Diet-for-AthletesIn my last post we discussed foods and supplements to add to an athlete’s diet.  We also discussed that athletes should avoid sugar and gluten.  Here is why we should avoid sugar.

The most important reason athletes (and non-athletes) should avoid sugar is because sugar promotes cancer.  A cancer researcher who appeared on CNN with Dr Sanjay Gupta reported that tumor cells essentially need sugar to grow and thrive.

Consumption of 50 grams of glucose or white bread leads to increase in monocyte nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-KB).  NF-KB is a marker for inflammation and it also leads to the production of other pro-inflammatory cytokines, thus causing a cyclical effect.

Sugar causes cancer and inflammation, but it also causes addiction.  Dr Gupta also outlined how refined sugar activates the same addiction pathways as cocaine.  Sugar is defintely not a good choice for anyone to use, but if you are a serious athlete sugar will greatly affect your training and recovery.

Dr Spencer Charlet
Chiropractor in Mooresville, NC
704-663-7625