🚀 go-pugleaf

<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi everyone.  I've received a number of responses to my post requesting
information about people's athletic experiences (positive and negative)
after going GF.  My thanks to everyone who responded, I've only been on
the list for about a month now and have already learned tons.  (BTW,
apologies for not putting a subject line on my original post.)

In my summary I've excerpted directly from people's responses because the
purpose of my original post was not only to gather information but to
glean encouragement  from a sense of shared experiences.  (I do hope that
it is acceptable etiquette to excerpt directly from the private posts--as
I said I haven't been on the list that long. Also, since the age and
exercize level diversity of respondents was so great I didn't feel
comfortable making generalizations too broadly).

I've marked posts (F)emale and (M)ale if it isn't clear from the excerpted
section because I think that this information may be important (i.e., it
appears that more women than men have problems maintaining healthy blood
iron levels).

One final note, one respondent reported that he found Power Gel Vanilla
and one other flavor to be non-reactive.  I'd like to hear from others on
whether they use any energy gels or other energy boosters like Power Gel
that are GF. (BTW, I don't know whether the company has been contacted to
confirm its GF status.)

Heres my summary:

*** [Since going GF, I've experienced] greater energy on less food with
less oxygen deprevation and better water absorbency . . . I am a
racewalker, competing 20 times a year at 5k
10k and 15k distances. I went GF last summer and at Thanksgiving beat 3
guys who had been beating me for 2 years (all were at least 7 years
younger).*** (M)

***My g.f. sons ran track & cross country in high school, one also swam.
Biggest challenge by far was getting enough calories in them.***

***In Aug of 1997 I figured out I had CD and since then I have
been improving.  Walking becomes easier but I don't feel strong enough yet
to ride.  My leg muscles have tight "nodules" in the thigh area which are
at the root of the fatigue. . . I have been taking additional vitamin/mineral
supplements but haven't noticed any difference.  I think it's just going to
take "as long as it takes" and there isn't much I can do to speed things
up.  I've found that a hot bath for maybe 5-10 minutes at the end of the
day seems to help my legs recover a bit better.***(M)

***I am a bicyclist and do weight training. I have found that I need a lot
of extra Vit. B because if I don't I get a weird feelings like my blood
vessels are too small in my legs. I also get leg cramping. I also worry
about bone density, which is why I quit running and took up the other
sports as I was getting shin splints.***(F)

***I have been in the GF diet for 15 years. I bike and average of 3000
miles a year and during peak up to 200 miles a week. rides are hilly and
up to 100 miles a day. also XC ski 6-14 miles backcountry. I take no
supplements and all my blood levels have been normal. do [use] energy
drinks during biking. . .  BTW I am 66 years old.**** (M)


*** I play tennis (usually doubles at A1 level)  I find that if I don't
take an iron supplement with a vitamin C, I become anemic and with that
very short of breath.  I would love to start playing singles again but it
seems that I can not get an acceptable iron level up that would allow me
the stamina to last.*** (F)

***I have found that high protien,  moderate carbs and fat diet gives me
lots more engergy,  although I'm still recovering from the acute problems
that led to my finally getting diagnosed. I am using one of those liquid
trace mineral supplements. . . Havent been on it long enough to have an
idea what it's going to do . . . ***(F)

***It it SO important to take iron and B-vitamin supplements, regularly!
I find I'm slightly anemic at the best of times, and the more I work out,
obviously the more iron is depleted from my system . . .  I have to take
B6 and B12, because the celiac diet  just doesn't let me  ingest enough of
those vitamins. Be dillegent when you ask about the ingredients in
B-Vitamins though, because they're often processed with wheat flour or
wheat starch.***(F)

***13 yr.  old Cceliac daughter is very active (field hockey, swimming,
lacrosse).  No apparent problems...***


***I've been running from about 9 years. I do distance (5-12 miles per
run) . . . I was biopsy dxed with CD about 1.5 years ago, and have been gf
since then. My exercise tolerance had begun to fall noticeably about 6
months-1 yr before diagnosis, but that's not why they discovered it. I had
almost no ferritin (my level was 2) and had become slightly anemic. .
. . When I started taking iron, it was like I had a new high gear I never
knew existed. I'm no longer taking iron (ferritin is back to normal) and
my speed is better - not fast, but normal for me. I ran my first marathon
about 7 months after diagnosis - I don't think celiac
inhibits my abilities at all (except the diarhrea) as long as I'm careful
about what I eat.***(F)

***I'm a 34 year old man, and I've been GF a bit less than a year now.  My
main sports interest is soccer, which I've played for about 20 years now.
Before I got diagnosed, I began having problems with lingering injuries
that didn't heal properly. . . . But after a month or two GF, all these
nagging injuries [pretty much] cleared up. Apart from these symptoms, I
was iron deficient for years.  I wasn't anemic at all, but my ferritin was
low.  Finally, it got low enough that my general doctor sent me to a
gastroenterologist who should be in the pantheon of
Celiac doctors, because I had a final diagosis within two weeks.***(M)

***I have celiac as well as another immune disorder, but I have finally
started running again, too.  I have been taking mega multivit+minerals and
am sure to get enough calcium (I'm 46 yrs).  Also, I just started taking a
glucosamine+chondroitin mix as I noticed my hips were a little sore after
a big day of hill running...I'll be interested to see if it helps.  Thebig
thing I notice is that I realy need a good nights sleep, but the exercise
really helps me get it.  Also, since celiac, I need to be more careful
about allowing enough time for digestion before I run, otherwise I seem to
be more prone to abdominal griping***(F)

***I posted a similar question to the list last November.  You might check
out the archives for the responses, but I've included my summary in this
message. . .  Here's my summary:

I greatly appreciate the many responses to my request for experiences with
excercise programs. Of the 33 replies I've received only one has had
trouble. Everyone else has expressed truly inspiring experiences. Since my
CD diagnosis followed running a marathon, and my first year gluten-free
was perhaps the best of my life, I am gratified to know that my current
problems may lie elsewhere. I do feel that the valuable information
contained in the replies to my message should be passed on, so here is a
summary:

1. Any exercise program should start slowly and build to a goal. Listen to
your body and let it tell you when it is tired. Rest is an important
aspect
of any exercise program. Persistence is another. Keep with it. 2. Drink
plenty of water and eat a balanced diet. Supplements may be useful,
especially anti-oxidants if you are running long distances. Runner's World
magazine has an excellent nutritionist. Her columns have been very helpful
to me.
3. Stretch before and after exercise, and make it a part of your program.
Stretch on off-days.
4. Include wieght-training with cardiovascular excercise for total
fitness.
5. There is no reason why we can't find a program that works for us.
Walking, running, aerobics, swimming, or whatever interests you. Since
most of us experience weight gain after diagnosis, an exercise program is
a valuable part of our recovery. It also increases energy and reduces
stress.***

And to reiterate what so many of you said:  Go for it!!  And, Good Luck!!


Erika
in Connecticut

* Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the Celiac List *