Some Sports Supplements
WADA is responsible for doping testing. Website and AP supply details of banned substances
Many supplements may be contaminated with banned substances
Expensive over the counter supplements are readily available and actively advertised as potential ergogenic aids and supplement use is widespread in athletic populations
Always be very careful before recommending any type of supplementation as many have not been tested for safety, efficacy and legality. The first option should always be food
Creatine
· Natural occurring AA form diet(fish & meat) production in liver, 2g per/d
· 95% of body Cr stores in muscle as PCr
· Supplement form; creatine monohydrate
· Not prohibited
Hypothesis: Increasing muscle stores may increase availability and allow for accelerated resynthesis of ATP during and following high intensity exercise
Does it work? Research is not unanimous, appears to be beneficial in short duration, high intensity exercise. Not all responders but observed that people with low to normal creatine levels respond better to supplementation than those with normal to high levels
Intake Recommendations: Muscle stores maintained at 20g/d loading x 5-7d followed by 2g/d maintenance. Take together with Cho
Side Effects: Weight gain, water retention, cramps and stomach discomfort, leading to possible kidney damage
Coffee
Most widely used drug in the world
Affects all body tissue; muscle contractility, stimulates adrenaline, increases fat oxidation, changes perception of effort
Very individual effects, responders/non-responders
Removed form prohibited list in 2004, prior 12 mcg(5 cups of coffee)
Who could Benefit? Endurance and high-intensity
Recommended Intake: 1-3mg/kg or 70-150mg taken before/during exercise
Side-Effects: Anxiety, jitters, inability to focus, GI distress, palpitations, hallucinations, diuretic
Product / Serving / Milligrams of caffeineRed Bull / 12oz / 120
Starbuchs (tall) / 12oz / 375
Coke / 12oz / 34
Diet Coke / 12oz / 45
Nestle Iced tea / 12oz / 26
HMB
Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate is a metabolite of AA leucine and a natural componant of fish and milk
Recommended Intake: 3-6g/d for several weeks
Short term supplementation doesn’t appear to cause adverse side effects
No prohibited
Claims: Claims to increase the gains in strength and lean body mass associated with resistance training and enhanced recovery from exercise. The most widely used claim by manufacturers is that it reduces muscle breakdown during intense training
Research: Some animal studies indicate increased carcass weight during periods of growth after supplementations. Human studies mixed results, some showing improvements in strength and others no change
Carnitine
Diet and synthesis. Meat and dairy. Plays an important role in transporting long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria for energy production.
Body produces sufficient amounts and is controlled by the kidneys. Vegetarians and vegans with lower levels of plasma carnitine have not been found to be deficient as the body adapts by reducing excretion and increasing synthesis
Recommended Intake: 2-4g/d up to 4 weeks or 1-2 hours pre exercise
Not prohibited
Hypothesis: It is sold to athletes as a supplement that enhances fat burning and spares glycogen targeting both dieters, those wishing to achieve low body fat and endurance athletes
Research: No consistent evidence that it improves performance. Does not appear to increase body’s use of O2 or improve metabolic status when exercising and does not increase muscle carnitine levels. Can Help in deficient states
Glutamine
Non-essential AA
Most abundant free AA in the plasma and skeletal muscle
High protein foods, meat, beans, fish and dairy and also vegetables such as raw parsley, cabbage, spinach, oats and wheatgerm
Claims: Claims to have muscle building potential and may increase immune function
Research: Little evidence in increases in performance. Possible immune function for athletes??
Side Effects: Thought to be relatively safe and well tolerated. People with kidney disorders not recommended
Bicarbonate and Citrate
May improve high-power performance duration of 1-7 minutes, longer efforts no data available
Not prohibited
Hypothesis: Increased buffering capacity aids removal of H+ out of muscle and may improve the adverse effects on force and energy production (lactate)
Recommended Intakes
The acute bicarbonate loading protocol typically involves a 300 mg/kg dose, taken 1-2 hours prior to the session.
The chronic bicarbonate loading protocol typically involves five days of 500 mg/kg bicarbonate, split into four doses over the day
Citrate 500mg 120mins before exercise
Side Effects: GI discomfort, diarrhoea, cramps and bloating. Risks reduced by drinking fluids
General Supplement Information
With so many vitamin options on shelves and online, it’s hard to know which one is right for you. There are some things that you should look for on the vitamin label before making your final decision. You should always, of course, consult with a Health Professional about possible interactions with other medications before you take them. It is always important to try and get your nutrients from food sources. This only highlights a few of the available supplements
Remember quality research is lacking on the effectiveness and long term side effects of dietary supplements
Beware of advertisers and powerful marketing campaigns…always ask to see the research and be sure there is no bias!!
