model would suggest a certain training load
(reps, sets) and diet (food plus supplements)
should yield the same response. The reality
is that the musculoskeletal, digestive and
nervous systems interact and can either
enhance or supress each other’s responses.
The non-responding client may, for example,
have a gut microbiome imbalance preventing
absorption of the nutrients required to
increase muscle mass. They may also have
central nervous system problems: mental
fatigue, poor sleep patterns and emotional
issues such as depression and anxiety have
been shown to have a negative influence on
physical training outcomes.
From a therapist’s point of view, it is
important to understand that chronic
(long term) pain actually alters both brain
chemistry
(neurotransmitter
profiles
change) and affects how different areas of
the brain communicate. Neurotransmitters
are the chemicals that brain cells use to
The 30-second article
• Human bodies respond differently to
the same training or treatment
intervention
• The body’s various systems, including
the
nervous,
musculoskeletal,
endocrine, digestive and cardiovascular
systems, interact and can either
enhance or supress each other’s
responses
• A gut microbiome imbalance, for
example, may prevent absorption of
the nutrients required to increase
muscle mass, and thereby negatively
affect hypertrophy
• The nervous system has three
elements: the central nervous system
(brain, spinal cord and nerves),
autonomic nervous system (parts of
the brain and nervous system that
control automatic functions of the
body) and enteric nervous system (gut)
• The far-reaching nature of these three
elements means that positively
influencing the nervous system will
have a corresponding effect on the rest
of the body’s systems.
NETWORK SPRING 2018 | 57