Why are bad food problems soo common among tennis?

[THESEXPISTOL]

Why are bad food problems common among tennis?

Why is food poisoning soo common in tennis?
It's very common in tennis world.

Are tennis players more exposed because they eat large amounts of food and their fast metabolism is more fragile because they are constantly dispending large amounts of energy?

I've gone to a lot of tournamens in my country and i've a fast metabolism and never had problems with food and i'm not a pro.

 

[iamtheavalanche]

i don't know, but i've had food poisoning before and it was seriously the worst experience of my life. i can't even look at mexican food anymore without feeling sick. lol

 

[Bryan Swartz]

Differences in water and food between different countries would be my best uneducated guess.

 

[THESEXPISTOL]

Differences in water and food between different countries would be my best uneducated guess.

I think water is not a problem because they only drink bottled water.

 

[Fee]

They travel a lot and they eat out a lot. Not really surprising that they get food poisoning/reactions a little bit more often than the general population.

 

[sh@de]

It could just be that every time they do get food poisoning, you know about it, whereas if I got food poisoning or any of my friends did... you wouldn't know, would you?

 

[Cassius Clay]

 

[Underhand]

 

[*Val*]

Rafa can't eat a banana without getting injured... lol

 

[retlod]

"Food poisoning" sounds a lot better than "hung over."

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

It's because they eat out and therefore can't control how food is prepared.

 

[pound cat]

Food poisoning...another way of saying "I don't feel like playing in this tournament anymore." ?

 

[malakas]

"Food poisoning" sounds a lot better than "hung over."

hahahaha :mrgreen:

Yeah ..could be an excuse for withdrawing..but also with all the travelling it is much more probable for them to eat something funny than us.

 

[Xenakis]

Anxiety/stress makes stomach/bowel issues much worse, or can bring them on.

Playing a big match plus jet lag and a basically nomadic lifestyle just makes it all worse.

 

[cknobman]

Because its an easy and convenient way of not having to play a tournament.

 

[nikdom]

OP, do you travel a lot? Do you drink water on one continent then eat food on another the very next day? Does your food reflect the cultural variety that tennis players traveling around the world experience?

If not, then comparing their stomach problems to your gastronomic health seems kinda stupid to me...

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

Even just changing countries (without having an infection) can cause traveller's diarrhea. So they could experience the symptoms without actually having food poisoning just due to the changing countries(continents).

 

[aldeayeah]

Agree with the former 2 posts. Traveling = digestive problems. Happens to me all the time.

 

[AlecG]

[deleted]

 

[AlecG]

Even just changing countries (without having an infection) can cause traveller's diarrhea. So they could experience the symptoms without actually having food poisoning just due to the changing countries(continents).

Hahaha no

 

[AlecG]

It's because they eat out and therefore can't control how food is prepared.

Yeah. I wonder how many cases are from eating out and how many cases are from the official catering, players' buffet etc. Sometimes a bunch of players get food poisoning at the same tournament, which makes me suspect the player buffets are risky. But it's true that restaurants can be too.

 

[big ted]

because they eat zero meals at home

 

[TennisBro]

I think water is not a problem because they only drink bottled water.

I don't think you understand the issue of water the poster has suggested on tour. Yes, you are right that they drink bottled water that may be clean but one thing is the extreme amounts of water may upset their stomachs, another more imporant part is that they eat foods that are cooked in kitchens around the world. What kinda water do you think the kitchens use? Local potable water's got its own ingredients and bacteria that are different in different places while bottled drinking water when in large amounts may cause indigestion.

 

[AlecG]

I don't think you understand the issue of water the poster has suggested on tour. Yes, you are right that they drink bottled water that may be clean but one thing is the extreme amounts of water may upset their stomachs, another more imporant part is that they eat foods that are cooked in kitchens around the world. What kinda water do you think the kitchens use? Local potable water's got its own ingredients and bacteria that are different in different places while bottled drinking water when in large amounts may cause indigestion.

OK but that's just not the main thing that causes serious stomach issues like these. It's usually poor food hygeine in kitchens. The number of places that don't wash hands properly or don't use gloves or don't change them often enough is crazy, and there are other issues like surfaces contaminated by raw meat, undercooked meat, salads contaminated, ingredients that are past their use by date, or sitting in the fridge too long or left out of the fridge too long, etc. These all cause far more serious issues than anything water related.

 

[vokazu]

Because the good chefs at the good tennis tournament restaurants pick their butts before cooking the good food.

