175. Eating processed meat linked with mental and physical fatigue
Dr. David Geier is an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina. He helps athletes and active people feel and perform their best, regardless of age, injuries and medical history. He has been featured in major media publications and shows over 2,500 times throughout his career.
Eating processed meat appears to make you feel more mentally and physically fatigued. In a new study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers examined 20 young adults between their mid-twenties and mid-thirties. They collected samples from the participants’ gut microbiome to see which foods were linked to energy and fatigue. They found that only eating processed meats was associated with mental energy and fatigue and physical energy and fatigue. People who eat a lot of processed meats, like sausage, bacon, hot dogs, salami, canned meat and beef jerky, have been shown to have increased risk of health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. While this study doesn’t prove that processed meats cause poor energy and fatigue, it does suggest we might eat them only occasionally and focus instead on eating whole foods and plant-based foods more often.
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
