*Photo “Sports People” taken by Emerson Utracik/ CC BY
While trying to increase their client’s performance, most Nutritionist, trainers, or any other fitness professional will tell you that it’s all about what you feed your body. As a Holistic Nutritionist I do agree that Nutrition is EXTREMELY important in Sports performance or actually any other type of energy output for that matter, however based on my experience it’s actually the last step that I approach with my clients.
You’ve probably read more fitness magazines, articles and blogs than you can count and watched more workout videos than you care to admit to and you think you have a pretty good handle on your fitness and nutrition schedule. You’ve got your pre-workout, during workout, and post-workout meals and snacks. Your protein shakes, BCAA’s, creatine, fat burners, energy enhancers, you name it. Eating egg whites and rice cakes with plain chicken breasts. It all sounds so appetizing…
But are you getting the desired outcome?
Are you gaining unwanted weight or losing unwanted weight?
Are you exhausted and have no energy to make it through most days?
Is your stomach cramping and you’re just feeling bloated most of the time?
Are you getting headaches?
Regardless if you’re an athlete, regular gym buff, or just starting an exercise routine, keep reading for this information is for you!
Now before you start thinking I’m crazy, let me explain.
As a BioEnergetic Practitioner, my job is to identify what items (internal or external) that are causing stress on your body. These stressors can be anything from environmental, foods, vitamins & minerals, or even things like amino acids. And while your body is not working optimally and experiencing internal and external stress, your energy output decreases.
The following diagram is what I call the Optimal Performance Pyramid:
From this diagram you can see that amino acids are the #1 most important factor in Optimal Performance.
Now when I say they’re the most important, I don’t mean in a dietary way (although to some degree they are). I’m talking more on a cellular level.
Although all aspects of this pyramid are important, in Part 1 of this series I am going to explain the importance of amino acids and why they hold the #1 spot of importance in achieving optimal performance.
To start, what are Amino Acids? Well they’re the structural units (monomers) that make up proteins. If you take away the water in the human body, 75% of our bodies are proteins (amino acids) and are vital to every part of human function.
Where are they in our bodies? In the human body, protein substances make up the muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs, glands, nails, hair, and many vital body fluids. They are also essential for the growth, repair and healing of bones, tissues and cells. The enzymes and hormones that catalyze and regulate all bodily processes are proteins. They even help to regulate the body’s water balance and maintain the proper internal pH. They assist in the exchange of nutrients between the intracellular fluids and the tissues, blood, and lymph. They are also a large component in the energy production and release within our cells.
How are they used? One of the most talked about properties of amino acids is how it can assist in muscle building. Amino acids are boasted as the key ingredients in many body-building supplements. However, high volumes of protein are very taxing on our detoxing organs such as the liver and kidneys. Amino Acids are involved in all of the internal reactions of our living cells. They ultimately control all cellular process including digestion!
Why are they important? The problem with amino acids is that they deteriorate. Amino acids are not stored for later use like carbohydrates are but they can be replaced. They also enable the proper functioning of our vitamins and minerals. Even if vitamins and minerals are absorbed and assimilated by the body, they cannot be effective unless the necessary amino acids are present. This is why Vitamins and Minerals are higher up on the Optimal Performance Pyramid.
Now most of what I just described you have probably read or hear of before. However, what if you had an intolerance to amino acids/proteins? What do you think the level of internal performance would be? Seriously compromised to say the least.
What happens that is very common in any type of athlete or sports inclined individual is that they’re bodies become intolerance to amino acids. A great metaphor I like to use to explain this would be like a house allergic to its bricks. All the inner functioning of the body (“house”) would be compromised and stressed for its fighting with itself at all times. Muscle build up and beak down, digestion, cellular repair, and so forth are all compromised.
How is this possible you ask? There are various ways you can become intolerant to your amino acids. However, for athletic people, I find that the most common culprit is caused by a larger than normal amount of muscle breakdown and buildup which increases the amount of amino acid turn over the body needs to process as well as an increased consumption protein based supplements.
The following is a list of the most common causes for amino acid intolerance:
• Overconsumption via protein powders, drinks, and supplements
• Genetics – auto-immune diseases (body is attacking “foreign” amino acids)
• Emotional component: self-attacking-self
• Stress – physical or emotional
• EMF (Electromagnetic Frequencies) – Cell phone towers, Computers, WiFi, Electric alarm clocks, Microwave towers, etc.
• Digestive disorders/lack of enzymes
• Compromised immune system
• Cellular Saturation
I use a method called Applied Kinesiology (aka. Muscle testing) to determine whether an individual has an intolerance to amino acids (essential or non-essential or both!). However, if you’re wondering if you have an amino acid intolerance, check out this list of common symptoms associated with this type of intolerance:
• Greater fatigue than normal
• Aching in legs or hips (pain often intensifies when lying down)
• Less stamina or endurance when exercising
• Decreased muscle strength
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Sighing or yawning
• Less tolerance to stress – B vitamins require amino acids in order to work. There will almost always be intolerance to B vitamins if amino acid intolerance is prevalent.
• Low iron levels (also adds to fatigue) – the amino acid tyrosine is needed for iron absorption
• Chilliness (due to a deficiency in tyrosine and the inability to utilize iron)
• Hormone imbalances – often intolerances to various hormones
• Tendency toward depression and anxiety
• Reduced libido
• Thinning or falling of hair
The later stages of amino acid intolerance include symptoms such as:
• Dry flaky skin
• Aversion to meats or poultry (it starts to smell “off”)
• Possible constipation – less ability to eliminate toxins even at a cellular level
• Greater susceptibility to sprains, strains and bruises
• Slower rate of healing
The importance of addressing an amino acid intolerance goes much deeper than just the application in sports nutrition. All auto-immune diseases are almost always caused by an intolerance to amino acids. The very concept of an auto-immune disease is that your body starts to attack itself. This occurs when your immune system does not recognize your own cells and thinks they’re foreign invaders so they start to attack. An intolerance is the same where your body does not recognize the “intruder” (food, supplement, etc.) and must attack. The intensity of this process can vary from symptoms listed above for an amino acid intolerance, to full on anaphylaxis for say something like peanuts.
The great news is that an amino acid intolerance is correctible and catching it sooner than later is ideal!
As a BioEnergetic Practitioner, I have the ability to take the frequencies which the body does not recognize (ex. Amino acids), and apply the BIE Process to clear any energy blockages, and to re-establish balance. This process allows for us to re-introduce the frequencies that the body is not recognizing (stressors/allergens) and to clear any energy blockages therefore creating balance in the body again so that all aspects can work optimally!
If you suspect that you might have an amino acid intolerance or you’re looking to optimize your performance, call me at 647-883-5822 or email me at andrea@holisticharmonyhealth.com to book a BIE session now!
How to you reduce your risk from becoming intolerant to amino acids or any other supplement you’re taking? The #1 suggestion I have for anyone taking supplements (amino acids/proteins or others) is to rotate, rotate, rotate!! This will greatly reduce your risk of becoming intolerant to any “supplement” that you take whether it be amino acids or others. The over use and expose of one brand or one type of product will most likely lead to you becoming intolerant to that product of those components.
If you have any questions about intolerances of any type, please feel free to contact me for more details on the service I offer.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