Care should always be taken when recommending dietary supplements and they should never be taken over a longer period of time unless under the supervision of a healthcare professional
General Information for taking Supplements:
1. Take vitamins and minerals 15 mins before or after a meal or during it
2. Don’t take B vitamins at night, it may affect sleeping
3. If you are anemic and take iron, take it with vitamin C
4. Zinc and Copper compete for absorption and if you take copper you may end up zinc deficient
5. Try and take with the first meal of the day
Choosing the Best Supplement:
· Capsules versus tablets: Capsules are made of gelatine or vegetable cellulose. Tablets may contain more nutrients because they are compressed but may need fillers and binders
Best Forms:
· B1 – Thiamine
· B2 – Riboflavin
· B3 – Nicotinic Acid/Nicotinamide
· B5 – Calcium Pantothenate
· B6 – Pyridoxine hydrochloride phosphate
· B12 – Methylcobalamin
· Vitamin C – Ascorbic Acid / Calcium Ascorbate
· Folic Acid – Folic Acid
· Vitamin A – Retionol / Betacarotene
· Vitamiin E – D-Alpha Tocopherol
· Vitamin D – Ergocalciferole / Cholecalciferol
Mineral forms Listed in descending order of bioavailability
· Calcium – Amino acid chelate, ascorbate, citrate, gluconate, carbonate
· Magnesium – Amino acid chelate, ascorbate, citrate, gluconate, carbonate
· Iron - Amino acid chelate, ascorbate, citrate, gluconate, carbonate, sulphate, oxide
· Zinc – Picolinate, Amino acid chelate, ascorbate, citrate, gluconate, sulphate
· Manganese - Amino acid chelate, ascorbate, citrate, gluconate
· Selenium – Selenocysteine or selenomethionine, sodium selenite
· Chromium – Picolinate, polynitotinate, ascorbate, gluconate
Drug-Nutrient Interactions:
· Never take fish oils and /or vitamin E when you are taking aspirin and warfarin
· When taking anti-depressants such as Nardil or Parstelin you must avoid yeast including supplements and alcohol
· Aspirin increases the need for vitamin C
· The pill and HRT increase the need for B6, B12, folic acid and zinc
Other dos and don’ts
· Be careful when taking fat soluble vitamins and not to exceed the RDA
· Pregnant women should avoid Vitamin E supplementation
· Betacarotene may cause yellowing of the skin
· Vitamin B2 may cause urine to yellow
· Vitamin B3 in the form of niacin can cause flushing and a feeling of been hot and itchy
· Vitamin C can have a laxative effect and cause GI distress
· Copper in excess can be toxic
· Be careful never to exceed the RDA for minerals
Testing
The Office of Dietary Supplements notes three testing organization -- U.S. Pharmacopeia, ConsumerLab.com and NSF International. These testing organizations ensure that supplements meet strict standards of quality by examining and testing different aspects of a particular supplement. It’s important to know that the Food and Drug Administration has no involvement in the regulation of dietary supplements. Ensuring that your supplement has met the standards of a controlled testing organization can help you decide which vitamins to use. Check the label to see if it lists that it was tested by U.S. Pharmacopeia, or USP, or another reliable source, such as ConsumerLab.com or NSF International. These organizations check for effectiveness, safety and risk and quality. If your vitamin has not undergone examination by one of these organizations or has failed, you may want to switch to a better-quality supplement that has passed the testing and quality standard set in place.
References:
Beduschi, G.,(2003)’Current Popular Ergogenic Aids Used in Sports: A Critical Review. Nutrition and Dietetics 60, 104-118
Bloomer, J. (2007) ‘The Role of Nutritional Supplements in the Prevention and Treatment of Resistance Exercise-Induced Skeletal Muscle Injury’. Sports Med 37(6), 519-532
Burke, L., Castell, L., Stear, S., Rogers, P. et al.(2009) ‘A-Z of Nutritional Supplements: Dietary Supplements, sports Nutrition Foods and Ergogenic Aids for health and Performance, Part 4. Br J Sports Med 43, 1088-1090
http://www.wada-ama.org/en/world-anti-doping-program/sports-and-anti-doping-organizations/international-standards/prohibited-list/
http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/ds_english.pdf
http://www.livestrong.com/article/541079-expensive-vs-cheap-vitamins/#ixzz2NLBnCuz1
Optimum Nutrition – Patrick Holford