traditions.
Colostrum
Colostrum acts as passive immunity and can enhance your GI health.
Can help heal leaky gut issues, which is common for most athletes to experience to some degree, often severe. Growth factors stimulate the gut to heal and “patch up” the holes.
Recommended: Mt. Capra Colostrum
Also watch your diet—minimize inflammatory foods, junk foods, sugar, alcohol, etc.
The post ATC 333: St. George Becomes World Champs, The “Sweet Spot” With Salt (And Why Too Little Isn’t Good), Plus: A Quick Gut Health Protocol first appeared on Endurance Planet.
1 hr 2 min