Issue 086
March 2012
How eating right can fast track recovery from injury as well as keeping you firing for training
With welterweight champion Georges St Pierre having recently undergone a successful knee operation, the spotlight has never shone more brightly on the part good diet has to play in accelerating the recovery process as well as supporting a fighter’s immunity.
Gareth Nicholas
Nutrition expert
Gareth Nicholas is part of the elite sports nutrition team at Maximuscle, one of the world’s leading sports nutrition suppliers.
For GSP and other recovering fighters, a combination of physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, rest and nutrition will support a speedy return to full training. Regarding nutrition the first thing to consider is the decrease in training volume and the compensations that will need to be made in terms of energy intake. However, focusing on key nutrients during this period will pay dividends by speeding up recovery and reducing discomfort.
The power of protein
The nutritional response to any injury will have to focus on individual needs. Take, for example, GSP. His knee immobility will mean muscle loss in the leg and possibly others areas which he can’t train while injured. Maintaining a positive protein balance is important to prevent this. A reduction in training should also lead to a reduction in carbohydrate intake but don’t cut too much
as taking on too little energy will slow the recovery process.
Some might suggest additional support from supplements, such as creatine and omega-3 fatty acids (both to reduce muscle loss), to help the recovery process but there is no conclusive research on these yet. So, the sensible approach would be to carefully consider any additional supplements above and beyond a well-balanced diet.
Prevention is better than cure
It’s no secret that to be a successful MMA fighter takes a significant amount of hard work – many hours of training, 5–7 days a week but that comes at a price. During heavy training the body’s natural defenses against infection are temporarily suppressed, this is especially true immediately after exercise. According to the ‘open window theory’, this is a period when an upper respiratory tract infection (or the common cold as you probably know it) can strike. This type of infection can be a real setback for any fighter and training through it, although seeming the tough thing to do, could bring about further complications and push the recovery time back even further. As with anything the ideal is to have preventative measures.
The link between reduced carbohydrate intake and poor immune function is well established so ensuring you take on enough carbohydrates – the body’s fuel of choice – is a key step to reducing the possibility of infection.
Boost your defenses
Other ways to boost immunity, can be found through antioxidant, vitamin and mineral supplements. Examples of naturally-occurring multivitamin foods are blueberries, almonds, avocados, cranberries, flax seeds, olive oil, pumpkin, sweet potato and oranges. However, for a convenient way to reach the required dosages, sport nutrition supplements are an excellent alternative.
BodyBuilding.com’s Vita Immune capsules contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, cranberry extract, zinc and selenium, all of which help defend against the oxidative stress and immune cell damage which occurs after high-intensity exercise.
GSP isn’t alone… injuries and illness are often unavoidable, particularly in MMA. Any set back in training can have devastating effects, both mentally and physically, in the build-up to a fight. Listening to your body and tailoring your nutrition accordingly, will help you ‘take down’ injury and illness before they strike.
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