Ambassador of gluten-free diet, the tennis player Novak Djokovic brushed aside certain beliefs in matters of athlete’s diet.

Let us first recall that the gluten is a generic term which designates a fraction of proteins contained in some cereals : rye, oats, wheat, barley etc. For Novak Djokovic, a big eater of pasta before his gluten sensitivity was diagnosed, the molecule was responsible for ” bar shots »Unexplained, of dizziness, respiratory problems, among other symptoms.

Behind the very media case of the Serbian champion, are the sportsmen followers of the gluten-free diet ? This is what Dana Lis wanted to know, a nutritionist who advises several Canadian sports teams. At the beginning of 2015, it revealed the results of an online questionnaire to which 910 international athletes *, including 18 medalists at a world level and / or Olympic, responded¹.

• 40 % of the athletes questioned followed a gluten free diet more than half the time
• They felt that the removing gluten from the diet is a healthier diet, that it reduces gastrointestinal stress, inflammation and improves performance
• To 84% of athletes of this group, the symptoms gastrointestinal problems in particular were reduced thanks to the cessation of gluten

The specialist in sports nutrition states that most athletes self-prescribe this diet after being diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity. That is to say without this diet being recommended to them for medical reasons. Above all, Dana Lis notes that athletes (like the general public) rely on scientific information “Anecdotal” or not reviewed by other specialists in the field to undertake the diet².

To observe the effects of stopping gluten in athletes *, the scientist and her team gathered 13 parking for cyclists high level (including 8 men and 5 women) for 7 days³. Without realizing it, half of the group was receiving cereal bars with gluten while the other part did not contain any. Performance physical, gastrointestinal symptoms, perceived well-being, intestinal pain or inflammation were assessed using a stress test, questionnaires, as well as blood tests. 

After one week, the results obtained in the two groups did not show no significant different. In December 2015, the research team concluded that there was “No effects on the performance of a gluten-free diet over a short period in athletes without celiac disease”. Longer studies involving more participants are needed to confirm these results.

* this article does not apply to athletes who suffer from gluten intolerance, otherwise called celiac disease and who must adopt a gluten-free diet for medical reasons. This disease would affect about 1% of Caucasians.

Lis DM et al. Exploring the popularity, experiences, and beliefs surrounding gluten-free diets in nonceliac athletes.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2015 Feb;25(1):37-45. Dana Lis «Do Gluten-free diets “work” for non-celiac athletes?» (pdf) 6 pages, à télécharger sur www.pinesnutrition.org Lis D et al. No Effects of a Short-Term Gluten-free Diet on Performance in Nonceliac Athletes.Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015 Dec;47(12):2563-70.