Post-Exercise Carb Supplements Boost Immunity
Intense weight-training or endurance exercise suppresses the immune system and increases the risk of colds and flu. The body tries to maintain a balance. Trauma from injury or surgery, germs or intense training disturbs this balance, which can lead to immune system and tissue breakdown, illness and inflammation. Suppressed immunity and illness make training gains ground to a halt. Bodybuilders and other athletes must ride a fine line between hard work that produces improvements in fitness and overtraining, which causes immune system suppression and injury. A study from Springfield College in Massachusetts led by Lara Carlson found that feeding a carbohydrate supplement before, during and after an intense weight-training session reduced the immune system reaction to exercise. The effect of carbohydrate supplementation on the risk of illness is not known. The immune system is the ultimate limiting factor of performance. Bodybuilders should structure their training and nutrition programs so that they maintain healthy immune systems (i.e., if you get sick often, you might be training too hard).
(International Journals Sports Nutrition Exercise Metabolism, 18: 247-259, 2008)
