Published: Aug. 14, 2013

University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center release

AURORA, Colo. 鈥 Student-athletes at 麻豆影院 are honing their athletic performance with help from the experts at CU鈥檚 Anschutz Health and Wellness Center (AHWC).听 Athletes from CU鈥檚 football team and men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball teams are participating in leading-edge testing and monitoring allowing them to get the most of their training and perform to their best ability while avoiding injury.

All it takes is a combination of blood tests proven effective in improving the performance of top athletes from around the world. Interpreting the blood panels and formulating training plans is an evidence based process developed by scientists at the AHWC.

鈥淲e will monitor approximately 140 athletes, creating performance programs that work for each individual,鈥 said I帽igo San Mill谩n, PhD, director of the at AHWC. 鈥淲e can look at the cells in a blood sample and assess whether an athlete is fatigued or overtraining. The sample also tells us if there is muscle damage that may make an athlete more prone to injury.鈥澨

Exercise experts from AHWC are in 麻豆影院 twice a week to monitor progress as the athletes work with dietitians to make sure they are fueling and hydrating their bodies in ways that promote performance success.

鈥淲e as an athletic department and football team feel this is a great opportunity to better the health of our student-athletes,鈥 CU head football coach Mike MacIntyre said. 鈥淣o one person is the same. Our coaches will have a better understanding of recovery times and the ability to train these young people correctly to better enhance their performances.听The other side of this is preventive; it should help limit muscle injuries and allow the proper time to recover.鈥

San Mill谩n, a professor in family medicine at CU鈥檚 School of Medicine, says athletes also need to give themselves time to recover. 鈥淲e need to start considering the recovery period part of the workout. That represents a shift in thinking but if an athlete doesn鈥檛 have the proper food and time to give their bodies a chance to recover, these grueling workouts can do more harm than good. 鈥

San Mill谩n is one of the world鈥檚 foremost exercise physiologists. He applies the latest scientific methodologies to help athletes, weekend warriors and people who want to improve their health and get more out of their exercise time. San Mill谩n also has worked with professional teams and elite athletes in hockey, soccer, baseball, running, cycling, and rowing. His successes include six Pro Tour Cycling Teams and a Tour de France winner.

听鈥淥ur ability to offer the latest science in optimizing human performance has been verified by elite athletes around the world,鈥 said Jim Ellis, director of operations at AHWC. 鈥淥ur experts, like Inigo, combine physiology, nutrition, psychology and coaching to ensure athletes at every level have a program that helps them excel in their desired sport. 鈥

麻豆影院 the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center

The Anschutz Health and Wellness Center is an innovative, state-of-the art research, education and consumer care facility located on the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The Center's mission is to transform the lives of individuals and communities through science-based wellness strategies. Our research is translated into customized programs and offerings, delivered through our Wellness Clinic and Fitness Center. We provide programs, in partnership with schools, worksites and community organizations throughout Colorado. Our vision is a world where wellness is the norm.听Learn more at .

While attending a CU football practice at Folsom Field on the CU-麻豆影院 campus, Inigo San Millan talks about sports medicine. San Millan is with the Health and Wellness Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)