North Vancouver

Ask Dr. Nina

I have been training pretty hard, have a full time job and kids…that would all be manageable except I am starting to feel just a little bit more tired,irritable and not enjoying my training sessions as much. I think I am eating well but wondering if I might be heading towards overtraining syndrome?

It is highly possible that your training regimen might be getting in the way of reaching your goals. Over training does not just mean excessive hours spent out there doing the exercise, it also refers to a lack of adequate recovery for the body. This is just the start of the summer, a time when most of us want to compete in some fun races! Recovery includes adequate nutrition, supplementation and rest. If you are training and your adrenal glands are stressed, this will eventually lead to fatigue, inflammation, irritability. Adrenal fatigue can cause low energy, low libido, hormonal imbalances (in men and women), irritability, insomnia, restlessness, high/low blood pressure, frequent infections and poor exercise performance. The adrenal glands, which secrete the "fight or flight" hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol when faced with any stressors, do not differentiate between "good" or "bad" stress. This means that although you may consider your strenuous workouts enjoyable (some people enjoy pain!) and a good stress reliever, the adrenal glands still secrete the stress hormones to allow you to push your body through the workouts. They react the same to a tough workout as they do to the emotional stress of work or relationship issues, road rage or having too much to do and not enough time!

If you are not adequately recovering between workouts your adrenal glands become depleted and you start to feel the symptoms. Because the adrenals also are responsible for the production of the sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone), both men and women whose adrenals are taxed will start to suffer from symptoms associated with imbalances in these hormones. Low sex drive, lack of or irregular menstrual periods, mood swings and inability to lose weight (despite ending your relationship with nachos,beer and a good dose of milk chocolate) are all common effects of poor adrenal function which athletes often face. And, no, coffee is not the answer because that just further stimulates the adrenals to release even more of the hormones which means they will tire out even more!

So, what do we do about it?? It is very important to have an objective observer (ie a coach or knowledgeable professional) assess the levels of training you are doing. Getting enough sleep at regular hours is imperative: this means sleeping between 7-9 hours/night, ideally between

9-11pm until 6-8am. Proper fuelling during and after exercise is key to recovery and to lessen the load on the adrenals. Keeping your blood sugar levels stable by eating every 3 hours and supplying your body with optimal nutrition is essential in adrenal health. Supplemention should also be considered, especially if you are training a lot. There are many different ways to additionally support these key glands but the most important vitamins and minerals are Magnesium, B5 (pantothenic acid), Zinc. Licorice root tea is a great adrenal tonic (not for anyone with high blood pressure or pregnant women). Astragalus root is another herb that supports the adrenals. My suggestion is that if you think you are possibly feeling the effects of adrenal fatigue...take some time to lighten your workout load for a bit (an extra day off to recover won’t impair your overall progress whereas pushing through and injuring yourself or getting sick certainly can set you back a lot!), get some rest, eat well, cut out caffeine for a bit, supplement properly and let your passion return! !

Happy Training to you all!

Please feel free to email me your questions for next month at drninalange@yahoo.com

Dr Nina Lange www.pacificanaturopathic.com 604 922-4074

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