Detox Yourself!

Can knowing about the health benefits of hot yoga help individuals decide if it is right for them?

Hot Yoga

The body has a system for ridding itself of what it can't use or doesn't need, called toxins. Individuals may have heard that they can sweat out toxins by doing various hot yoga styles. Hot yoga, practiced in a heated room, has become popular. The standard room temperature is around 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity. (Mayo Clinic 2020) Because of the temperatures, hot yoga is not for everyone, and those with heart problems or dizziness are recommended to stick with regular classes. However, the detoxification medical benefits may not be there, or there is still insufficient research to confirm.

Body Detoxification

Broken down by the liver, the toxins in the blood or bile are filtered in the kidneys or intestines and removed in urine or stool. (Boyer J. L. 2013) Sweat is not part of the removal equation. The function of sweat is to cool the body down when it becomes overheated. This can happen during strenuous activity, when overdressed, or in summer. Sweat comprises primarily water with trace amounts of urea, lactic acid, and minerals. (Baker L. B. 2019) Except for water, none of the products in sweat are excreted in large enough quantities to alter or improve metabolic function. The sodium excreted in sweat is quickly re-absorbed through the skin's epithelial sodium channels, which does little to alter the sodium levels in the blood. (Hanukoglu I. et al., 2017)

Environmental Toxins

The body is exposed to all sorts of toxins daily, including pollution and pesticides in the air, preservatives in our foods, and detergents and cosmetics on our skin. (Hunt P. 2011) Sweat-based exercise to remove these toxins is still unfounded.

Sweating In Hot Yoga

Many think that sweating in a hot yoga class will cleanse the alcohol or unhealthy foods. Yoga won't help sweat these things out, but the practice still provides benefits that help burn some fat from the calories consumed. Exercising helps burn fat regardless of the temperature of the surroundings. (Swift, D. L. et al., 2014) The benefits include:

• Increased circulation to deliver more oxygenated blood to the muscles.
• Improved muscle tone and flexibility.
• Stress relief.

Instead of sweating out the toxins, minimize exposure by eating a healthy, balanced diet, using natural products, and reading the labels of products placed on or in the body.

Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic works with primary healthcare providers and specialists to develop an optimal health and wellness program that fully benefits the individual to get back to normal. Using an integrated approach to treat injuries and chronic pain syndromes, the ability to relieve pain is improved through flexibility, mobility, and agility programs. Our providers create personalized care plans for each patient, including Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, Electro-Acupuncture, and Sports Medicine. If other treatment is needed, Dr. Jimenez has teamed up with top surgeons, clinical specialists, medical researchers, and rehabilitation providers to provide the most effective treatments.

Body Signals Decoded

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please get in touch with Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Mayo Clinic. (2020). What is hot yoga? Mayo Clinic Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. https://sportsmedicine.mayoclinic.org/news/what-is-hot-yoga/

Boyer J. L. (2013). Bile formation and secretion. Comprehensive Physiology, 3(3), 1035–1078. https://doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c120027

Baker L. B. (2019). Physiology of sweat gland function: The roles of sweating and sweat composition in human health. Temperature (Austin, Tex.), 6(3), 211–259. https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2019.1632145

Hanukoglu, I., Boggula, V. R., Vaknine, H., Sharma, S., Kleyman, T., & Hanukoglu, A. (2017). Expression of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and CFTR in the human epidermis and epidermal appendages. Histochemistry and cell biology, 147(6), 733–748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-016-1535-3

Hunt P. (2011). Toxins all around us. Exposure to the chemicals in everyday objects poses a hidden health threat. Scientific American, 305(4), 14.

Swift, D. L., Johannsen, N. M., Lavie, C. J., Earnest, C. P., & Church, T. S. (2014). The role of exercise and physical activity in weight loss and maintenance. Progress in cardiovascular diseases, 56(4), 441–447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2013.09.012

For individuals trying to optimize muscle growth, protein intake is essential. But the body is limited by how much protein can synthesize to repair and grow muscles. Can knowing protein intake timing, amount, and how to best stimulate muscle growth help achieve better results?

Muscle Protein Synthesis

Muscle protein synthesis is a physiological process of producing new muscle protein and is an important component of how the body maintains and builds muscle. Muscle growth is achieved with resistance training and protein intake. (Tanner Stokes, et al., 2018)

How Protein Synthesis Works

Protein is the building block of muscles, while protein synthesis is a natural metabolic process in which protein is produced to repair muscle damage caused by exercise. This happens from amino acids binding to skeletal muscle proteins, increasing muscle size. It counteracts muscle protein breakdown (MPB) due to protein loss during exercise. The breakdown of muscles is a necessary part of building muscle. When damaged, muscles will build back larger, so long as enough calories and protein are consumed to repair and grow the muscles. Muscle protein synthesis can be enhanced by increasing protein intake immediately following exercise. Learning to stimulate muscle protein synthesis through exercise and diet can help accelerate muscle growth, expedite recovery, improve physical performance, and increase overall endurance. (Cameron J. Mitchell et al., 2014)

