Why athletes switch to a gluten-free diet and whether it is right.
If so many athletes follow a gluten-free diet, should you? And if you do, will it improve your productivity?Gluten and celiac disease
First, let's take a little look at the alleged villain. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products that gives the dough a chewy texture. Gluten is well established as a trigger for celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease affecting the small intestine.
When people with gluten disease consume gluten, they have an abnormal immune response that causes an inflammatory reaction. Repeated exposure can lead to depletion of microvilli — small finger-like structures in the small intestine, which serve to increase its surface area, facilitating the absorption of nutrients. When the immune response is triggered, people with gluten disease may experience symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating, as well as impaired absorption of nutrients.
Fortunately, celiac disease is quite rare. The vast majority of people with this disease have a genetic predisposition to it. These genes play a role in immune function, allowing the body to distinguish its own cells from others. The presence of these genes does not mean that you will get celiac disease. Indeed, the vast majority of people with genetic risk factors never develop gluten disease.
The only method of controlling celiac disease is a gluten-free diet, and those who suffer from it should avoid eating gluten. There is another condition known as gluten sensitivity without celiac disease, which is not a gluten disease, but a gluten sensitivity. Approximately 10% of people have such a deviation, although this is a fairly new diagnosis and less understandable.
Gluten and high-level athletes
If 10% of people suffer from gluten disease or gluten sensitivity, why do more than 40% of high-level athletes follow a gluten-free diet most of the time?
Gluten and sports results
Because of how fashionable and popular this diet has become, many athletes avoid gluten even if they don't have any symptoms because they believe it will improve results.
But is it so?
Actually, no. If a person has no sensitivity to gluten or celiac disease, giving up gluten will not affect his performance in any way, so such a diet is an empty and useless trend.
How does a gluten-free diet affect an athlete's nutrition
Gluten does not have a positive effect on physical performance, which means that we do not need it to achieve the best results. But since gluten predominates in foods, following a gluten-free diet can lead to a lack of nutrients; this requires the exclusion of foods containing nutrients that athletes need.
An obvious example is carbohydrates, many of which (bread, pasta, etc.) contain gluten. Athletes usually need more carbohydrates to support their workouts, and following a gluten-free diet may prevent them from fulfilling this requirement. Gluten-free diets can also be expensive: according to some estimates, the cost increases by 2.5 times compared to a balanced diet containing gluten.
How to decide if a gluten-free diet is Right for you
So what's left for athletes considering a gluten-free diet? If they are considering a diet because they have heard that it increases productivity, then this is not the case. If they are considering a diet because they have gastrointestinal symptoms, it is worth checking with a doctor and then taking action.
If gluten sensitivity is excluded, gastrointestinal disorders may be caused by other food components.
If an athlete does not have symptoms of gluten sensitivity, as most people do, there is no reason to follow a gluten-free diet. Too many athletes and coaches self-diagnose gluten sensitivity. This may lead to inadequate nutrition or may hide the symptoms of other gastrointestinal problems that need to be addressed.
