Training & Fueling the Female Athlete

ROAR book Review notes by Debbie Potts:

1. Hormones use energy differently
   • High hormone phase- spare glycogen
   • What if metabolically efficient?
   • What is training 80/20 MAF?
   • High estrogen phase- best time for endurance as rely less on carbs and use more fat
   • Low hormone phase – HIIT
2. Women -do we need carbs?
   • Anaerobic interval type of training – need more carbs
   • Fat adapted – we can train at higher heart rates and burn higher % of fat (Debbie)
   • Women sweat out more sodium
   • Eat more into muscles for energy
   • Harder time rebuilding and repairing our muscles during high hormone phase (with higher progesterone)
3. Female endurance athletes:
   • Greater advantage- higher type I fibers
   • More efficient at using fat for fuel and spare muscle glycogen
   • Sweat out less sodium
   • Eat muscles for energy (pre and post exercise 5-7g amino)
   • Repair and rebuild muscles (above)
   • Train hard, recovery harder – as women have a harder time to recovery over males
4. Hormones – high hormone phase (last two weeks of cycle- week before cycle begins)
   • High estrogen- our capacity -muscle glycogen turnover (accessing and using stored carbs) is LOWER
   • This results in slower recovery time
   • Body needs carbs to prevent eating into muscles (DINA?)
   • We mobilize fat DURING exercise
   • Recovery we need more carbs
   • Men burn higher amounts of fat
5. Recovery
   • Men have higher amount of Type II muscle fibers
   • Energy enzymes
   • Higher glycolytic capacity
   • Higher anaerobic capacity (HIIT/burst)
   • Post exercise- fat burning metabolism is elevated 21 hours later for men vs. women only 3 hours post workout elevated metabolism!
6. Progesterone
   • Increase muscle breakdown = catabolism
   • Exercise = catabolic response = increases need for protein post workout
   • Need for amino acids is increased to rebuild muscles- to reduce signaling to store body fat
7. HEAT Training
   • Women sweat later in their workout
   • Higher hormone phase- harder to off load heat
8. COLD Training
9. ALTITUDE Training
   • Men use more carbs as fuel at higher altitudes vs. sea level
   • Women burn more fat vs. sea level – plus we have more fat stores at our disposal – so take advantage training at elevation
10. Women … summary
    • Women have more essential fat
    • Carry lean mass – lower body
    • Increased ratio of Type I endurance muscle fibers
    • Slow twitch fibers higher than men
    • Fat burners- high hormone phase = “women need boost when can’t stored access carbs to go hard” Dr. Sims
    • Vespa- carb timing?
    • Eat more protein

1. Menstrual Cycle (28 days or 21-35 days) page 17
   • Day 1-14 = follicular phase
   • Days 15-28 = luteal phase
   • Ovulation = middle of phase
   • High and low hormones trigger the phases
   • Period usually 5-6 days
   • Ovaries increase estrogen in follicular phase
   • Ovaries – FSH – stimulate “mature eggs”
   • Day 12- estrogen levels surge – LH – increases ovulation – egg released- fallopian tubes
   • Estrogen dips high/low – egg
   • Luteal phase – hormones kick into high gear
   • Progesterone levels rise over estrogen to prepare the lining of the uterus
   • Progesterone and estrogen levels peak five days before menstruating (PMS!)

1. PMS Symptoms- high hormones
   • If no egg fertilized – lower progesterone levels, shed lining and restart cycle day one
   • “relaxed mode”
   • Energy systems – used in the high hormone phase – exertion

1. Low hormone phase
   • more like a man’s hormone phase during your cycle period
   • Stronger in low hormone phase vs. high hormone phase
   • Less pain and recovery faster in low hormone phase
   • Feels easier when in low hormone phase
   • Key performance indicators -VO2 max, lactate threshold
   • Blood sugar levels
   • Breathing rates
   • Thermoregulation
   • All decrease – aerobic capacity and strength  
2. High hormone days
   • Exercise feels harder during PMS days
   • Biochemical messengers – impact exercise metabolism
   • Which fuel – burn, spare, plasma volume levels needed to sweat
   • How well you tolerate heat, moods
   • Increase in Estrogen and Progesterone – lower muscle cell turnover and lower protein synthesis
   • Lower estrogen = lower anabolic and growth/muscle breakdown
   • Progesterone = increased catabolism = breakdown of muscles
   • Difficult to use amino acids – why we need to supplement
   • Increased higher rates of muscle breakdown during hard efforts
   • Results = harder to make and maintain muscle when hormones are high
   • Increase protein intake before exercise and replace afterwards – 30 minutes

Muscle building amino acids – BCAA = leucine, isoleucine, valine

Which foods are rich in BCAA and  in leucine

• The body needs 20 different amino acids to maintain good health and normal functioning. People must obtain nine of these amino acids, called the essential amino acids, through food. Good dietary sources include meat, eggs, tofu, soy, buckwheat, quinoa, and dairy.

