Blood Testing For Athletes Improved Performance
There have been many talks lately about “biomarkers” for athletes in recent years. If you haven’t heard, a biomarker is a naturally occurring molecule, gene, or characteristic that can be used to identify a specific biological process, disease, or condition. In other words, biomarkers can give us clues about what’s happening inside our bodies.
The best part is that athletes are always looking for an edge and want to know what they can do to improve their performance and stay at the top of their game; biomarkers may get them ahead. You know that what you put into your body affects your performance. You train hard to ensure you’re physically and mentally ready to compete. Now, it’s time to keep an eye out for your biomarkers to keep at prime performance:
Blood biomarker testing provides insight into the athlete’s physical state when it comes to sports performance.
Athletes can gain a comprehensive knowledge of their nutrition and performance by receiving details on areas such as insufficient nourishment, uneven hormonal levels, susceptibility to injuries, hydration levels, muscle conditions and other related aspects.
For more than a hundred years, blood tests have been a commonly used diagnostic tool. Nowadays, they are becoming more and more available to the average person, and a wide range of biomarkers can be evaluated to enhance human performance.
To achieve their highest potential, athletes can leverage the benefits of technology, including the use of biomarkers. By conducting a straightforward blood analysis, crucial information can be gained about the physical responses taking place within an athlete’s body.
Coaches can improve the management of training and nutrition, evaluate stress and muscle condition, pinpoint bodily deficiencies, enhance athletic performance, and prevent injury by having access to this level of detail.
In addition, all athletes differ from one another. Although they may follow comparable training and dietary plans, individual outcomes can differ due to genetic and environmental influences, affecting how their bodies respond.
It is important to measure and consider these variations, particularly if the goal is to enhance performance.
Blood Biomarker Testing: How It Works
A biomarker is an element present in a living organism that is used to signify exposure to the environment, susceptibility, effects, or clinical illness.
To acquire a blood biomarker analysis, a person must undergo a test and subsequently have the results analyzed. The proper adjustments to one’s diet, exercise routine and daily habits must then be made according to the analysis.
A follow-up examination will be carried out within three to five months to assess whether the alterations have resulted in any chemical effects on the body. Hence, it is crucial to regularly modify this procedure to guarantee optimal performance levels of all components.
Biomarker analysis enables direct measurements for improved injury prevention. The assessment of stress and inflammation risk indicators is utilized for injury prediction.
Athletes can determine the possibility of injury risk by analyzing Hs-CRP, Cortisol, and Creatine Kinase (CK) as stress indicators. Furthermore, knowledge of the athlete’s level of ferritin and white blood cell count can be beneficial in determining the risk of inflammation.
Iron deficiency frequently results in reduced performance and heightened injury vulnerability among female endurance athletes. The appendix contains a complete inventory of all biomarkers that were examined, alongside their corresponding functions.
Nutrition
Athletic performance and recovery are significantly influenced by proper nutrition. Inadequate overall nutrition can lead to decreased muscle function and endurance performance.
An athlete’s reduced performance and increased risk for muscle/tendon injury have been linked to a high occurrence of vitamin D deficiency.
Accurate blood test results can guide trainers in developing a proper diet and supplementation plan. Additionally, it is established that vitamin supplements provide advantages solely to those with a biological insufficiency.
Hydration Status
Water is a crucial component of the human body, and athletes experience a loss of fluid and electrolytes due to sweating during training. As a consequence, dehydration occurs, and there is a reduction in the volume of extracellular fluid.
The athlete’s physical and mental state can be protected from the harmful effects of dehydration by utilizing biomarkers.
Muscle Status
The strength, power, fatigue, and endurance of athletes can be influenced by both the quality of their skeletal muscle tissue and their level of muscular recovery. Inadequate recovery can diminish performance by necessitating greater effort, decreasing exercise tolerance, and reducing both strength and power.
As a result, keeping track of muscle status indicators enables athletes to tailor their training to enhance recovery protocols and maximize performance. Crucial markers for muscle status consist of creatinine and testosterone.
Cardiovascular Endurance
Iron is a crucial element contributing to cardiovascular endurance since it is an essential part of aerobic metabolism, which generates energy via the combustion of carbohydrates, amino acids, and fats in the presence of oxygen, ultimately enhancing overall performance.
