046: Understanding the Gut-Brain Connection and its Role in Performance ft. Maggie Awad

“Gut health isn’t just digestion-it’s energy, cognition, and immunity.”
Maggie Awad

What You will learn

Gut health is the foundation of energy production and recovery in high performers.
Chronic stress and overtraining can lead to gut permeability, increasing inflammation.
Exercise-induced immunosuppression is a real concern for elite and recreational athletes alike.
Biohacking trends should be reframed as “bioharmonizing” to optimize natural physiological processes.
Supplement quality matters—understanding certifications and ingredient sourcing is crucial.

Listen here – Finding Small Wins Podcast:

In this episode of Finding Small Wins, I welcome back gut health expert Maggie Awad to discuss the deep connections between the gut, brain, and athletic performance. Maggie shares her journey from traditional medicine to functional sports medicine and offers insights into how gut health impacts energy levels, immune function, and recovery in high performers.

Whether you’re an elite athlete, a weekend warrior, or simply someone looking to optimize health, this conversation dives into actionable strategies for improving gut function, stress management, and supplement choices.

About Maggie Awad

Maggie Awad is a nurse practitioner specializing in functional sports medicine, particularly gut health for high performers. With over 16 years in Western medicine, she pivoted her focus to root-cause medicine, inspired by personal experiences and mentorship from Dr. Ara Suppiah. Maggie has pioneered functional medicine practices in professional sports, working closely with elite athletes to optimize health and performance.

Gut Health is the Foundation of Energy & Recovery

Athletic performance relies on efficient energy production. The gut plays a pivotal role by breaking down food into short-chain fatty acids, essential for fueling brain and muscle function. Gut dysbiosis—an imbalance in gut bacteria—can impair energy metabolism and increase fatigue.

A well-balanced gut microbiome also reduces systemic inflammation, allowing for faster recovery. Nutritional strategies such as increasing fiber intake, incorporating fermented foods, and optimizing gut-brain signaling via the vagus nerve can significantly enhance performance and longevity.

Chronic Stress & Overtraining Can Lead to Gut Permeability

High performers often push their limits, but excessive stress—whether from training, travel, or lifestyle—can lead to a condition known as leaky gut. Intense physical exertion can reduce blood flow to the intestines, weakening tight junctions in the gut lining and allowing toxins to leak into circulation.

This inflammatory cascade disrupts recovery, impairs immune function, and increases the risk of injury. Athletes should prioritize stress management techniques such as breathwork, parasympathetic recovery (e.g., sauna, sleep hygiene), and strategic carbohydrate intake to support gut barrier integrity.

Exercise-Induced Immunosuppression: What You Need to Know

The paradox of exercise is that while it enhances immunity in moderate doses, excessive training can suppress immune function. This is particularly relevant for endurance athletes, as research in Sports Medicine suggests prolonged training (especially over two hours) can elevate cortisol, leading to increased gut permeability and systemic inflammation.

Strategies to mitigate these effects include monitoring HRV (heart rate variability) to assess recovery status, consuming polyphenol-rich foods (e.g., berries, pomegranates), and supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids to support cellular resilience.

The Shift from Biohacking to Bioharmonizing

Many athletes chase the latest biohacking trends, but Maggie emphasizes a more sustainable approach—bioharmonizing. This means aligning with natural physiological rhythms rather than forcing artificial interventions.

For example, morning exposure to sunlight regulates cortisol and melatonin cycles, improving sleep and recovery. Similarly, walking barefoot on natural surfaces has been shown in to reduce inflammation and improve autonomic nervous system balance. Instead of relying solely on gadgets and expensive therapies, athletes should first master foundational habits like sleep, movement, and real food nutrition.

Supplement Quality Matters: Understanding Certifications

The supplement industry is filled with marketing hype, making it difficult to discern quality from pseudoscience. Maggie discusses the importance of third-party testing and certifications such as NSF, WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), and Informed-Sport.

However, not all effective supplements receive these certifications due to regulatory complexities. Maggie’s recent launch of Moo Juice, a bovine colostrum and creatine supplement, underscores the importance of sourcing high-quality ingredients. For athletes, the key takeaway is to demand transparency—request Certificates of Analysis (COAs) from brands and research ingredient efficacy through published studies.