Is taking pre work out powder for weight lifting dangerous if you have cirrhosis

[broomhall79]

I was wondering if I can take pre work out powder for the gym .because I was a alcoholic and I have cirrhosis .plz help me because people say it's ok and some say it's bad .thank you

[Bolly]

I'm no sports nutritionist but my instinct says that if your liver is poorly enough to be cirrhotic then weight lifting itself is perhaps not the best exercise. Resistance work and weight bearing (not lifting) exercise is good.

I assume you mean something along the lines of whey powder - does that mean you are trying to build muscle?

[LAJ123]

Hello,

in the period of assessment for transplant an important member of the multi disciplinary team is the dietitian. The diet is crucial to ensuring that you are well enough for a transplant. I also considered buying off the shelf products for building up the lost muscle mass. The dietitian warned against that and wrote to my GP to ensure I was prescribed specific dietary supplements. You might read in other places that in liver failure you should reduce protein, this is not the case. Under the supervision of the transplant team your diet will be monitored throughout and high protein supplements are important. At every clinic I was weighed and my muscle mass measured. It must have worked as last March I had my transplant and my fitness has almost been restored to what it was a very long time ago. So much so that exactly 3 months post transplant I took part in an organised 5K walk for the charity of the hospital where I had my transplant.

so, if you are seeing a hepatologist, ask to be referred to the dietitian. Otherwise see your GP regarding your diet and a possible referral to a dietitian.

Jim

[dckimberly]

I think it also depends how far along you are with your illness.

What does your specialist say?

I'm in recovery also, so yay you!

Being healthy is important no matter what.

But I do know a low sodium diet with as much fresh foods as you can do is important.

Good luck!

xxx

[broomhall79]

Thank you dckimberly .I've not had alcohol for nearly two years now so I started going the gym to occupy my mind.but unfortunately I was left with cirrhosis I've asked my specialist about taking creatine and she said it was fine .I also take protein powder which is fine.I eat well I just wanted to know if anyone was taking pre work out so they could tell me first hand how they felt,anyway well done you how long have you been in recovery

[Dulux]

I couldn't ever make my mind up on gym shakes, I went for the option of having greek yoghurt with chocolate milk and a banana all whizzed up in a blender, my concern was the filler muck they put in this stuff and there is only so much of these magic ingredients your body can take in. I also grew the opinion that I wasn't an an athlete training for Rio, and a good balanced diet should give you everything you need.

Oh and before anyone starts I like chocolate milk, and I'm sure thats full of crap, but I like it and it has whey in it and the yoghurt is loaded with protein, and good yoghurty things!

[broomhall79 in reply to Dulux]

Thank you dulux but I've decided not to have pre work out powder.am just going to have my whey protein shakes that's enough for what am doing .once again thank you for your information

[Dulux in reply to broomhall79]

I was doing more cardio as was training on indoor rowing machines, I always felt horrible if i had anything before exercising, I know it's different to weights. I was just starting to do some more core work, doing more body weight stuff, but struggling as liver has finally had enough, I'll be back to it once I'm fit enough, I'm not obsessed with the gym but I do enjoy going.

[broomhall79 in reply to Dulux]

I've been weight lifting every day for a few months now .then I get home and get on my punch bag it just makes me feel healthy even though my insides are so knackered.I get a lot of pain in my liver but I put that down to all the medicine am on for my legs because I have paralysis in them.and am on a lot of morphine for the pain

[Hidden]

I was once told that there is more iron in a damaged liver than a healthy one.

When I had liver cirrhosis I thought (as you do) that I'd take some multivitamins with iron, would help my liver. This would have caused even more damage as the liver was unable to process all these chemicals. Too much iron in the liver will cause even more damage.

I think it might be more prudent to check the exact contents of the power online. Or seek advice. Now I've had my transplant, I'd never take anything that might cause damage to this liver and I avoid any chemicals that might cause any damage.

Well Done broomhall for seeking advice in the first place.