Don’t Run on Empty! Nutrition Integral to Endurance Training

Loyola Sports Medicine Tips

Loyola University Health System sports medicine physicians are dedicated to enhancing sports performance and getting people back in the game. Each season a LUHS sports medicine expert from our facility in Burr Ridge will offer tips to keep you safe and active. Dr. Haemi Choi, MD, is a women’s sports medicine specialist.  In addition to seeing patients in clinic she is a team physician for several high school and college teams and provides volunteer medical care at various sporting events.  Her clinical interests include the female athlete triad, exercise induced asthma, general musculoskeletal care, overuse injuries, and acupuncture.  She is an avid runner and is currently training for the Chicago Marathon. 

Don’t Run on Empty! Nutrition Integral to Endurance Training

Last week I talked about some of the problems that can develop if women aren’t careful with their bodies while participating in endurance sports. Here are some dietary tips to prevent health issues from popping up while training.

• Consume carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy.  They break down into sugars (glucose, galactose, and fructose) that are absorbed by your body to be used as energy.  One gram of carbohydrate supplies four calories of energy, which we can store upwards to 2000 calories from carbohydrates.  Eat carbohydrates two hours before exercising and immediately following a training session or event. 
• Load up on calcium. A regular multivitamin does not have an adequate amount of calcium. Premenopausal women should consume 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium daily and postmenopausal women should take 1,500 mg with magnesium and vitamin D for optimal absorption.
• Eat small, well-balanced meals regularly. Consume small, balanced meals (consisting of a mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat) every three to four hours to ensure energy levels support training needs.
• Ensure caloric intake is sufficient. Physicians recommend eating 30 kilocalories per kilogram of weight (up to 45 kilocalories per kilogram of weight) daily and adjusting this based on exertion levels.

Energy availability (dietary intake minus exercise energy expenditure) is essential to maintain in athletes.  When a female athlete’s energy availability is low, a syndrome called the female athlete triad may occur.  The female athlete triad is an interrelationship between energy availability, bone mineral density, and menstrual function.  An imbalance of this relationship can lead to eating disorders, amenorrhea (lack of a period), and osteoporosis.

It’s imperative to know that the female athlete triad is reversible if caught early and caloric intake or exercise levels are corrected. Bone loss may be permanent and can occur if this condition is untreated, so early diagnosis and treatment is critical.