Effects of Exercise

Protein balance describes the relationship between muscle protein breakdown and muscle protein synthesis. When the body is in protein balance, no muscle growth or wasting occurs, and the individual is considered in a healthy state of biological equilibrium/homeostasis, also known as maintenance. To stimulate muscle growth, individuals need to shake up the protein balance. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, exercise can break down muscle protein, but not more than the amount of protein the body can synthesize. (Felipe Damas, et al., 2015) The more intense the workout, the greater the muscle protein synthesis, as the muscle breakdown stimulates the repair and growth of tissues. Scientists measure intensity by the one-repetition maximum - 1-RM - meaning the maximum weight an individual can lift for one repetition. According to a research study, workout intensities of under 40% of the 1-RM will not affect muscle protein synthesis. And intensities greater than 60% will double or triple muscle protein synthesis. (P. J. Atherton, K Smith. 2012)

Food Impact

The relationship between diet and protein balance is not so straightforward. Even with increased protein intake, muscle protein synthesis occurs for a specific period. This is because the body can only utilize a certain amount of the essential amino acids it receives, with anything more being broken down and excreted by the liver. Nutritionists recommend about 1.4 to 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for building muscle and strength. (Ralf Jäger, et al., 2017) Enough protein can be obtained by focusing on dairy, eggs, lean meats, nuts, and legumes. It is also recommended to consume enough whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables to help the body perform and repair properly. For example, carbohydrates are necessary for muscle building as they stimulate insulin release that supports muscle cell protein absorption. (Vandré Casagrande Figueiredo, David Cameron-Smith. 2013) A study looked into response rates in men prescribed 10, 20, or 40 grams of whey protein immediately following resistance training. Researchers noted the following results: (Oliver C. Witard et al., 2014)

• 10 grams of whey protein - No effect on muscle protein synthesis.
• 20 grams - Increased muscle protein synthesis by 49%.
• 40 grams - Increased the muscle protein synthesis by 56% but also caused the excessive accumulation of urea.
• Consuming 20 grams to 40 grams of whey protein after resistance training also increased other essential amino acids associated with lean muscle growth. (Lindsay S. Macnaughton et al., 2016)
• Whey protein is a fast-digesting protein.
• Increased results can be obtained by consuming slower-digesting protein throughout the day.

Muscle gains vary from person to person as everyone's body is different. Individuals considering consuming protein beyond the recommended dietary intake should consult their doctor or a registered nutritionist to understand the potential benefits and risks.

Building A Stronger Body

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Stokes, T., Hector, A. J., Morton, R. W., McGlory, C., & Phillips, S. M. (2018). Recent Perspectives Regarding the Role of Dietary Protein for the Promotion of Muscle Hypertrophy with Resistance Exercise Training. Nutrients, 10(2), 180. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10020180

Mitchell, C. J., Churchward-Venne, T. A., Parise, G., Bellamy, L., Baker, S. K., Smith, K., Atherton, P. J., & Phillips, S. M. (2014). Acute post-exercise myofibrillar protein synthesis is not correlated with resistance training-induced muscle hypertrophy in young men. PloS one, 9(2), e89431. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0089431

Damas, F., Phillips, S., Vechin, F. C., & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2015). A review of resistance training-induced changes in skeletal muscle protein synthesis and their contribution to hypertrophy. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 45(6), 801–807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0320-0

Atherton, P. J., & Smith, K. (2012). Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. The Journal of physiology, 590(5), 1049–1057. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.225003

Jäger, R., Kerksick, C. M., Campbell, B. I., Cribb, P. J., Wells, S. D., Skwiat, T. M., Purpura, M., Ziegenfuss, T. N., Ferrando, A. A., Arent, S. M., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Stout, J. R., Arciero, P. J., Ormsbee, M. J., Taylor, L. W., Wilborn, C. D., Kalman, D. S., Kreider, R. B., Willoughby, D. S., Hoffman, J. R., … Antonio, J. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8

Figueiredo, V. C., & Cameron-Smith, D. (2013). Is carbohydrate needed to further stimulate muscle protein synthesis/hypertrophy following resistance exercise?. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-10-42

Witard, O. C., Jackman, S. R., Breen, L., Smith, K., Selby, A., & Tipton, K. D. (2014). Myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis rates subsequent to a meal in response to increasing doses of whey protein at rest and after resistance exercise. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 99(1), 86–95. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.055517

Macnaughton, L. S., Wardle, S. L., Witard, O. C., McGlory, C., Hamilton, D. L., Jeromson, S., Lawrence, C. E., Wallis, G. A., & Tipton, K. D. (2016). The response of muscle protein synthesis following whole-body resistance exercise is greater following 40 g than 20 g of ingested whey protein. Physiological reports, 4(15), e12893. https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.12893