With over 80% of our presenting clients to The Nadura Clinic’s, presenting with GI symptoms. We more than anyone know the benefits of correcting digestive dysfunction in the athletes.
So,
What is the prevalence of the most common gut symptoms in athletes and what are the underlying factors that allow their development?
The most common digestive issues at The Nadura Clinic
- Multiple unfinished bowel movements each day
- Undigested food being passed in the waste product
- Vomiting and nausea
- Reflux, heartburn and regurgitation
- Bloating & Flatulence
- Intestinal cramps
- Stitch during activity
- Diarrhea and lose stools
- IBS (alternating between diarrhea and constipation)
- Constipation
- Blood in stool
Most common causes
- Stress effecting the GI Tract
- Low SIgA
- Bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens/infection
- Low production of HCL
- Too much/little fibre
- Dehydration
- Carb, fat or protein mall absorption
- Lactose intolerance
- Catecholamine release from intense exercise
- High dose caffeine use
- E.coli (contamination)
- Reduced blood flow to the gut
- Ingestion of large volumes of food
- NSAIDs
And many, many more but more importantly what can we do about them in clinic?
Each subset of clinical symptoms is more or less common to specific issues/pathogens
To give you an example of some
- Diarrhea, feeling sick, fatigue and abdominal cramping are really common in E-coli
- Feeling worse on an empty stomach and general malaise is common in H-pylori a gram-negative bacterium
- Nausea & vomiting during exercise is common in reduced blood flow to the gut, pre event anxiety, dehydration and ingesting hypertonic fluids during exercise.
- Bloating, reflux, heartburn and flatulence are very common in SIBO, abnormally low commensal bacteria, hiatus hernia, lactose intolerance, low HCL and poor availability of other digestive raw material such as enzymes
- One of the most common and problematic issues that can be resolved quite quickly is urgency to defecate upon activity, which has many causes, but can may be high residue, constipation, microbial imbalance and slow transit time. Also, quite common with this issue are unfinished bowel movements pre exercise. This is a key element we work on as we approach the athlete’s event
And it goes on…
With so much in the digestive tract that can go wrong, ever before we see issues caused in the GI tract that present in other areas of the body/organ systems
Such as
- Immune system dysregulation
- Skin eruption
- Fatigue
- Poor recovery
- Injury and inflammation
- Autoimmune association
It’s no wonder that your personalised plan to transform your performance begins from the inside out. It’s also no wonder that when this imbalance is corrected we see a substantial increase in performance but more than anything else a reduction in immune suppression and sickness in athletes.
“Since attending The Nadura Clinic I have not been sick in almost five years “says Irish international & 2020 European duathlon bronze medallist Marc Flavin who presented to clinic with recurring annual sickness of three to four times a year. He is now one of the most consistent athletes in the country after improving his fuelling and digestive tract.
While
International athlete and European triathlon silver medalist Doctor Finbar McGrady say’s “My long-lasting digestive issues have been resolved thanks to a tailored made program from The Nadura Clinic following gut microbiome testing (GI map) and subsequent WADA (World Anti-Doping Approved) supplements protocol by their sports nutritionist
As you can clearly see at The Nadura Clinic, we place a key emphasis on optimising digestive health as the primary pillar to achieving your health goals.
In the majority of cases, no matter what programme an individual begins, there is always a digestive element involved in each case. Looking at the digestive tract, there are many factors that influence the overall health and integrity of its function some including dietary choices, chronic stress, poor stomach acid production, chronic dysbiosis (bacteria imbalances), chronic low grade gut infections. In many cases we utilise the most up to date in stool testing using a PCR DNA stool analysis known as the GI Map.
Based on an individual’s presenting symptoms, dietary habits etc a specific dietary & nutraceutical approach is developed to optimise the microbiome and digestive function whilst addressing stress and/or mental health driving factors if applicable.
If your serious about changing your health as an athlete? I assure you start in the gut as you will NEVER see a really top class consistent athlete with gut issues. Just like you will rarely see an athlete with gut issues achieve top class consistency.
Case study – Chronic ulcerative colitis in female age group triathlete in active flair.
The Nadura Clinic – This client Denise Compton (No relation) presented to clinic in Dungarvan with a diagnoses
The Client – Eight months ago I had seven doctors standing around my bed saying, “this lady is very sick “then I was diagnosed with chronic ulcerative colitis, when I was put on medication in hospital my body rejected all the medication and I had a serve allergic reaction). I was feeling very sick and felt my triathlon career was over until my visit to The Nadura Clinic. I met with Lee and presented to clinic with ulcerative colitis in active flair, Iron levels down to zero, low mood, chronic fatigue and unable to train
After 4-6 weeks week on the protocol I was slowly back training and it slowly progressed from there into his performance nutrition plan and I gradually I became symptom free 90% of the time. My triathlon season ended in one of my best seasons and as of today in clinic I’m on the back of racing 8 weeks racing triathlons with 8 podiums and still have a race left in the season.
The Nadura Clinic – Note, Denise ended up adding one final race (after her 9th) to the season and finished with an astounding 10 podiums
As my husband John said
“I went to Lee with problems and he came up with the solutions” He fully supported, educated me and was always at the other end of the phone. This visit was “Life Changing” and I’m forever grateful
Denise Compton The Nadura Clinic for me was “LIFE CHANGING)
