You have probably hear some of the buzz surrounding gluten free diets in the media and you’ve probably seen the displays of “gluten free” labels on foods in your local grocery store. Maybe you’ve considered going gluten free but are not sure what it’s all about. In this article I will examine the role a gluten free diet can have in athletics, but really the health benefits of gluten free go far beyond performance and can help everyone from the professional fighter to grandparents and children alike.
People that go gluten free have historically been diagnosed with celiac disease, an allergy to gluten, a family of proteins in wheat, rye, and barley. There are five of twenty proteins in the family that the body has a hard time digesting. The body will exhibit an immune response in the small intestine whenever one of these proteins is present. The protein Gleatin which is found in gluten is one of the main culprits that people are sensitive to, but there are 4 others. This response aggravates the gut lining and causes a host of health problems. More on this later, first let’s talk about our gluten free athletes.
The Rise of Gluten Free Athletes
Gluten free diets for athletes first made a splash in 2010 when the entire Garmin-Transitions pro cycling team went gluten free and Men’s Health wrote about it in their Winning Without Wheat article. The team experienced better digestion and therefore improved recovery, sleep and energy. The team also reported feeling less bloating, gastrointestinal distress and stiffness and saw a marked improvement in their performance with a gluten free lifestyle. This is quite notable considering the team was never diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or celiac – they just cut out gluten and saw results.
Also in 2010 MMA got its first spokesperson for a gluten free life. Welterweight Dennis “Superman” Hallman (51-14-2) was diagnosed with celiac disease. He reported his training was vastly improved and he could now complete with energy and confidence. He has won 3 of his last 4 fights since going gluten free in May 2010.
For the full article please copy and paste the link below.
http://www.muaythaiauthority.com/2012/01/gluten-free-new-era-of-athletes.html
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