An iron deficiency is common among athletes, particularly female ones. Athletes who have low levels of iron often experience reduced performance as they are unable to properly convert substrates into energy.
Injury Risk
The athlete’s vulnerability to various common injuries including concussions, stress fractures, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries can be evaluated using biomarkers.
Through biomarker testing, common injuries can be detected early and prevented by identifying the various chemicals released after the injury.
Inflammation
Immune responses are regularly released due to the muscle damage that occurs as part of exercise training.
As a result, athletes who wish to monitor their performance may indirectly observe inflammation by monitoring the circulation of certain components involved in the inflammatory process.
Creatine Kinase is a biomarker that is released as a result of skeletal muscle damage and is recognized as an indicator of injury or stress caused by excessive training, known as chronic inflammation.
Myoglobin serves as an illustration of a damage indicator that is detectable in blood as a temporary measure. Other factors indicating inflammation and tension comprise Cortisol and Hs-CRP.
Biomarker analysis provides a competitive advantage for athletes in the same field. By comprehending and adjusting the internal mechanisms of an athlete’s body, it becomes possible to tailor modifications that specifically address the individual’s requirements.
Individualized care can be beneficial in recognizing flaws and enhancing them. Biomarkers can recognize deficiencies in diet, hydration, muscle tone, cardiovascular stamina, likelihood of injury, and swelling.
Greater optimization is achieved by addressing all of these factors that are directly linked to the athlete’s performance, health, and recovery.
Coaches can enhance athletes’ knowledge about their well-being by administering these assessments, which can enable them to comprehend their physical constitution and enhance their decisions regarding their way of life. Therefore, improving their lifestyle.
By taking supplements, individuals can also increase their responsibility for their own health as they realize that not adhering to the regimen may result in the detection of deficiencies.
Biomarker testing is beneficial not just for those in the pro-athlete category, but also for amateur athletes seeking useful information. Amateurs wishing to enhance their performance invest both time and money in starting new sports.
Investing time, effort, and money wisely in training, nutrition, athletic gear, and race entries can prove to be valuable in the future. A few hundred dollars spent on a test enables individuals to train more efficiently.
By establishing baselines for cholesterol, white blood cells, vitamin D, cortisol, and other proteins, the athlete can adjust their nutrition plan and improve their training based on the results.
Athletes Using Blood Testing for Olympics
Sarah Hammer, a US Olympic track cyclist, dedicated a considerable amount of time to training and enhancing her endurance before the Olympics. However, to elevate her performance to the next level, she recognized the need to explore unfamiliar territory within her own body.
After an InsideTracker blood analysis, it was discovered that she had insufficient levels of vitamin D. Athletes, as well as individuals worldwide, often suffer from a lack of this vital nutrient.
In 2016, a study discovered that vitamin D deficiency was present in 32% of professional basketball players, and low levels were observed in 47% of players.
The body’s performance, particularly athletic, greatly benefits from the vital roles played by Vitamin D.
To begin, the vitamin enhances muscle size and potency advances bone wellbeing (in conjunction with calcium), boosts the magnitude and count of muscle fibres utilized for rapid surges of velocity and force, and enhances strength in the lower body.
In addition, sufficient Vitamin D intake can result in a decrease in inflammation within the body, specifically targeting the CRP inflammatory marker. A meta-analysis published in the Nutrients journal discovered that Vitamin D supplementation can bring down serum CRP levels by 20%.
Furthermore, it has been shown through a randomized control trial that insufficient levels of vitamin D may contribute to a reduction in testosterone, particularly in males.
Both males and females produce testosterone, an anabolic hormone that boosts bone density, promotes muscle growth and enhances muscular strength.
Olympian Sara Hammer and her coach utilized InsideTracker’s blood testing to obtain information on her vitamin D levels and were given evidence-based interventions to enhance them.
Sarah achieved two Olympic silver medals in track cycling.
Crystal Seaver, an ultramarathoner, dominates 50 and 100-mile races as a hobby. However, following a 100-mile race, she encountered difficulty in recuperating both physically and mentally.
