Recovery, Autoimmune disorders, DOMS, and Supplements

[Holdingpattern]

I think the title sums it up . I'm a 45 year old female novice with an autoimmune disorder. DOMS have always been bad for me and, I think, part of the reason I would get frustrated and stop working out. ETA: It never really occurred to me that the severe DOMS could be related to me having an autoimmune disorder until today when I was learning more about DOMS.

My diet is good, and I don't really want to get into that, except that the DOMS started this evening 24 hrs post workout and I got severely nauseated because I thought consuming an adult beverage on my day off was a good idea, and usually it is, but not today. I'm thinking the DOMS are going to be severe in the next couple days, and more so because I did not eat enough yesterday because I didn't take the time and today due to the nausea.

So, I'm wondering if anyone here with an autoimmune disorder such as ulcerative colitis/crohn's and possibly the Specific Carb Diet, which I still follow for the most part (I found out I can tolerated whey supplements as long as the carbs are low), can give me a hand with supplements. I have been searching, and finding lots in the archives, but it's like going down a rabbit hole and I don't have time right now to keep digging. I'm interested in BCAAs and possibly enzymes (but unsure of which), and how much I should take and when.

I'm not much into supplements, I prefer good food, but if they help me through this, it will be worth it. I don't want to take it easy, I want to get going and stick with working the program. I also don't like going to work sore as hell and staggering around like I'm drunk for 3-4 days in front of my patients (although they find it amusing).

[Charlie Davies]

If your recovery is poor due to chronic illness and related diet problems, it might make sense to program your workouts as if you were much older than you are.

I.e. in The Barbell Prescription there is a version of SS for those over 70, which basically consists of doing SS with 3-4 days between sessions, and progressing weight very conservatively.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

Welcome! Fifty years old, diagnosed with Crohn's in 1989, currently running bimonthly Remicade. That drug is a blessing (zero flares in over a decade) and a curse (fungal and especialy upper respiratory infections abound).

I don't follow a specific diet; I run about 1/3 protein, fat, and carbs for my calories. My TDEE is about 10% lower than any estimator; your n=1 may vary.

Whey concentrate seems okay for my guts despite mild lactose intolerance; if you're lactose intolerant whey isolate has even less lactose if you're in need of protein-dense calories.

As far as supplements, I've been taking fish oil (~1500mg EPA) daily for a while with breakfast. It's claimed to help IBD/IBS via reducing inflammation overall. My suspicion - unencumbered by factual information - is shifting closer to a 1:1 ratio if dietary Omega-6:Omega-3 diet would have similar effect. I don't take other supplements at all as they've had no measurable effect in recovery, blood tests, or training that I could determine. Some people has reported great results from FODMAP diets, but in my case it's never made a lot of difference.

cwd above has it right though on recovery. I claim "Look 35, am 50, recovery like I'm seventy". Texas Method charred me to a cinder, and any even moderate-volume programming seems to be a struggle for me to maintain for more than a month. Managing recovery with a chronic illness is a bitch and harder as we age as we get to deal with all the usual age-appropriate things as well (reduced biological efficiencies, the accumulated damages of life, etc.) that affects us all.

The main driver to training is recovery. I need my sleep, and because of both Crohn's and chronic allergies I take daily meds and do everything I can to make sure I get decent sleep, to the extent of buying an elevation pillow so I don't drown in my own snot, insisting on blackout and dead quiet, etc. Without that recovery, nothing else works.

AMA - I'll answer damned near any question.

[Holdingpattern]

If your recovery is poor due to chronic illness and related diet problems, it might make sense to program your workouts as if you were much older than you are.

I.e. in The Barbell Prescription there is a version of SS for those over 70, which basically consists of doing SS with 3-4 days between sessions, and progressing weight very conservatively.

No! I refuse this option. I do have the Barbell Prescription, Starting Strength, Practical Programming, and Becoming a Supple Leopard (or whatever it's titled). I'd like to try the supplements to see if they help DOMS, but otherwise, I'm doing ok. Not as sore today as I thought I'd be. Haven't hurt myself yet. Got my diet pretty much under control. So far my worst issue is I think I'm going to have to give up alcohol, which doesn't hurt my feelings much. When I hit a wall, I'll regroup. Last week, the DOMS were so bad I felt nauseated when I poked my quads. This week, not so much.

