Are Toxic Chemicals Slowing You Down? Real Ways to Detox Your Life for Peak Performance

As an athlete, nothing is more frustrating than an injury.

You work so hard for months, even years to reach your goals. You are at peak shape, peak performance, only to be unable to compete because of a health problem.

To maintain your performance, you are very deliberate with your routine. You carefully plan your sleep schedule, what you eat and drink, what leisure activities you do. And you are careful not to get sick.

But there is one factor–possibly the most important–that is often overlooked: your environment.

Toxic Chemicals in Your Environment

Up to 90% of disease is caused by environmental factors. What is in the environment that causes so many problems?

• Toxic chemicals, known as “endocrine disrupting chemicals”, especially:

  • Bisphenols such as BPA

  • Phthalates

• Pollution

• Destructive molecules that damage DNA and proteins

Fortunately, there are ways to alter your environment to limit the risk of diseases. Many of these methods have to do with protecting your endocrine (hormone) system from toxic chemicals.

Exercise and the Endocrine System

Exercise is closely related to the endocrine system. The endocrine system makes hormones such as testosterone and estrogen that regulate bodily functions.

Exercise affects the amounts and types of hormones the body produces. And the amounts of hormones in the body affect an athlete’s performance. For example, exercise reduces the body’s production of stress hormones. 

In addition, thyroid hormones regulate weight, energy, body temperature, and more. Thyroid hormone balance is essential for optimal neuromuscular performance.

Hormone levels have a direct effect on athletic performance. Some athletes partake in illegal doping, which refers to the use of banned drugs (often hormones) to increase their strength and endurance. However, these synthetic hormones can cause severe health problems.

It is clear that a perfect balance of hormones is needed to perform at your best.

Toxic Chemicals and Fitness

These toxic chemicals ‘look’ like hormones in the body, and can mess up normal hormone functions. They alter the normal balance of estrogen, testosterone, insulin, and thyroid hormone. 

There are several ways these chemicals can harm your fitness and athletic performance:

• Altered Activity Levels
  These chemicals can adversely affect activity levels. One study found that when mice were exposed in utero to a toxic phthalate, they showed lower voluntary physical activity during adulthood.

• Weight Gain
  BPA and phthalates can also contribute to weight gain, difficulty in losing weight, and obesity.

• Weak Immune System
  Toxic chemical exposures can also weaken your immune system. These chemicals have been shown to increase susceptibility to disease, increased allergies, and increased asthma.

Just like junk food and improper sleep, these chemicals are something an athlete should avoid.  

Where are these Chemicals Found?

Traces of chemicals that act like estrogen can be found in 90% of sports supplements. Even worse, 25% of sports supplements contain toxic chemicals above what is considered an acceptable level.

You can also find hormone-like toxic chemicals in your water bottle, your mouth guard, on paper receipts, in canned food, in plastic #7, in certain textiles, and in personal care products.

What can you do to detox?

How can you avoid these chemicals and detox effectively? There are several steps you can take, such as:

• Buy products free from toxic chemicals. Check out our list of Approved Products!

• Check here for health and fitness supplements that are free from toxic chemicals.

• Avoid plastic, especially in food prep and packaging.

• Avoid plastic water bottles. Try glass or resin-free metal.

• Eat organically as much as possible.

• Avoid touching cash register receipts.

However, to really understand your chemical exposures, you should get tested for your toxic chemical load.

Our mail-in test allows you to evaluate your personal exposures to toxic chemicals. Our non-invasive test allows you to: 

• Identify which toxic chemicals you are being exposed to

• Find out the source of these exposures

• Eliminate toxic chemical exposures

• Ensure that exposures remain low with follow-up testing