Crystal opted to use InsideTracker to assess her bloodwork rather than making assumptions, in preparation for her next training program. Through testing with InsideTracker, she discovered that her iron and ferritin levels required attention.
Especially among women, iron deficiency is prevalent as a nutritional deficiency that is widely encountered worldwide.
Especially for athletes, there is a higher chance of having low or insufficient levels of iron since this mineral is depleted during rigorous training sessions, due to perspiration, physical exertion, and potential gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from intense exercise.
In what way do decreased iron levels impact one’s ability to engage in sports activities? Iron contributes to the formation of haemoglobin, an essential element of all red blood cells (RBCs), which serve as carriers of oxygen to various cells, tissues, and organs in the body.
Lower levels of both red blood cells and haemoglobin are often caused by an iron deficiency. This can result in reduced oxygen delivery to the muscles and brain through the blood, leading to poor performance.
Signs of iron depletion may also encompass recurrent injuries, compromised immunity, persistent tiredness, edginess, and an elevated heart rate during physical activity.
Although ferritin, a protein that stores iron, is the most accurate measure of iron levels in the body, doctors do not typically assess this indicator regularly.
Monitoring ferritin levels is crucial for athletes, especially female ones, to prevent exhaustion and performance stagnation during sports events. InsideTracker offers various tests, such as ferritin, serum iron, haemoglobin, and RBC tests, as well as personalized suggestions on ways to enhance them.
Raphael “Rufio” Durand, who practices CrossFit, also employs blood analysis to monitor his exertion levels and identify optimal moments to rest and recuperate effectively.
Rufio discovered that elevated levels of specific biomarkers, including cortisol and creatine kinase, hinder his ability to recover effectively.
When muscles are damaged, the enzyme known as creatine kinase (CK) increases. Athletes can assess their body’s response to the intensity and volume of their training through test outcomes of this biomarker.
After intense exercise, CK levels reach their highest point within two to four days before gradually decreasing to normal levels (less than 200 units) over a few days, which varies based on exercise intensity.
After endurance training and competition, the CK levels of marathon runners were found to have increased in this study. It took approximately 7-14 days after the marathon for the levels to return to their baseline.
A connection can be drawn between injury and the level of CK. A consistently high CK level is likely to cause muscular ache, feebleness, injury, and other unfavourable effects that impede peak athletic performance.
The personalized range of CK is determined by InsideTracker, taking into account age, gender, ethnicity, and type of athletic activity (soccer players can have a higher level of CK than swimmers, for instance).
InsideTracker offers various customized solutions like dietary alterations, workouts, and supplements that can effectively lower your levels if they happen to be too high.
InsideTracker for Blood Testing
At some point in their history, every sport has dealt with athletes attempting to gain unfair benefits. Nevertheless, utilizing blood testing has the potential to provide a legitimate and ethical path to gaining an edge, which hasn’t been fully explored yet.
Gil Blander, the founder of InsideTracker, suggests that since athletes are prepared to resort to drug injections to gain an edge, why not opt for the natural approach of withholding information to enhance performance?
According to Blander, it is essential to obtain scientific evidence of your particular blood biochemistry to enhance your physical abilities.
For years, the InsideTracker team scrutinized thousands of research papers to determine the crucial biomarkers that enhance physical performance and to pinpoint the dietary intake, health products, lifestyle adjustments, and workout regimens that can improve these biomarkers.
After evaluating roughly 3,000 biomarkers, only a dozen were determined to be critical for preventing injuries and enhancing athletic performance.
The distinctive feature of InsideTracker lies in its incorporation of a personalized “optimal zone” into the blood analysis, which takes into account an individual’s demographic factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, activity level, and performance aspirations.
The most recent peer-reviewed research is utilized by InsideTracker’s advanced algorithm to establish the most effective zones for each marker.
The typical range for a woman’s ferritin level is 12-150 ng/dL. However, InsideTracker suggests that for peak performance, an active woman in her 20s should aim for ferritin blood levels of 40-150 ng/dL.
The algorithm suggests customized diet, supplement, and training adjustments that are effective and straightforward for individuals who are not in this zone.
Utilizing advanced scientific research extracted from peer-reviewed scientific literature, the InsideTracker team developed an algorithm to generate highly precise recommendations for its users.
