One of the guiding principles of Nutrify Performance Nutrition for Women is to stay up to date on the science of nutrition and athletic performance. In addition to reviewing the research, we test new products to learn how they work and to observe how effective they are in informing a personalized nutritional strategy. We are currently testing 3 products described below.
Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): A device originally designed for use in diabetics, CGM’s are getting a lot of buzz among athletes as more and more elite athletes sport them on their socials. But the study of CGM’s in athletes and whether they can provide actionable data to help improve athletic performance is very new (read: the science is likely not there yet). However, there are actionable recommendations that exist for treating high and low blood sugar so it’s likely there is a benefit to helping an athlete maintain a more stable blood sugar, especially during exercise, even if it doesn’t directly result in an improved 5k or time trial performance. Read more about CGM’s from Alex Hutchinson here and here. We are excited to try this tech and understand what data is presented (delivered in an app) and see what types of recommendations and insights can be gleaned from it (with and without the help of a registered dietician). It will also be interesting to see how the data and recommendations compare to an upcoming InsideTracker panel which includes fasting glucose and A1C.
Gut Microbiome Testing: DIY gut microbiome testing is also relatively new, yet the market for these tests is booming. The global market for microbiome therapeutics is expected to grow to $1.5B by 2026. Curiosity led us to try an early generation gut microbiome testing service but since dropped it as some business practices gave us pause. Specifically, it is concerning to us when testing companies can profit from finding an issue and recommending purchase of a supplement to address it (potential conflict of interest). Further, according to a paper published by InsideTracker, the science of how to use the results to generate actionable recommendations that are proven to improve health just isn’t there yet. So we opted out. However, recently, a colleague (RD, CSSD, a specialist in gut health) was interviewed on the amazing Hit Play Not Pause podcast (a must listen for peri & post menopausal women) and highlighted she was using a DIY gut test so we reached out to her to discuss her experiences. And, after reading this great summary of gut tests, we decided we are ready to try it again (n=2) and will be testing the Thorne Gut Health test.
Sweat Testing: While athlete sweat testing is fairly widespread, Gatorade recently introduced a new sweat test for a remarkably low price of $25 for 2 tests (last test we did cost $199!). Multiple sweat tests are helpful to understand the demands in different sports (e.g. bike vs. run) and in different environmental conditions (e.g. hot & humid vs. cold). Interestingly, with this test, the user doesn’t need to submit their test for analysis, there is an app for that! The app scans the patch and provides immediate results and recommendations. Our early testing of the consumer app was challenging but the app has been updated (and there is a version for coaches), so we are ready to test!