[Holdingpattern]

Welcome! Fifty years old, diagnosed with Crohn's in 1989, currently running bimonthly Remicade. That drug is a blessing (zero flares in over a decade) and a curse (fungal and especialy upper respiratory infections abound)..

I'm a nurse. I am very leery of these types of drugs. So far, in 10 years since I started using diet to manage, and on point with diet, flare ups are negligible. It's when I wander off diet (I can't resist hot pizza if it's in the car with me, for example, so one of the kids has to pick it up now, haha). I have an emergency stash of mesalamine that I've had for over a year, and it's 80% full, but I was really off track around Christmas time.

As far as supplements, I've been taking fish oil (~1500mg EPA) daily for a while with breakfast. It's claimed to help IBD/IBS via reducing inflammation overall. My suspicion - unencumbered by factual information - is shifting closer to a 1:1 ratio if dietary Omega-6:Omega-3 diet would have similar effect..

Thanks for that. I have fish oil... I'll start taking it and see what happens .

The main driver to training is recovery. I need my sleep, and because of both Crohn's and chronic allergies I take daily meds and do everything I can to make sure I get decent sleep, to the extent of buying an elevation pillow so I don't drown in my own snot, insisting on blackout and dead quiet, etc. Without that recovery, nothing else works.

I agree. My sleep has sucked since I've had kids and some PTSD. Getting worse as I get older. I take melatonin and it works for me somewhat. I usually have low bp (until I walk into the office at work) so I avoid antihistamines and benzos.

I'm still interested in BCAAs and enzymes...

[I_iz_a_fatass]

I'm a nurse. I am very leery of these types of drugs. So far, in 10 years since I started using diet to manage, and on point with diet, flare ups are negligible. It's when I wander off diet (I can't resist hot pizza if it's in the car with me, for example, so one of the kids has to pick it up now, haha).

I got to the point where I'd run out the corticosteroids, mesalamine, Asulfadine, Imuran, and 6MP without resolving symptoms for over eighteen months regardless of dietary changes. Prednisone and the associated mental effects aren't a picnic either, and my QoL was trashed. I'd definitely prefer not to be on Remicade, but that's not possible in my case - going 13 weeks starts the symptoms back in.

I've starting using BCAAs as part of long lifting session hydration and intermittently as a pre-workout and I'd had no ill effects.

[Holdingpattern]

I got to the point where I'd run out the corticosteroids, mesalamine, Asulfadine, Imuran, and 6MP without resolving symptoms for over eighteen months regardless of dietary changes. Prednisone and the associated mental effects aren't a picnic either, and my QoL was trashed. I'd definitely prefer not to be on Remicade, but that's not possible in my case - going 13 weeks starts the symptoms back in.

Mine started in 1995 or around about there. My son was diagnosed with Crohns when he was 18, he's 22 now. I think he's got it rougher than I (and he doesn't listen to me much about diet, but it has helped a little, he's very lactose intolerant). Last time he was hospitalized, it was for erythema nodosum. I had to look it up (and I'm a nurse!!). Anyways, I still think diet is critical. But, the inflammatory disease is a symptom that probably has multiple causes. Mine is definitely food intolerance/stress related, although at times I find managing a workable diet too cumbersome. I've learned from dealing with the elderly that prescription medications, for the most part, don't seem to promote longevity, and I find that very disturbing.

I've starting using BCAAs as part of long lifting session hydration and intermittently as a pre-workout and I'd had no ill effects.

I need to learn more.

[simplesimon]

Thank you for posting. Someone I am helping train is 32/F and was diagnosed with UC about 7-8 years ago. I'd like to see if there's more feedback from the board about what the SS LP has been like for them. As far as my friend is concerned she maintains a pretty clean diet, though not strict except she doesn't eat pork as she has a reaction to it, takes balsalazide disodium as prescribed, and hasn't had a flare in almost three years.

[simplesimon]

Update: after two weeks of lifting every other day, friend has been sore every day without any sign of it dissipating. Going to try three days between sessions and more conservative weight increases.

[I_iz_a_fatass]

Update: after two weeks of lifting every other day, friend has been sore every day without any sign of it dissipating. Going to try three days between sessions and more conservative weight increases.

Two weeks of DOMS isn't remotely unheard of. I recall my DOMS coming back from surgery took a month or so before they dissipated - not a month of pain, but a month of muscle soreness the day after a workout.