Recovery Is More Essential As We Age
Posted by Dr. Robert Portman on 10/30/2018 to
Performance Tip Of The Week
As endurance activity participation rates increase among senior athletes, an understanding of why recovery is more difficult as we age is essential. Previous data suggested that masters athletes recover at similar rates to younger athletes. But this appears not to be the case. Older athletes experience greater muscle damage which results in a longer recovery.
Exercise And Your Gut
Posted by Dr. Robert Portman on 10/30/2018 to
Performance Tip Of The Week
A great deal of research demonstrates that your intestinal bacteria (microflora) play a significant role in your overall health. Similarly, we now know that exercise has a positive impact on a host of health parameters including cardiovascular and mental health, to name just a few. A recently published study adds gut health to the many benefits that accrue from a regular exercise program. Investigators at the University of Illinois looked at the effect of exercise on the composition of the bacterial population found in the gut. They found that exercise induces functional changes in the gut microflora.
Does a High Fat, Low Carb Diet Improve Endurance Performance?
Posted by Dr. Robert Portman on 10/8/2018 to
Performance Tip Of The Week
The argument that a high-fat low-carb diet improves endurance performance is compelling. The average endurance athlete has about 2,000 calories of glycogen in their muscles. Even the leanest marathoner has close to 50,000 calories of fat. It makes sense that increasing fat consumption at the expense of carbohydrate, would lead to extended endurance since more fuel would be available to working muscles. Many trainers and nutritionists promote this proposition. Increase the fat, reduce the carbs and exercise performance goes up. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence does not support this proposition.