A gluten-free diet is a must for people with Celiac disease or a wheat allergy. However, many athletes are switching to a gluten-free diet due to its many benefits.
After Novak Djokovic declared that going gluten-free helped his athletic performance, many athletes followed suit. There are several ways that a gluten-free diet can help you up your game.
Increased Stamina
Once you eliminate gluten from your diet, you’ll notice that you have more energy than you used to. You sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed instead of sluggish. Then, you can’t help but observe how you have more energy throughout the day.
During training, this proves to be an asset. You’re able to train harder than your opponents. On game day or during competition, you’ll be able to beat them without getting out of breath. The increased stamina is one of the main reasons that so many athletes choose a gluten-free diet.
Improved Mental Clarity
Mental clarity is essential for any athlete. When you can think clearly, you’ll be able to focus more during training. You will ensure that you’re training how you need to, and it’ll be easier to see where your faults are so that you can correct them.
During competitions, being able to think clearly is a must. If you don’t have your head in the game, you’ve already almost lost. Most athletes discover that they can focus on the game better due to being able to concentrate, having less stress, and how a gluten-free diet can help alleviate some symptoms of common mental illnesses, such as brain fog.
Fewer Digestive Symptoms
Digestive symptoms can have a drastically negative impact on your overall performance. Bloating, gas, constipation, and digestive disorders like IBS can mean you don’t get a full day at the gym. They can lead to problems during training and on the field. It can be hard to do your best when you’re bloated and need to use the bathroom frequently.
When athletes, or anyone, switch to a gluten-free diet, they notice significantly fewer digestive issues. Bloating and flatulence often fade away once gluten is removed from the diet. Most people also find relief from common symptoms of IBS.
Regular bowel movements, improved digestion, less abdominal pain, and fewer digestive symptoms contribute to athletes performing better on and off the field.
Better Performance
All of the benefits of a gluten-free diet work together to help athletes have better performance. First, athletes can think clearly. The game is a combination of both mental and physical. When athletes think clearly, they can easily figure out what they need to do while training. They can analyze their opponents and develop a strategy for beating them.
Athletes who switch to a gluten-free diet will also notice that their mental health improves. Gluten causes white matter lesions on the brain that can mimic mental health symptoms. Many individuals with mental illnesses, such as depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD, notice a significant improvement in their symptoms.
Then, the physical impact of a gluten-free diet helps propel athletes to the best performance they’ve experienced.
More Health Conscious
When you switch to a gluten-free diet, you have to be more conscious of what you eat. Gluten can be found in almost every food in the grain category. It’s also in everyday foods like sauces, condiments, and even french fries at fast food restaurants fried in oil with a small amount of wheat. Most protein powders are packed with gluten, but gluten free protein powder is an option.
You’ll quickly discover that living a gluten-free lifestyle means eating healthier foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as fruits and vegetables. It leads to reading labels and understanding what is in our food. When you choose a gluten-free lifestyle, you’ll also discover that you eat more at home due to limited restaurant choices.
Less Pain
Gluten can cause inflammation throughout the body. The inflammation often settles into old injuries, resulting in more pain at common sites of injuries, such as the lower back and knees. Individuals who experience inflammation in other areas of the body might notice pain in their joints, which can mimic arthritis. This pain makes it hard to be the best version of yourself. However, when you start eating gluten-free foods, you’ll notice a decrease in inflammation and the pain that comes with it.
In Conclusion
Athletes that suddenly switch to a gluten-free lifestyle will go through a brief period of withdrawal. The body is addicted to sugars and other things in most bread products. However, after that, athletes will have the mental and physical health they need to improve their game drastically.