 

[Oval_Solid]

because doctors handout antibiotics like candy
creating superbugs
common infections can now become serious events

 

[AlecG]

because doctors handout antibiotics like candy
creating superbugs
common infections can now become serious events

This doesn't make sense, mate. Superbugs are only called "superbugs" because they resist antibiotics. They aren't enhanced in any other way and so aren't any more likely to cause an initial infection, and food poisoning generally doesn't last long enough to require antibiotics so it won't make a difference if the bug is "super" or not. Doctors didn't invent poor hygeine, e coli, salmonella or mould.

 

[Raiden]

"Food poisoning" sounds a lot better than "hung over."

And besides they want to add a bit of variety on their withdrawal excuses (it can't always be "injured" or "viral illness")

 

[Bartelby]

I've heard of Steak Dianne, but what is this Steak Rafael?

Because the good chefs at the good tennis tournament restaurants pick their butts before cooking the good food.

 

[ojo rojo]

I've heard of Steak Dianne, but what is this Steak Rafael?

Rump served with a dangleberry reduction

 

[Deleted member 806402]

Rump served with a dangleberry reduction

you made me google that

 

[AlecG]

And besides they want to add a bit of variety on their withdrawal excuses (it can't always be "injured" or "viral illness")

They are getting sick in the semis and quarter of grand slam tournaments. Some players look for "excuses" in the minor tournaments but it's clear many are genuinely getting sick.

 

[Oval_Solid]

This doesn't make sense, mate. Superbugs are only called "superbugs" because they resist antibiotics. They aren't enhanced in any other way and so aren't any more likely to cause an initial infection, and food poisoning generally doesn't last long enough to require antibiotics so it won't make a difference if the bug is "super" or not. Doctors didn't invent poor hygeine, e coli, salmonella or mould.

for food poisoning it would work like this
over use of antibiotics lead to destruction of peoples microflora
which lead to ingestions of common food to become digestive upsets
yes its very confusing and doesnt make sense

 

[TennisBro]

OK but that's just not the main thing that causes serious stomach issues like these. It's usually poor food hygeine in kitchens. The number of places that don't wash hands properly or don't use gloves or don't change them often enough is crazy, and there are other issues like surfaces contaminated by raw meat, undercooked meat, salads contaminated, ingredients that are past their use by date, or sitting in the fridge too long or left out of the fridge too long, etc. These all cause far more serious issues than anything water related.

"poor hygiene in kitchens"? That's the North American myth where restaurant owners are constantly scrutinized by the local licensing bureau that they are breaking health codes and by the anxious restaurant patrons that are accusatory. In NA, I'd say more of the unfresh food is the culprit of eaters' stomach issues than any hygiene suggested.

because doctors handout antibiotics like candy
creating superbugs
common infections can now become serious events

You nailed it. People's immune system's compromised by Big Pharma.

This doesn't make sense, mate. Superbugs are only called "superbugs" because they resist antibiotics. They aren't enhanced in any other way and so aren't any more likely to cause an initial infection, and food poisoning generally doesn't last long enough to require antibiotics so it won't make a difference if the bug is "super" or not. Doctors didn't invent poor hygeine, e coli, salmonella or mould.

Bugs mate. Human body's got plenty of bacteria that are a part of the cycle inside. When you break it, you'll have a hard time to make it.

 

[AlecG]

for food poisoning it would work like this
over use of antibiotics lead to destruction of peoples microflora
which lead to ingestions of common food to become digestive upsets
yes its very confusing and doesnt make sense

Must be fun making things up. First you claimed superbugs were to blame for food poisoning and now you're instead claiming it's due to pro players having their gut flora destroyed by antibiotics? Yes, antibiotics temporarily destroy gut flora, which then recovers just fine quite quickly with a decent diet, and healthy gut flora doesn't reliably protect anyone from e coli poisoning, salmonella poisoning, mould poisoning, or any other food poisoning. Food poisoning would have happened just as much before antibiotics, probably more because there was even worse hygiene before that, and much more before that there was even worse hygeine because didn't even know germs existed. But yes, food that is neither fresh nor dried nor frozen and therefore is growing mould and bacteria that produce toxins causes food poisoning that has nothing to do with big pharma.

Food poisoning is very often caused by toxic substances that are produced by bacteria or mould, or by a microorganism itself colonising the gut. Pro players generally eat relatively healthy diets and their gut flora is probably fine most of the time, but healthy gut flora does not make you immune to toxic substances produced by mould and bacteria, not to the bacteria itself.

