Running is an effective way to get fit and as most of us know; it’s pretty addictive! But for all the benefits, it does also take a toll on the body. Here are five ways RunStrong can help keep your running on track (or on the trails!).

 

ISSUE 1 -  FATIGUE

We’ve all been there; what seemed like a strong run suddenly turns into a slog. You feel fatigued and it becomes hard to keep the pace up – your body might be running out of fuel.

Glucose (stored as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscle) is both the body’s primary and most accessible energy source. However, our internal storage is limited and easily depleted during an extended workout. If you've ever “bonked/hit the wall”, you know what muscle glycogen depletion feels like.

 

While you can supplement with gels or gummy bears in order to bring up your glucose levels, by helping your body to use fat for energy (lipid oxidation), you are conserving your glycogen and boosting your endurance.

 

Symptoms

• Hitting a wall / bonking during a run, feeling unable to run any further
• Feeling sluggish and lethargic
• Heavy legs
• Feeling dizzy
• Blurred vision

 

Solution

Fat is a far more concentrated source of energy than glucose and, with virtually inexhaustible stores, the ideal way to power your run.

The L-Carnitine in RunStrong enhances energy production from fat cells. By supporting the body’s ability to burn fat for fuel you are preserving its glycogen reserves, thereby delaying the onset of fatigue and promoting endurance. Also, needless to say, if you’re aiming to lose weight then increasing fat burning during your runs can only be a good thing!

 

ISSUE 2 - LACTIC ACIC BUILD-UP

You’re pushing hard in tempo training or bounding up a hill and the burning starts in your legs – lactic acid. Lactic acid is created as a by-product when your body burns glycogen without oxygen (anaerobic energy production) as you run. As the intensity of the workout increases, so does the amount of lactic acid created.

Lactic acid can build up in your bloodstream faster than you can dispose of it – this is called the lactate threshold which also marks the border between low- and high-intensity workout. Lactic acid build-up can make you suffer from muscle cramps, pain or muscular fatigue. The body will naturally rid itself of lactic acid once it has sufficient oxygen available which means either reducing the intensity or stopping altogether.

By being able to delay the lactic acid threshold by supporting your body’s ability to prevent the build-up can allow you to run stronger for longer.

 

Symptoms

• Burning sensation in the muscles
• General Weakness
• Muscle soreness or cramping
• Shortness of breath

Solution

L-Carnitine removes lactic acid, helping to delay feelings of tiredness and muscle soreness. It also enables fat burn for energy, rather than glycogen, leading to less lactic acid being produced in the first place.

ISSUE 3 - CHRONIC INFLAMMATION

Muscle and tissue damage is an unavoidable and natural part of any intense exercise. For runners this effect is amplified by the eccentric muscle contractions running involves. The body responds to this damage by launching an inflammatory response. This acute inflammation can be beneficial to injury repair and healing and is part of the process of strengthening your muscles.
 
However, poor recovery and not allowing for the healing process to complete before damaging the muscles again can lead to the inflammation becoming chronic. If your running seems to be stuck in an extended cycle of soreness and injury, chronic inflammation could well be to blame. Research has also shown that chronic inflammation is associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

 

Symptoms

• Increased muscle soreness
• Elevated heart rate upon waking
• General sense of fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Night sweats
• Burnout

Solution

A large body of research has shown curcumin to be as effective an anti-inflammatory treatment as over-the-counter NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin, yet without the gastrointestinal side effects these drugs can cause. RunStrong uses Curcumin C3 Complex®, a highly optimised, patented extract of turmeric standardized to 95% Curcuminoids. Curcumin is poorly absorbed in it's raw form, which is why we have combined it with BioPerine® which can boost its absorption and bioavailability by as much as 2000%.

 

ISSUE 4 - IRON DEPLETION

Iron deficiency is pandemic among endurance runners but it also affects runners that clock in shorter distances regularly. Studies have shown that high intensity exercise can increase iron depletion by as much as 70%.
 
The main reasons for iron loss in athletes include sweating (iron is a constituent of sweat), micro-bleeding in GI & urinary tracts and the general higher turnover of red blood cells (which require iron to be rebuilt). Runners are at an additional risk due to the effects of foot strike hemolysis , where the red blood cells in the feet can be destroyed by constant impact against the running surface.
 
Iron is an important component of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier from your lungs to the tissues and muscles in your body. Lack of iron means lack of healthy oxygen carrying red blood cells and hence poor oxygenation.

Low iron levels can lead to fatigue and weakness while in extreme cases athletes may develop anaemia. Food is the best way to take in iron but modern diets, particularly ones low in red meat, may struggle to maintain sufficient iron reserves to cope with the needs of regular runners.

 

Symptoms

• Weakness or fatigue
• Shortness of breath on exertion
• Dizziness
• Spots before the eyes
• Drowsiness

Solution

RunStrong contains Iron Bisglycinate to help replace iron depleted during running. Iron Bisglycinate is also known as the “gentle iron” as it is less likely to cause gastric issues sometimes associated with iron supplements. Iron Bisglycinate is highly absorbable and easily digestible.

 

ISSUE 5 - STRESS FRACTURES

A stress fracture is a very small crack on the bone, in runners mostly occurring in the legs. They are one of the most common overuse injury and often rise from poor biomechanics or fatigued muscles being unable to absorb impact, transferring overload of stress onto the bone.

Stress fractures develop gradually and occur on a spectrum; if caught early in the “stress reaction” stage it might not be worse than a painful bone bruise but allowing it to go untreated can allow it to develop into a stress fracture. For a runner a stress fracture can destroy months of training and, if not allowed to heal, lead to long term issues.

 

Symptoms

• Increasing pain during a run
• Pain when resting
• A sharp pain that you can pinpoint on a bony area, might feel tender when touched
• Swelling on top of the foot or the outside of the ankle

Solution

Vitamin D is essential for bone growth, density and remodelling. Low levels increase the risk of a bone injury such as stress fracture. Vitamin D deficiency is very common with about 1 in 5 adults in the UK suffering from low levels. RunStrong contains Vegan Vitamin D3 from algae. Vitamin D3 is the most effective form for boosting the body's Vitamin D levels.

 

 

The research and science on all the ingredients in RunStrong can be read in our Research section.