Why Elite Athletes Waste Thousands on Inflammation Reduction

The Chronic Problem

“Inflammation is absolutely required for your life,” performance expert Andrew Herr explains. But there’s a crucial difference between acute inflammation that helps you adapt and chronic inflammation that breaks you down.

Acute inflammation is like a construction crew — it comes in, repairs damage, and leaves. Chronic inflammation is like having that crew working 24/7, eventually causing more harm than good.

Understanding this distinction is essential. Here’s when inflammation works for and against you:

When You Want Inflammation:

• During and immediately after workouts (signals muscle adaptation)

• During initial injury recovery

• Fighting infections

When You Don’t:

• Chronically elevated from poor sleep

• Constantly triggered by diet choices

• Sustained from travel stress

• Lingering from allergies or sensitivities

The Timing Game

Many recovery tools and supplements work by fighting inflammation. But use them at the wrong time, and you’re actually blocking adaptation. Cold plunges too soon after training stop the beneficial inflammatory response. Anti-inflammatory supplements taken too close to training can block growth signals. Recovery tools used at the wrong time might make you feel better but actually cause you to adapt less.

The Solution

Elite performers need a strategic approach to inflammation management:

1. Allow acute inflammation to do its job after training

2. Fight chronic inflammation through better sleep, diet, and stress management

3. Time recovery tools strategically — usually hours after training

4. Monitor inflammatory markers through blood work

The Bottom Line

The goal isn’t to eliminate inflammation — it’s to make it work for you. Acute inflammation makes you stronger. Chronic inflammation breaks you down. The best athletes aren’t the ones with the most recovery tools. They’re the ones who know when to use them.

Your Challenge For The Week

This week, simply notice your timing. After your next workout, write down when you use recovery tools (foam roller, cold plunge, anti-inflammatory supplements, etc.) and how soon after training you use them. Don’t change anything yet — just observe. This awareness alone will highlight whether you’re blocking adaptation or supporting it. If you’re currently using these tools within 60–90 minutes post-workout, consider experimenting next week with pushing them to the 2–3 hour mark and note any changes in how you feel and perform.

Want the complete story on inflammation?

Check out my full podcast episode with Andrew Herr. The US Army has 2x awarded him the Mad Scientist award for his work on human performance. In our episode we touch on inflammation, supplementation, and what athletes can learn from elite military personnel:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

Book Recommendation

The Personalized Diet — https://amzn.to/41r4eqk

I’m a little hesitant to recommend a book about nutrition (not my expertise), but this one gave me a different perspective about how I eat. The thesis of the book is that each person has a unique gut microbiome, and this microbiome impacts which foods we are sensitive to. Worth a read and some consideration if you’re getting inflammation from the foods you eat!