Hepcidin and iron regulation
Have you ever heard of hepcidin? It’s definitely worth understanding particularly if you are a female athlete, or someone who suffers from iron deficiency anaemia.
Nutrition
Relative Energy Deficiency -RED-S
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport – or RED-S as it is known – is caused when there’s a negative balance between dietary energy intake and the energy output needed to promote optimal health, performance, growth and daily life. Up until 2014 RED-S was referred to as the female athlete triad – disordered eating, menstrual disturbances …
Cramping and hydration
Is cramping cramping your style? In this article, we explain how cramping and hydration go hand in hand and what you can do to avoid issues. Several factors contribute to cramping. Many athletes have increased their training intensity and volumes but possibly overlooked their nutritional needs to meet their supplementary training requirements. Go back to …
Benefits of tart cherries
Tart cherries have been used for decades to treat gout and osteoarthritis, but they also contain phytochemicals which stimulate melatonin, enhance sleep, recovery and sports performance and reduce inflammation. Tart cherries contain the phytochemicals anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavanols and phenolic acids. Tart Cherries have a higher content of anthocyanins than sweet cherries and contain potassium, calcium, iron, …
Safe supplements
Supplementation by athletes can be a minefield to navigate for the unwary. Whilst there may be significant value in taking additional nutrients, most of us share the view that it should always be a ‘food first’ policy. Maintaining a balanced nutrient–dense diet, is the key foundation for sports performance regardless of the level of competition. …
Help for Menopause
Some women experience absolutely no symptoms during their transition through menopause but if you are like 80% of women who do, it’s reassuring to know there are treatment options available. Help for menopause is here. Perimenopause is the stage where most of the symptoms begin and these can persist for over a decade. Menopause officially …
Best collagen for tendon repair
Choosing the best collagen for tendon repair can be challenging. There are so many to choose from. All collagen powders are not created equal. Understanding the different forms and their sources can be helpful when making your decision. Keep in mind collagen can be helpful in the repair of tendons, bones and ligaments, improving skin …
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency has consequences well beyond bone health. Vitamin D is gold. Vitamin D is so important to the body, immune cells, brain, colon, breast, and other cells have the ability to also activate it locally when required. Although labelled a vitamin, calcitriol (bio-active vitamin D) acts more like a hormone within the body. …
Mineral and heavy metal testing
Mineral and heavy metal testing can help to gain a better understanding of what metals may be impacting on health and what minerals are required to increase to enhance performance and overall health. Optimal nutritional balance is essential for the function of every cell and system in your body. Obtaining feedback on mineral absorption is …
Seed cycling
Before we get stuck into the detail, let’s do a quick recap on how seed cycling supports hormones. Female hormones are regulated through complex signalling and feedback mechanisms. Signals are received and then transmitted by the hypothalamus part of the brain out to the pituitary gland, adrenal glands and then ovaries (the HPAO axis). In …
