Tour de France: I'm a sports and nutrition professor - here's what cyclists should eat and drink
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With the Tour de France looming, many amateur cyclists like myself are inspired to squeeze into our lycra and take to the road. Any event which encourages people to be more active is clearly a good thing as regular exercise, including cycling, is one of the most influential lifestyle habits which can enhance current health and future wellbeing.
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Hide AdExercise improves mood, helps control weight, blood pressure, cholesterol hence reduces the risks of many chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease, depression, premature aging and stroke. Increasing the amount of intense training, however, if not adequately nutritionally prepared, can put a strain on the body leading to excess fatigue, joint and muscle damage hindering improvements in performance.
As a professor of sports and nutrition, I am in a fortunate position to keep up to date with the latest evidence-based nutritional tips which have been shown to safely improve the capacity of the heart, lungs, joints and muscles leading to better performance. They are particularly relevant for cyclists like me in their 60s whose bodies have seen better days.
This advice, however, applies equally to elite athletes, club cyclists and weekend warriors helping them, not only to feel faster and stronger but to make their ride more enjoyable and comfortable. Here are the important nutritional strategies to focus on when training:
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Hide AdHydration
Hydration is a critical factor before, during and after exercise. Dehydration can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It can lead to muscle cramps, kidney damage, fatigue, decreased endurance and a higher risk of muscle or joint strains. Proper hydration supports electrolyte balance and efficient nutrient transport, aiding in energy production and overall performance.
Energy (carbohydrates and fats)
The further and faster you go, the more fuel you need - pretty basic really. The best way to "load up" before a ride is to make sure your liver glycogen stores are full. So, the day before make sure you eat more food than you need - pasta, bread or pretty much anything you enjoy. Glycogen is then easily converted to sugar which is used by the cells for energy when needed during the ride. If you don't do this, your body will look for other energy sources such as protein in your muscles - not good for performance.
On the morning of the ride, load up with slow-release energy sources such as complex carbohydrates including sourdough bread, nuts, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, whole grains and eggs with lashings of healthy fats such as olive oil. Try to avoid sugary energy bars during the ride unless you start feeling exhausted. When you start taking them you need to continue every 30 mins as if you stop the high insulin levels you have induced may cause hypoglycaemia (low sugar). If you have taken them, after the ride, it's important to eat some more nuts, bread and seeds as soon as possible to avoid crashing again.
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Protein is vital to promote muscle synthesis and repair, facilitating quicker recovery after intense workouts, and reducing the risk of muscle soreness and fatigue. Fish, seafood, eggs and meat are obvious sources of protein but plants alone can also ensure you get a wide range of essential amino acids (the building blocks for proteins).
Protein rich plants include beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas; almonds, peanuts, walnuts, chia, flax and sunflower seeds; whole grains, quinoa and brown rice. There's not a lot of evidence that taking protein immediately after training makes any difference over increasing the amount and variety of protein-rich foods throughout the week.
Essential minerals
Modern intensive farming, over-cleaning and processing are depleting many minerals such as zinc, magnesium, selenium and iodine from the foods on the shelves. Additional sweating and the increased metabolism needed for exercise can further increase requirements for the body. Minerals are essential for the formation of protein, bone and cartilage, production of hormones, immune factors and anti-oxidants enzymes which protect from oxidative stress which is a by-product of energy production.
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Hide AdFoods rich in essential minerals include clams, mussels and edible seaweed; cocoa, nuts as well as seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and unsalted peanuts. There are also good arguments for including a multimineral complex in your daily health routine especially when training. Look for one, such as Phytomineral, which has the complete range of essential minerals, including iodine at levels around 100% RDA and not more.
Nitrate rich foods
Nitrates are found in many in plants including beetroot, celery, most berries, spinach and other leafy green vegetables. In the presence of vitamin C and phytochemicals, nitrates are converted to nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide relaxes muscles around arteries, improving blood flow to organs such as the heart and muscles, reducing blood pressure, improving energy levels, sports performance and mental agility.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemical-rich foods are an essential addition to every exercise programme. A recent study has highlighted how they influence multiple important biochemical pathways that support the ability to train stronger for longer. They help mop up by-products of energy production called free radicals by supporting anti-oxidant enzymes. Too many free radicals in our cells will damage our vital DNA, so exercising without adequate phytochemical intake can do more harm than good.
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Hide AdThey also have other exercise supporting properties including protecting joints and tendons, reducing delayed-onset muscle symptoms and muscle damage, elevating mood and motivation to exercise and reduce viral infections which disrupt training.
Foods typically abundant in phytochemicals include fruits, mushrooms, vegetables, salads, herbs, spices, teas, nuts, berries, seeds and legumes. Typical western diets are often deficient in phytochemicals, meaning we need to eat a lot more of them, preferably with every meal of the day. In the busy world we live in, it’s often difficult to prepare fresh healthy meals on a daily basis. In this case, a well-made Phytochemical rich supplement, can be a convenient way to increase intake especially if training vigorously.
Avoid non-steroidal painkillers, and Vitamin A and E supplements: Although taking painkillers now and again is safe, it's not good to take them before a ride. Firstly they do not improve performance and secondly, their negative effects on the kidneys and heart can be enhanced by exercise and dehydration.
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Hide AdRegular vitamin A and E supplements, unless correcting a known deficiency, should also be avoided. Unlike natural phytochemicals which promote a natural adaptive increase in anti-oxidant enzymes when needed, vitamin A and E are direct anti-oxidants and can actually override this process. Vitamins A & E can also block signals which reduce the anti-oxidant enzyme levels when not needed. As such they cause anti-oxidant enzymes to remain elevated, even when the oxidative stress subsides. Combined with their direct antioxidant properties this can result in a state called anti-oxidative stress, which explains why studies have reported that excess intake of vitamin A and E actually reduces sports performance.
Gut health
The importance of looking after the healthy bacteria in the gut is often overlooked by cyclists and other athletes. A healthy gut improves performance by improving absorption of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, to support energy production, muscle growth and repair. Healthy gut bacteria help to ferment non-digestible carbohydrates, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that can be used as an additional energy source.
Intense exercise can temporarily suppress immunity but fortunately, studies show that athletes who take lactobacillus probiotics have fewer breaks in training from colds and flu. Strategies to improve gut health, include quitting smoking, lowering alcohol and processed sugar intake; eating healthy probacteria rich foods such as kimchi, kefir and sauerkraut as well as prebiotic high fibre foods such as in beans, mushrooms, herbs and vegetables. Nutritional probiotic supplements can be a useful way to increase lactobacillus bacteria in the gut especially combined with prebiotic and vitamin D.
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Hide AdIn conclusion, there are multiple reasons why one person becomes an elite cyclist whilst another may experience aches for days after a short ride. Genetic makeup, local facilities, family and peer influences are key, but all of us have the capability to improve our exercise performance by practical changes in our training programme and particularly nutrition.
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