You have just PR’d Fran or Murph….now what? Well most likely DOMS is next…or delayed onset muscle soreness. So what is exactly happening when DOMS sets in? Many believe it is caused by lactic acid, or that it is a sign of gains. However, recent research has shown this isn’t quite true. In fact that soreness is thought to be micro tears in the muscle. It is important to note that while some soreness can be inevitable, there is a point where muscle soreness becomes counterproductive to gains. The good news is there are a lot of different ways you can reduce this pain without reaching for pain medications, allowing you to get back to the gym faster. Dr. Hennigar’s 3 Tips in Getting DOMS Free Faster 1. IV Infusions
Vitamin infusions are a great way to quickly get the nutrients required for tissue repair. They not only include vitamins but also minerals as well. One key mineral being magnesium, which helps by down regulating genes related to inflammation pathways. It also improves performance by increasing ATP (aka cell energy) production. When the body doesn’t have enough magnesium, it activates immune cells and inflammatory pathways. Lab tests also show an inverse relationship between low magnesium and blood inflammatory markers (CRP). IV infusions also include vitamin C, a necessary component of collagen synthesis. Collagen is a key component of tissue repair, including muscle repair. Come in and check out Matrix Integrative Health's tailored IVs for tissue repair, specifically the Post WOD Recovery or PR Maker IV infusions.
2. Hydration Status
Dehydration not only increases symptoms of DOMS, but it also interferes with proper protein synthesis. This means you won’t get the gains you are expecting without being properly hydrated. When an athlete is dehydrated there is a decrease in blood flow to muscles, meaning there is less oxygen in the tissue, plus the waste materials stick around longer. Be sure to adequately hydrate yourself through both water intake and frequent IV infusions while training. Your naturopathic doctor can help in determining how much water consumption is needed daily for you to be adequately hydrated.
3. Reduce Inflammation
Reducing inflammation is important for reducing pain and increasing tissue repair. There are many ways to reduce inflammation naturally including:
Diet and Nutrition
Following an anti-inflammatory diet means your body can focus on modulating inflammation post workout. Your body can’t modulate inflammation secondary to DOMS efficiently if it is constantly modulating inflammation from a poor diet. Your naturopathic doctor can perform testing to help identify inflammatory foods specific to you. As well they can help implementing an overall anti-inflammatory style diet.
Reduce Sugar
Sugar consumption significantly increases CRP levels, meaning it causes an inflammatory response. Bottom line: avoid excess sugar intake. Stick to sweeteners such as raw honey, pure maple syrup, or whole fruits.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling isn’t recommended just because it feels good. Research shows it actually reduces DOMS as well as muscle fatigue, allowing for enhanced performance and faster return to training.
Curcumin
Curcuma longa has been found to naturally reduce inflammation and pain. It works as an anti-nocioceptive agent, meaning it acts as a pain blocker at a neural level. It also inhibits TNF alpha, which is a protein that is involved in inflammation. You can get curcumin in supplement form from your naturopathic doctor or in food form from turmeric.
For more information and to reduce your DOMS quickly, feel free to book in with Dr. Hennigar by clicking on Book Now. As always, this post is not designed to diagnose or treat you but instead to give you something to think about. Please book a consult with a doctor prior to changing, starting, or stopping medications or protocols. References Aeberli, I. et al. (2011). Low to moderate sugar sweetened beverage consumption impairs glucose and lipid metabolism and promotes inflammation in healthy young men: an RCT. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 94 (2):479-485. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.013540 Chacko, S. A., Sul, J., Song, Y., Li, X., LeBlanc, J., You, Y. Liu, S. (2011). Magnesium supplementation, metabolic and inflammatory markers, and global genomic and proteomic profiling: A randomized, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial in overweight individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(2), 463-473. Cleary, M., Sitler, M., & Kendrick, Z. (2006). Dehydration and Symptoms of Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Normothermic Men. Journal of Athletic Training, 41 (1):36-45. Gomes, E.C., Silva, A.N., & Rubina de Oliveira, M. (2012). Oxidants, Antioxidants, and the Beneficial Roles of Exercise Induced Production of Reactive Species. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2012, 1-12. doi:10.1155/2012/756132 Grosso, G. et al. (2013). Effects of Vitamin C on health: a review of evidence. Frontiers in Bioscience, 18, 1017-1029. Healey, C. et al. (2014). The Effects of Myofascial Release with Foam Rolling on Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 28 (1): 61-68 Image: Nathaniel Dodson http://www.freeimages.com/photo/lifting-weights-1-1186106 Kapoor, S. (2012). Curcumin and its emerging role in pain modulation and pain management. The Korean Journal of Pain, 25 (3):202-203. Lukaski, H. C., & Nielsen, F. H. (2002). Dietary magnesium depletion affects metabolic responses during submaximal exercise in postmenopausal women. The Journal of Nutrition, 132(5), 930-935. Wesley, K. (2013). The effect of creatine and magnesium supplementation on delayed onset muscle soreness. Western Washington University.