I was pleased to see this article in my latest “Bicycling” magazine:
The Word on Wheat
Is a voluntary gluten-free diet a good choice for cyclists?
By Ian Dille
I didn’t know that pro rider Christian Vande Velde is on a gluten free diet.
The article has many good facts and advice. Ian Dille even talks with Desiree Ficker, who I’ve blogged about previously.
If you are vegetarian and gluten intolerant a typical easy dinner is sauteed or steamed vegetables on top of a bed of rice. I love to add a good peanut sauce on top of the vegetables.
I first had this meal when I went on a bike tour with Women Tours. Kimberly made a delicous meal for us hungry bike riders which really hit the spot. She offered cooked, cut up chicken pieces in addition to the rice and veggies for those who wanted to eat meat. They also had walnuts to sprinkle on top.
I have been experimenting with peanut sauces and finally found a wonderful version which is also very easy to make. This peanut sauce is from the cookbook “Vegetarian Planet” by Didi Emmons. I used lite coconut milk.
I also used about 1 teaspoon fish sauce and then added enough gluten-free soy sauce to equal one tablespoon. The result is very good, a good choice to add some taste and protein to an easy dinner. Add some chopped walnuts on top for crunchiness and to add omega-3′s.
I received a comment from Christine:
Hi Kathy — I like your site and topics. We share a common interest in being active with Celiac Disease. I was also diagnosed with CD because anemia was disrupting my training for a marathon back in 2005. And a few years before that I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis (now improved to Osteopenia, thank goodness).
In the 2.5 years since I’ve been diagnosed, I’ve noticed an increase in awareness of Celiac Disease, particularly among athletes/runners. I don’t have data to support this, but it would be great to collect that. I’m also starting to hear from athletes who are following a GF diet because they feel and perform better when they avoid gluten. Some are diagnosed as gluten sensitive and some have just figured it out through the process of elimination.
I would like to see more research conducted on training and competing with Celiac Disease.
Sorry for such a long post — this is a hot topic with me!
Good luck with your cycling,
Christine
I thought I’d share this inspiring letter with you. Christine is involved in the Got Guts 5K in Austin, Texas. This race brings awareness of celiac disease. What a great idea! Many people discover they have CD because their performance suffers due to malnutrition that gluten intolerance causes. So it is a good idea to have a run to get knowledge of celiac disease out to the athletes and public in general. It would be great to see more of these runs around the country. Thanks, Christine! 
I found some information about a triathlete who is gluten free on the celiac.com forum under the sports section. There was an article about Desiree Ficker in the October 2007 issue of Runners World magazine.
The magazine gives a sample of her diet.
Pre-workout breakfast: 2 pieces rice bread with butter or honey, banana, coffee
Post-workout breakfast: berry smoothie with soy milk
Lunch: chicken breast on spinach, tortilla chips
Snack: banana or grapefruit
Dinner: brown rice, fish or chicken, broccoli, carrots, zucchini
Dessert: vanilla soy ice cream
You can read more about Desiree at her website. She gives tips about gluten free nutrition during races and other information. It’s always good to see someone excelling physically on a gluten free diet. She even offers to answer questions about nutrition. Here is a blog from IronBri who discovered Desiree through his girlfriend who was having problems with gluten free nutrition with her training.
Check it out!
I am particularly interested in the athletic performance of people who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, because I am trying to maintain an athletic lifestyle while on a gluten free diet. I found a case study (from the Journal of Athletic Training) of a collegiate athlete who was ultimately diagnosed with celiac disease. She was first thought to have an eating disorder such as anorexia. After being referred to a gastroenterologist she was found to have celiac disease. With treatment it is reported:
The patient was prescribed a gluten-free diet (GFD), which excludes all wheat-based products, and nutritional counseling. Symptoms subsided with these immediate alterations to her diet. The athlete was unable to return to volleyball practice immediately, but as she gained command of her diet to meet the demands of her daily activities and her athletic participation, she returned to play. As the GFD was implemented, the athlete completed her sophomore season and continues to participate without limitation. Her coaches and teammates reported that her athletic performance improved and even exceeded that of her pre-illness status.
It is interesting to me that her performance improved and even exceeded that of her pre-illness status. It tells me that you can improve your athletic performance while on a gluten free diet.
This article states that celiac disease is present on one of every 200-400 individuals. I thought it was more like one in 100. Whichever is true, it would be present in athletes in the same proportions. The article reports on the challenges of athletes with celiac disease to meet their nutritional needs through their gluten free diet:
Challenges of Athletes With Celiac Disease
Many demands are placed on today’s collegiate athlete. Stresses imposed by full or partial scholarships, academics, social life, physical demands of the sport, and the challenges of living away from home affect every aspect of the collegiate athlete’s daily life. Daily stresses place an even greater emphasis on nutrition and dietary concerns; however, only 32% of young athletic adults (22 to 29 years old) have reported they are nutritionally conscious and make healthy selections in their diet choices.14 According to the American Academy of Sports Medicine, the American Dietetics Association, and the Dieticians of Canada,15 at times of high-intensity exercise, energy intake must meet or exceed energy output. A low-energy diet can cause fatigue, loss of muscle mass, menstrual irregularities, loss of bone density, and increased risk of injury or illness.