• Amino acids are compounds that combine to make proteins. When a person eats a food that contains protein, their digestive system breaks the protein down into amino acids. The body then combines the amino acids in various ways to carry out bodily functions.

• A healthy body can manufacture the other 11 amino acids, so these do not usually need to enter the body through the diet.

• Amino acids build muscles, cause chemical reactions in the body, transport nutrients, prevent illness, and carry out other functions.

• Amino acid deficiency can result in decreased immunity, digestive problems, depression, fertility issues, lower mental alertness, slowed growth in children, and many other health issues.

• Each of the essential amino acids plays a different role in the body, and the symptoms of deficiency vary accordingly.

Protein is needed to trigger muscle repair and growth factors

• High hormone phase- high Estrogen:
  • Reduces carb burning ability
  • Saves – limit glycogen for pregnancy needs and emergency
  • Increases fat burning and fatty acid availability
  • Increase carbs if HIIT training during high hormone phase
  • Question – During PMS phase- if intense exercise… do we need excess carbs if metabolically efficient at burning fat at higher heart rates? 
  • Dr. Sims suggests taking 10-15g Protein and 40g Carbs before workout and during 40-50grams of carbs plus protein/fat for workouts longer than 90 minutes (DINA?)

• Bloated symptoms:
  • Increased hormones- increased vasopressin – retain water- constrict blood vessels- increase blood pressure
  • Progesterone vs. Aldosterone receptor sites
    • Retain sodium – less aldosterone – less blood volume with less sodium retention- less cardiac output and lower blood pressure
  • Lower plasma volume = thicker blood; less blood pumped out each heart beat = exercise feels harder!

Post Training:

• Higher Progesterone – catabolic – lowers muscle recovery – muscle breakdown
• 20-25 grams of protein 30-minutes post workout
• 0.9 to 1 gram per protein per Lb. per day  

Metabolic effects of progesterone.

– NCBI – NIHwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov › PubMed

• by RK Kalkhoff – ‎1982 – ‎Cited by 126 – ‎Related articles, Mar 15, 1982 –
• Paradoxically, it antagonizes the effects of insulin on glucose metabolism in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle.
• Progesterone stimulates deposition of body fat but had catabolic effects on protein metabolism.
• Provisional evidence is offered that the steroid may influence ketone body production by the liver as well.

Does progesterone affect insulin?

• Changes in progesterone and estrogen levels can have an effect on blood sugar control.
• Increases in estrogen has been known to make the body more insulin sensitive,
• while progesterone can increase insulin resistance.
• Hormonal fluctuations during menopause can cause weight gain.
• Hormones and their Effect on Type 1 Diabetes Management

PMS peak performance supplements:

1. MG 250 mg
2. Zinc 45 mg
3. Baby aspirin 80 mg
4. Omega three fatty acids, flax seed, fish oil – 1 grams

Pre-Training:

1. 5-7 grams of BCAA
2. Crosses blood brain barrier-
3. Lowers estrogen and progesterone effects on the CNS

Training:

1. Increase carbs per hour (DINA?)
2. High hormone phase – 0.45g carbs per body weight
3. Low hormone phase- 0.35 grams of carbs per body weight

Post Training Recovery:

PMS – high hormone phase:

1. Progesterone:
   1. Elevates core temperature
   1. Lowers blood volume = harder to sweat and to cool self
   1. Shed more sodium – increases risk for heat stress – plus hyponatremia = danger low blood sodium levels
2. Solutions:
   1. Perhydrate – especially in hot weather
      1. Preload with sodium as birth or “Pre-Load” by OSMO, Right Stuff
      1. Mix 7.7g sodium nitrate, 4.5g sodium chloride with 1 L water
      1. Lower carb- max 9g carb per 8 ounces every hour (DINA?)

MOOD:

1. Estrogen increases serotonin – serotonin receptors in the brain
2. Endorphins- feel good
3. Estrogen and progesterone = affect hypothalamus – regulator of fatigue (Mitochondria plus HPA?)
4. Hypothalamus – CNS – limbic system- emotion- controls SNS – heart rate, breathing, digestion – increases fatigue, lethargy, low moods
5. Solutions –
   1. BCAA – leucine- crosses BBB – slows down the effect of serotonin – lowers central nervous system- fatigue

CRAMPING:

1. Estrogen mediated progesterone – prostaglandins
2. Pre-cycle 5-7 days – take Mg, omega fatty acids, low dose aspirin as aspirin suppresses production of prostaglandins- irreversible vs. NSAIDS are reversible

HEADACHES:

1. Dilatation and constriction of blood vessels – blood pressure
2. Stay hydrated
3. Eat more nitric oxide foods as beets, pomegranate, watermelon and spinach
4. Nitric oxide promotes dilatation and helps reduce the severity of the shift

ANEMIA:

1. Iron stores- blood loss
2. Muscle stress- damage- inflammation- from high levels of cortisol after hard efforts

CARBS:  how much is needed?

