Is cheese good for running?

This question is about Nutrition and Running

Sarah Achleithner

Cheese can be good for runners, as it provides many nutrients including calcium, potassium, and vitamin D, which are involved in bone health, muscle contractions, and blood pressure) [

1

]. Eating cheese after a run may be especially advantageous because it’s rich in leucine, an amino acid shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

That said, runners should avoid eating cheese immediately before a run because it provides little carbohydrate to fuel working muscles, and is rich in protein and fat which can cause GI distress during exercise. 

Furthermore, runners should be cautious about eating too much cheese. Cheese is rich in sodium, and for those who are dairy-intolerant, it can cause digestive issues. In addition, cheese tends to be high in saturated fat which has been linked with inflammation and heart disease.[

2

].

5 cheese wedges on a wooden board against a blue and gray background

[1] Otto, M.C., Lemaitre, R.N., Song, X., King, I.B, et. al. Serial measures of circulating biomarkers of dairy fat and total and cause-specific mortality in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 108, Issue 3, September 2018, Pages 476–484, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqy117

[2] Taylor, MG. (2020, September 17). We (Pretty Much) All Love Cheese, But How Much Is Too Much? Runner's World.

https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a27243340/is-cheese-bad-for-you

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