You do realise that before antibiotics human life expectancy was a lot lower right? And people got sick much more often? Or are you that clueless about history?

 

[PMChambers]

For the women it sounds nicer than menstrual issues. it can't be easy on them and using menstrual blockers to delay during tourneys also can't be healthy.

 

[TennisBro]

Must be fun making things up. First you claimed superbugs were to blame for food poisoning and now you're instead claiming it's due to pro players having their gut flora destroyed by antibiotics? Yes, antibiotics temporarily destroy gut flora, which then recovers just fine quite quickly with a decent diet, and healthy gut flora doesn't reliably protect anyone from e coli poisoning, salmonella poisoning, mould poisoning, or any other food poisoning. Food poisoning would have happened just as much before antibiotics, probably more because there was even worse hygiene before that, and much more before that there was even worse hygeine because didn't even know germs existed. But yes, food that is neither fresh nor dried nor frozen and therefore is growing mould and bacteria that produce toxins causes food poisoning that has nothing to do with big pharma.

Food poisoning is very often caused by toxic substances that are produced by bacteria or mould, or by a microorganism itself colonising the gut. Pro players generally eat relatively healthy diets and their gut flora is probably fine most of the time, but healthy gut flora does not make you immune to toxic substances produced by mould and bacteria, not to the bacteria itself.

You do realise that before antibiotics human life expectancy was a lot lower right? And people got sick much more often? Or are you that clueless about history?

The poster that you've quoted and replied to is not me but I feel you are a bit disrespectful to another TTW user. This common disregard for each other on the warehouse boards is annoying. Now, I see your point and have my thoughts against it but am not gonna go out to beat you up with words out of my closet.

@Oval_Solid made a fair point that drugs we eat when ill or not may affect our immune system in a long run. Our body defence mechanisms, the protection we are gifted, build up over years in our lives is to work on its own and deal with bacteria on its own. If you think drugs make our bodies stronger from inside, so be it. But I don't really think so with the amounts of substances we use in the west, especially NA where Big Pharma strives on our financial commitment to drug stores/doctors (without borders). A "healthy gut flora", stomach acid, numerous bacteria present in food/our bodies all isn't so clear to the science and neither is the "history" in sense of how long people'd live with or without those numerous drugs in stores available. People've died because of a lot of different reasons before than they do today. I've just visited a village somewhere in the far world from you where most of healthy locals are over 80 years old; they have no doctors or take out foods and they eat only what they produce there. Do you think they'll be recorded in that "history" as you believe have been the ones you suggest from many years ago? Me think that the more we eat drugs, food and the more than usual we exercise, the more we are open to stomach illnesses 'cause of the heavy duty work out we expose our insides to; that'cause we break down the natural human cycle which our tennis players mostly do.

I'd love to give you some of my own life and my son's life examples from the junior ITF and Futures tennis tour as I have first hand experiences to share, but there are so many TTW bullies on boards that would not accept the facts well for their own weird reasons.

 

[AlecG]

OK. Generally I agree with you. I notice a lot of unwarranted disrespect on these forums, including from many in this thread. But when I see see someone with less than zero science knowledge being disrespectful to scientists with their crackpot theories that prevent us from solving serious problems I personally think it's justified to call it out in the way I did.

"If you think drugs make our bodies stronger from inside, so be it." No, I didn't say that. I just pointed out the false, ignorant and grossly irresponsible claim that serious food poisoning didn't happen in the past and is only happening now due to superbugs caused by anti-biotic resistance. The science was already abundantly clear about the harmfulness of certain types of bacteria and moulds before anti-biotics were invented, which is why they were invented. Symptoms like diarrhea happen most in impoverished countries when some residents don't even have access to anti-biotics (or clean water). Food poisoning is not only caused by bacteria but also by poisons that are created by mould. Does this guy think that eating mould was perfectly find until anti-biotics came along?

 

[TennisBro]

@AlecG I don't really know well what that guy in this thread thinks but I believe he's got a point when saying that we are exposed to too many drugs and antibiotics. You should consider that 'cause the human system's dependence on drugs may reduce its immunity against bacteria. Our scientific community and pharmaceutical industry have spoiled us with all sorts of drugs that our liver may not even process and kidneys filter that well. Tennis players are so much exposed to substances of all sorts from multivitamins to anti-biotics. I agree with you what the causes of food poisoning are but what the primary culprits in traveling tennis players' stomachs are that upset them so often and so much I have a problem with your notion about those "superbugs" and "mould" as the only prime suspects there. However, if I misread you, I apologize.