1. Endurance vs. Cross Fit type of HIIT
2. Women vs. men physiology
3. Too low of carbs- drops estradiol – with rise in estrogen
4. Signals body to store more fat – stress hormone cortisol – progesterone converts into cortisol – signals fat storage-under long periods of chronic stress
5. Calculation pg. 32
6. But what if you are fat adapted and balanced blood sugar?  DINA?
7. MEN –
   1. Lean up and increase anabolic activities
   1. Increase testosterone
8. WOMEN-
   1. Need to reproduce
   1. Men need to fight for food when resources are low

Page 29:  hormones

• Low Estradiol, high Estrone – signals body to store more body fat
• Women – reproduce – conserve fat
• Cortisol = signals fat storage because-
  • Increases blood sugar
  • Lowers muscle – gluconeogenesis
  • Increased insulin to lower glucose
  • Results to store more fat
  • Hypo calorie and high stress state = hormonal changes – signal to stop in reproduction and not period.
• Females can struggle with IF and LCHF vs. men who thrive

Testosterone:

1. Peaks in the 20’s
2. Slowly declines with age
3. Ovaries and adrenal glands
4. Produce some T even after estrogen production stops at menopause
5. Protein synthesis – increase lean tissue with age balanced ratio of synthesis to breakdown shifts
6. Estrogen disrupts muscle synthesis

MENOPAUSE:

1. Lower estrogen post menopause – less reactive to muscle making stimulus from resistance training and eating protein
2. Protein synthesis –
   1. protein breakdown anabolic vs. protein breakdown catabolic
3. change in nutrient metabolism
4. burn less fat than used to depend more on limited carb stores
5. menopausal- ages 48-55
6. increase protein, fat and more BCAA pre/post workouts

ESTROGEN:  page 42

• Increase insulin sensitivity
• Less insulin is required to pull sugar out of blood stream and into cells after eating
• Lower estrogen, increased insulin resistance = increased insulin = increased fat storage
• Blood sugar roller coaster (as myself)
• Fatigue and hunger levels increased
• Electrolytes:
  • 150 Mg
  • 500 Ca
  • 300 K
  • 1000 Na

Lower DHEA- precursor to steroid hormones – lower estrogen and testosterone

• Page 42
• Hormonal changes, metabolism changes
• DHEA limits effects of cortisol
  • Encourages glucose to be burned as fuel
  • Lower DHEA – increase sensitivity to glucose – increase belly fat stores
  • Occurs with high stress, perimenopause and menopause
  • Eat lower glycemic load and glycemic index
  • Increase fat and protein levels

PERI-MENOPAUSAL:

1. Starts 5-10 years pre menopause
2. Lose muscle mass- catabolism- hormones shift
3. Estrogen levels fluctuate – levels start to decline
4. Regulates reproductive functions
5. Role in metabolism
   1. How we store fat
   1. How we respond and recover from exercise
6. lower estrogen = body composition changes – accumulate belly fat

SLEEP:

1. recovery, repairs, gets us ready for peak performance
2. progesterone = anti-anxiety hormones, sedative effects
   1. respiratory stimulant
   1. low progesterone = increased sleep issues
3. ESTROGEN = increases REM dream sleep
   1. Assists with serotonin – the relaxing hormone
   1. Decreases frequency of waking up at night
   1. Increases total sleep time and quality
   1. Helps regulate body temperature and key to restful sleep
4. Melatonin –
   1. Menstruation – low hormone phase
   1. Increase in melatonin – decreases in body temperature
   1. High hormone phase – helps
   1. Progesterone interferes with melatonin release
   1. Higher core body temperature
   1. More disrupted sleep
   1. Supplements – increase melatonin production – pineal gland
      1. Hormones impact melatonin production
      1. Valerian root
      1. Tart cherry juice
      1. Naturally increase body’s production – melatonin
      1. Smallest dose 0.3 to 1.0 before bed 30 minutes

ARE you striving for peak performance gains and longevity?

Recommended Lifestyle Supplements Links:

1. Vespa (thewholeathlete for discount)
2. UCAN
3. Keto Mojo Blood Glucose and Ketone Measuring Kit
4. BiOptimizers and kAPex digestive supplements
5. Megasporebiotic for gut health and leaky gut repair
6. Quicksilver Scientific glutathione, Liver Sauce, Methyl-B Complex drops and Mitochondria Support.
7. Swannie Blue Blocking Glasses
8. Athletic Greens Nutritional Support
9. Butcher Box Membership
10. Natural Stacks for sleeping- Gaba, CBD Dream and MagTech
11. Kion Supplements as Organic Coffee, Aminos and Kion Flex

Learn more about living life as a journey with “The WHOLESTIC Method” approach on my website…

Some of my favorite supplements for fueling the Low Carb Athlete…