Calcium, Bone Density, and Cycling

I received a request to talk about Bone Density, and Cyclists increased risk for Osteoporosis, and breaking bones. This individual had read Monique Ryan's Article in this months Velo News (their going to a monthly format instead of bi-weekly still makes me cry), "Bad to the Bone?" Volume 38/ No. 14, Nov. 2009 pgs 112-114.

I have previously written about this subject, so I chose to re-print the post. This post reiterates the importance of participating in more than just cycling, thus touching upon yesterdays post of the importance of the Transition period.


Unfortunately, due to the lack of direct repeated impact force on the bones, Calcium is NOT retained, or used to build up bones as much as running or resistance training. However, part of this is due to the skeleton's adapting to the demands placed on it (you do want to go faster, don’t you?). Runners have higher lower-body bone density, due to the repeated stress placed on it during running, while cyclists tend to have less bone density, but the bones are thought to adapt to be stronger, but with less density (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands), as I just S.A.I.D. (awful pun intended).

Now aside from making sure that you are attaining enough calcium through diet (primarily) and Supplementation (secondary/backup), one also needs to ensure they are taking in enough calcium that has BIO AVAILABILITY. Very, Very, Very important. Although a standard glass of milk has "30%" of a "regular" Americans daily calcium recommendation, there are 2 problems:

1. Of that "30%" roughly only 40-50% of that is going to be actually taken up and used by the body. So now you are looking at actually having only taken in about 12.5-15% of your daily value.......

2. This leads us to our second part of the quandary: Chances are, you are not an "average, regular American", but rather, you are out, on your bike (or unhappily on the trainer or rollers), and sweating quite a bit, probably 3-5 days a week, for a total of more than 3 hours a week.

So what does this all mean?
You, as an active individual, need more calcium than the "average" American. How much more, is up for debate dependent upon how much calcium you lose via sweat, where you currently stand in comparison for healthy values amongst your peers, etc. etc. etc. bottom line, you can find that number somewhere....

So what about those calcium chews, or Metamucil with extra calcium, or other supplements?
While some of them have high bio availability, and can actually deliver most of, if not a large majority of what is promised on the label, you are missing out on some other key nutrients.

So what’s best for calcium?
Believe it or not, some leafy greens have higher calcium (both in daily values, AND in bio availability), AND they also offer a vast array of other nutrients and phytonutrients (fairly recently discovered micro chemicals/ nutrients that have been proven to help fight cancer and other nasty things you don't ever want).

Some of the best non-dairy Calcium foods out there: Kale, turnip greens, white beans, broccoli , spinach, and almonds.

Dairy products are not to be forgotten, as the also provide the very important nutrients of: phosphorus, Vitamin D, and also, an endurance athletes’ best friend,
Calories.

So how can you prepare the collard greens, kale or broccoli to help increase the availability of their calcium?
It can be as simple as using an Iron Skillet. Seriously. The iron is thought to help begin the break down process of the calcium in the greens, AND by using the iron skillet, you can increase, ever so little, the amount of iron in your diet. Again, no joke. Seriously.

For those of you who are big coffee drinkers, like me, you can do a few things to help keep calcium from leeching out of your bones:

“While moderate caffeine intake has little influence on bone health, studies of connections between caffeine and health have found that consuming caffeinated drinks can contribute to calcium loss through your digestive system. Research indicates that you lose the amount of calcium in about one teaspoon of milk for every cup of regular coffee you drink.

