How to bolster your immune function

21 Sept

Written By Velo Performance Cycling Club

“Winter is coming” and that means we are all more susceptible to getting colds

So, is there anything you can practically do?

Well yes, there is!

· Don’t avoid carbohydrates or drop Calories too low or long

In an industry where Fat Adaption and Keto are gaining ever more popularity, this suggestion may be seen as unpopular. However, there is good evidence to suggest when carbohydrates and Calories are low it suppresses the immune function and increases the chances of getting ill

· Eat adequate protein

Protein is not just food for building muscle among other things, It’s also used by the body to produce hormones, repair tendons, and ligaments, increase mitochondrial capacity via increasing aerobic enzymes and helps creates antibodies to drive a stronger immune function

For athletes and hard-training cyclists, I recommend between 1.6g and 2g of protein per KG of body weight. (The higher end of which for athletes 40 years + to help mitigate Sarcopenia - protein resistance in the muscle)

· Stay hydrated

Staying on top of your fluid intake is an important aspect of keeping healthy and is often underrated

The Sylvia in your mouth is the FIRST defence against the cold and flu virus. When you are dehydrated it’s much easier for the virus to get into your system

The average person loses 2.7Ltrs of fluids per day so aiming for this daily is sound practical advice

· Wash your hands regularly - with hot soapy water

Team Sky had a Doctor go around each athlete and show them how to wash their hands and keep their nails clean. Sounds a bit over the top but it’s with good reason

You unconsciously touch your mouth A LOT throughout the day and that’s how you transfer the cold virus and get ill

You can see that dirty hands and dehydration don’t mix well. These are such simple easy habits to work on to stay healthy

· Vitamin D and Vitamin C

These two vitamins have been well studied and are proven to bolster immunity and reduce the severity of symptoms of a cold

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)

Clearly, at this time of year our vitamin D intake is lowering, any vitamin D we have stored will soon be used up

The lower your body fat levels the less Vitamin D you naturally have which means you could be deficient and may need to supplement. (The only way to tell you're true levels is to get a blood test)

NDI for vitamin D is 400IUs/d

· Vitamin C

The RNI for Vitamin C is 40mg/d for men and women. Remember its lost in the cooking process, water-soluble and is only stored by the cells over a 24-hour period

NB. Vitamin C and super loading several weeks before a crucial event and during a period of overload in training would be a good practice to bolster immune function and ensure iron absorption

I highly recommend 5 - 10g daily at these times

· Gut health

This is an indirect way to improve your overall health which in return will reduce your chances of getting ill

During periods of high stress and high volume training the tight junctions in your gut lining can lose their integrity increasing intestinal permeability and causing small particles of food and bad gut bacteria to cross the gut lining which is not good for health and depresses your immune function

· Prebiotics and Probiotics

If you eat a rich diet of whole foods, carbohydrates, dairy and lots of green veg you should pretty much have this covered however, in times of hard training it might be good practice to add an extra insurance policy by taking a daily dose of probiotic containing Lactobacillus and/or Bifidobacterium species containing at least ~1010 live bacteria

· L Glutamine

This amino acid regulates cell proliferation, repair and maintenance of the gut barrier function (Basically it ensures good gut health and tight junctions)

It's abundant in whey protein and some vegetarian protein supplements, eggs, dairy such as cottage cheese, milk, soybeans and lentils

The recommended dose is anywhere from 5g up to 40g/d but be warned the top end of this recommendation can cause gastric upset so you need to find your baseline. From experience, most athletes do well at 20g/d

How to bolster your immune function

Once I changed this I got faster on my bike

What is possible as a cyclist as you get older?

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