December 2002

The question-of-the-month for December comes from Pete in London, a 22 year old who wants to put on mass and increase his bench press.  He wants to know how I, as a bodybuilder, coped with ulcerative colitis, a disease that affects millions of people.  His question is:

Dear Mike:

I've recently been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.  I understand you have the same condition.  I would be grateful to hear how you, as a bodybuilder, coped with the condition and if it is possible to reach your goals with such a condition. 

Dear Pete:

Thank you for visiting my web site and submitting a great question.  I know how taxing this disease can be, so I am sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  Since my battle with ulcerative colitis was a very public one, I have received numerous letters much like yours over the years.  I hope to offer some helpful advice to all of you out there suffering from this terrible disease.

For those of you who are not familiar with ulcerative colitis, it is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the top layers of the lining of the large intestine.  It most often occurs in people ages 15 to 40 and symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, fever, painful joints, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps.

Treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on the seriousness of the disease.  Most people are treated with medication.  In severe cases, a small percentage of patients may need surgery to remove the diseased colon.  Unfortunately, I fell into this small group.  My condition deteriorated so rapidly that I had to have my entire colon removed a mere 7 months after my initial diagnosis.  Therefore, according to the medical community, I am cured and do not have ulcerative colitis anymore.  However, I do suffer from other symptoms as a result of not having a colon (large intestine), so sometimes I don't really feel cured.  

I was first diagnosed while preparing for the Mr. Olympia in 1997.   Even though the cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown, I personally believe the constant food intake that bodybuilders require aggravated the condition.  I wasn't able to give my colon a chance to rest and heal.  Although the surgery ultimately ended my career, I probably couldn't have continued given the severity of my ulcerative colitis.  Like I mentioned above, the disease has several forms of severity.  If your condition is mild and can be controlled with medication, I see no reason why you can't have a successful career.  You do, however, need to be aware of your symptoms and monitor them closely.  If you notice a flare-up, you may need to stop the excessive bodybuilding diet and make revisions, which probably won't be the optimal diet for a bodybuilder/weightlifter.  

I recommend that you see your physician regularly and stay on top of the disease.   A big part of learning to deal with this condition is to experiment with your diet to find out what works best for you.  I hope your condition is mild and can be controlled with medication.  Obviously, bodybuilding/weightlifting is not worth risking your health over.  However, like I said above, if your condition is mild, I see no reason why you can't gain mass.

Hang in there and keep me updated on your progress.  I truly wish you all the best.  

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.