To counter caffeine’s calcium-reducing effect and even boost your calcium intake, increase the amount of low-fat milk in your coffee drinks:

• Enjoy coffee south-of-the-border style: Fill a fourth of your cup with coffee and the rest with warm low-fat milk (called Café Au Lait, you can order this at your local coffee shop)
• A 12-ounce café latte, mocha or cappuccino contains 250 or more milligrams of calcium. Remember that these drinks also contain a wide range of calories.
• Recycle coffee that has gotten cold into an iced latte with low-fat milk and ice.
• A coffee smoothie is a refreshing treat. Blend a banana, ¼ cup of espresso, ice, low-fat milk and ice cream

Keep moderation in mind when it comes to caffeine. For most healthy adults, “moderate” means 200 milligrams to 300 milligrams a day, or about two to three cups of coffee. “

-Compliments of the ADA website
*** A cup of coffee is 6 ounces***


So what’s the bottom line for those of us who enjoy being on 2 wheels?
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet, and include the rule of “3 different colors” for fruits and vegetables each day.
• Make sure to eat a variety of foods.
• Try to avoid “staple foods” foods that you eat daily, or very frequently, i.e. in college it tends to be pizza and beer.
• Try to eat fruits and vegetables that are in season, you can usually pick these out at the grocery store, as they will tend to carry more of those fruits/ veggies at a cheaper price. Or you can go to your local farmers market, as they will only carry in-season produce.
• Don’t be afraid to try new fruits or vegetables, you never know what will please your taste buds
• Try to incorporate weight training, jogging/walking or resistance training into your routine.
• Include low-fat dairy products into your diet, in appropriate quantities
• Ask your doctor about a daily multi-vitamin
• Avoid Soft-drinks, as they contain phosphoric Acid, which has been shown to leech calcium from bones
• Look for new recipes to put a new spin on some of your favorite foods

If you feel that you may already have bone-health issues, or are concerned about your bone health, talk to your physician, or you can make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian/ Licensed Dietitian.

You can search for a local RD/LD at the following link: http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/home_fanp_consumer_ENU_HTML.htm

For more information about the American Dietitian Association, or to search for more information on this, or other food/ nutrition related topics, visit www.eatright.org


Train Smarter! Eat Better!

The Importance of Transition

The weather has turned cooler, cross season is nearing its end and Turkey Trots are just a few short days away. The leaves are slowly painting the cement with their once beautiful vibrant and pastel colors, and kids are readying their pillow cases for their yearly payload of chocolate and sugary treats.

Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when many cyclists and triathletes are hanging up their rides and shoes, throwing their diet to the wind, and not thinking about training again until after Thanksgiving, maybe even New Years.

There are also those out there who are starting to train for next year, thinking about this years triumphs and defeats. Working harder than ever before to come out in tip-top shape, ready to kick some butt.

While both types of athletes are doing so in good conscious, they are putting themselves at a much higher risk for over-use injuries, burnout, weight gain, and large losses to their fitness. Not to mention, the loved ones of those who are starting their training for next year, may feel neglected.

So where is the balance?

The idea of taking time off can make some endurance athletes cringe.


"If I do that, I'll lose fitness and have to start all over again for next year!"

"I can't take time off, I am the most motivated I have ever been! I need to use this while I have it!"

"Off-season? Pshhhhhh!!! That's for all the people I'm going to pass on my way to the finish line first!"


And others rejoice


"I can eat whatever I want!"

"No more 530am Rides/Runs/Swims!"

"I'm SO ready to not even think about training until after the holidays!"

"Couch, bon-bons, and trashy TV, here I come!"



While it is true that many individuals find the cooler temperatures & the fresh end of a season so invigorating that they begin to build for next season, they don't realize the mental and physical toll that the season has taken on them, and their supporting cast.

Others find the fall a nice time to lay around, watch TV, and throw any kind of regiment that they had in their life (be it diet, exercise, or time management) out the window.

Nowadays, many triathletes are starting their season in late February or early March; many cyclists are starting in late March or early April; and those runners? Well, to be quite honest, they are usually going year round!

No matter which of the aforementioned groups you may fall in, it is a very long season of 6-8 months of almost daily pounding on the body, not to mention the races or events you took part in!

So let me ask you this: When was the last time you took at least 3 days in a row off?