Compared with nonathletes, female athletes tend to take energy primarily from carbohydrates and less so from lipid sources.16 Carbohydrates are an important source of energy, especially during exercise. The recommended intake of carbohydrates is 6 to 10 g/kg of body weight, but energy output, sport, sex, and climate can affect these recommendations.15 Breads, pasta, cereal, rice, and fruit are the common diet choices linked to carbohydrates, but those diagnosed as having celiac disease are unable to eat these wheat-based items. Several simple alternatives include vegetables, milk, and yogurt.17 Table 2 reflects appropriate gluten-free dieting, providing common carbohydrate sources and their gluten-free alternatives. A GFD becomes slightly more complicated and eliminates the ingestion of wheat, barley, and rye, all of which are carbohydrate-rich and gluten-rich sources. Typical carbohydrate substitutions within a GFD are rice, corn, flax, quinoa, tapioca, potato, amaranth, nuts, and beans.5 The challenge of a GFD for the average person is significant, and most dietitians recommend at least 4 consultations with a nutritionist.2 The most important consultation involves identifying commonly consumed gluten-containing foods within the patient’s diet and finding suitable alternatives. Patients must maintain the GFD for their entire life to avoid recurrence or exacerbation of the disease.
Effective treatment of celiac disease in an elite athlete depends on a successful transition to a GFD while sustaining a high-energy output. Optimal athletic performance reflects dedication and self-control while maintaining a GFD and continuing to provide the body with sufficient carbohydrate alternatives for energy.
Uniqueness of Our Case
Certified athletic trainers and other health care professionals should be aware that the occurrence of celiac disease is higher than once thought. Clearly, the potential exists for athletes to have celiac disease and for its signs and symptoms to be confused with other conditions. In our case, we were initially unable to identify the signs of celiac disease because we suspected a possible eating disorder. This case of celiac disease was unique because of the presentation and the role the certified athletic trainers played in tailoring the treatment to meet the athlete’s needs. Daily adaptations were necessary, and the recommendations made by the physician, the nutritionist, and the certified athletic trainer aided in the athlete’s return to elite athletic activity. Referral is indicated when the athlete’s care extends beyond the playing field and when the athlete’s activities of daily living are affected by the signs and symptoms. Guidance in a life-changing treatment is required and should come directly from those health care professionals closely associated with the athlete’s daily care. Certified athletic trainers are the health care professionals closest to the athlete and, because of this relationship, we are ideal and educated counselors to our athletes.
It is possible to excel at athletics while on a gluten free diet. You will need to become knowledgeable about nutrition but you will be rewarded with a strong body and sharp mind. Good Luck!
I was looking on the celiac.com forums regarding sports and fitness. “Sandylulu” wondered if celiac disease is triggered by exercise. This is a very interesting question and I tend to agree with some of the answers – during strenuous exercise while you are malnourished your body cannot handle the exertion. I was diagnosed after I had begun bicycle training. I was seeing stars and feeling faint while biking and, finally, all day long. I discovered that I was severely anemic. We eventually discovered that the anemia was due to celiac disease. I feel that exercise saved my life because if I hadn’t been pushing myself and having such serious problems, I may never have been diagnosed with celiac disease. The exercise didn’t cause the celiac disease but it brought it to my attention – to be sure!
After 3 years on a gluten free diet I’m working to get strong again and I’m doing pretty well. Now my problem is that I’m 50 years old and it’s harder to push myself!
When I started getting stronger, after I got the celiac disease diagnosis and began the gluten free diet, I became more and more active and needed to concentrate on how my nutrition contributed to my strength and endurance. Often I am on long bike rides or hikes and need to maintain my hydration and calorie intake with products that are packable and easy to use. Most athletes can use any products that they find palatable but I need to make sure they are gluten free. Some products contain long lists of ingredients which are mostly mysterious to me. I began emailing manufacturers and searching for resources.
Bars: I like the Pure Fit Nutrition Bar. It is contains 18 g protein, 6 g fat, 25 g carbs and 230 calories. It is good for meal replacement and recovery meals. I also like the almond raisin Hammer Bar. It contains 10 g protein, 9 g fat, 25 g. carbs and 220 calories. Frankly Natural Bakers makes the Gluten-Free Energy Bar. I like the Tropical flavor. It is higher in calories (1/2 pkg. is 210 calories, 10 g fat, 25 g carbs and 8 grams protein. The problem is you usually eat the whole bar which is 420 calories). It tastes more like a cookie and has dried fruit and is very tasty. It is good for hikes or snacks. Another bar I really enjoy is the Prana Bar. Here are the nutrition facts for the Cashew Almond flavor: Calories 220, fat 14 g, carb 22 g, protein 5g. Take note of the calories and fat in the bars, eat with moderation.
Hydration: I like Hammer Heed in the mandarin orange flavor. It is not too sweet. Cytomax is also gluten free.
If you want to order something from Hammer Nutrition you can receive 15% off of your first order if you enter my client number 93857.
Good luck with your sports nutrition. Don’t forget that regular food is best but when you need a substitution is needed the above products can meet your needs.
I rode in a century ride Saturday, August 18, 2007. I paid close attention to my intake of calories because in the past on long rides I have shut down mentally and physically after 50 or so miles. I used Hammer Heed and Hammer Perpetuem mixed with water. I tried to drink one or more bottles per hour. I also had a Hammer gel each hour. I had planned to have 2 gels each hour but it didn’t happen. When you have to eat a gluten free diet you can’t eat much of what is at the aid stations. I had to pack my own food. The strategy worked, though. I finished the ride feeling great. It helps me out quite a bit to know that I can have the gluten free Hammer products with no worry. All of my training was worth it! I would recommend experimenting with the nutrition in training so that you will not have problems during an event. For instance, the first time I used Hammer Sustained Energy I think I had too much and got bloated. You may need to experiment with the amounts – based on your weight and exercise.
After the ride: Too bad, I couldn’t have a beer with the other riders. I guess I should have brought my own Redbridge beer. Have you heard about it? It’s a gluten free sorghum based beer. There are a few companies making gluten free beer but they aren’t available all over the country and Redbridge is available widely.
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