Most of you will answer with "Hmmmm, 3 days, huh? ummmm, I can't remember?" or "Oh, when my knee/ankle/hip was bothering me and I couldnt walk/run/bike because of it"

What many of us miss, is the importance of balance in life, and the pivotal role of proper rest/recovery. We are so caught up getting out on all the nice days, or going on a ride/run with our favorite buddies or groups, or prepping for our next competition, that we forget how important rest is.

In fact, it has been scientifically proven that we don't get stronger from just the stresses that we place on our body. A rather large part of the building process (getting stronger) occurs when we are sleeping/resting, with the help of proper nutrition. I won't delve into the details of that right now, but we will touch on that in a different post.

Over the course of the summer season, we are pushing our bodies, asking more and more of it as the season progresses. But our bodies can only take so much. After a certain point, our bodies cannot recover from the demands we are placing on it, and it begins to break down. Keep in mind, your body is running 24/7, 365 days a year (366 in a leap year!).

Unfortunately, many individuals miss the big picture, and thus the importance of the Transition period (often called the "Off season"-- there is no such thing as an off-season, by the way).

Transition is often thought of as either the time to lay around the house on the sofa, eating junk food, and watching trashy TV/ bad 80's movies during the times you had been training. Or it is seen as the time to trim weight. I can assure you, it should be none of these things.

The Transition period should be about taking time to allow your body to fully recover, both physically and mentally, from the incredible demands that you have been placing on it for the last few months.

In fact, quality nutrition, good sleep habits, and staying active (in activities outside of your chosen sport!) are integral in allowing your transition period to do the most it can for you.

This is the time of year that you should look at starting a new sport, or new hobby. Or spend a few weekends with your family, friends, and loved ones (dogs and cats included). After all, they have spent the last few months coming to your races, allowing you to take those post long-run/ride naps, and supporting you in your training, taking "cutbacks" in the quality time that you spend with them. Isn't it only fair that instead of spending 4 hours on your favorite route, that you spend that time with them, having breakfast in bed, taking them to their favorite show, a museum, or the park?

This is also the perfect time of year to take a step back, marvel at your accomplishments, and all of the obstacles which you were able to overcome! Reflect back on your season, those epic rides/runs, the race you finished despite eating expired Gu, and had to stop several times to....errrrr.... "inspect the Gu after you placed it on the pavement in dramatic fashion".

If anything, this is a time to thank your body for allowing you to push its limits.

While it is true, that after 10-16 days of inactivity, you CAN lose close to 50% of your aerobic fitness (cringe here), and you WILL lose some of your "top-end" fitness, *GASP*, the rewards of a proper transition period are undeniable:
Decrease risk of injury/ burnout, increased motivation to train, near-full/full recovery of the body's musculature and connective tissue from the demands placed on it, keeping you from being told to stay in the garage with your "baby".....just to name a few.

Again, during the Transition period, you should be staying active, just at lower intensities, and in different activities than your chosen sport. You should be decreasing your caloric intake, to an acceptable level for your activity level, increase the quality of the calories you eat, and spend another 30-60 minutes in bed, sleeping.

This is a good time to try Yoga, play a few games of pick-up basketball, learn how to dance (no, the "Running man" doesn't count), or maybe go rock climbing or canoeing. If you REALLY cant stay away from your chosen sport, take 5 days off in a row, and go out for an easy 45-90 minutes, just to give yourself a reminder of why you like it so much. Rinse and Repeat for 3 cycles ( total length of 15-18 days).

Use this time to take an inventory of how you feel, mentally and physically. Reward yourself with some well-earned time away from structured training. More importantly, thank your supporting cast for all they have done. Maybe make them a dinner, or throw them a "Thank you" party. No matter what you do, you will all be much happier, and better off for doing it.

The pro's know this. So if they're doing it, isn't it about time you tried it?





If you have specific questions about Transition period, training, or just want to learn about Human Vortex Training and the Services we offer, feel free to contact us @ HumanVortexTraining@yahoo.com
or check out our Website www.HumanVortexTraining.com (new site coming soon!)