Ergogenic Aids and Supplements

Regulation of Dietary Supplements  1994 Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act  Separated supplements from foods and drugs  Sales not dependent on safety/effectiveness  FDA cannot remove product without credible evidence of harmful side effects  “This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent disease.”

Androstenedione  Occurs naturally in the body  Precursor to testosterone  Taken to increase blood testosterone for improved strength and muscle building  Supposedly safer than anabolic steroids but no solid evidence  Still banned by NFL, NCAA, Olympics  Liver problems, aggression, acne, male-like side effects in women and vice versa

Branched Chain Amino Acids  Leucine, isoleucine, valine  EAA’s that have been shown to stimulate muscle production more so than other EAA’s  Speculation that leucine alone may possess superior properties  Top sources: soybeans, beef, lentils  BCAA’s may also be utilized as a fuel during exercise by sparing glycogen

Glutamine  Most plentiful non-essential AA in the body  One of the most readily used AA for protein synthesis  Utilized in recovery from intense exercise  Contains nitrogen:  Used for formation of ATP, DNA, RNA  Also primary fuel for white blood cells (immunity)  Used after surgeries and illness to decrease recovery time

Glutamine  Intense exercise decreases glutamine stores  Decreased glutamine levels may contribute to symptoms of overtraining (catabolic state)  Food sources:  Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, dairy products, wheat, cabbage, beets, beans, spinach, and parsley.

Carnitine  1. Fat burning capabilities?  Transports fatty acids across cell membranes so that they can be metabolized for energy  Most scientific studies have not been promising  2. Exercise performance?  Fat transporter – does it enhance lipid oxidation and spare muscle glycogen  Studies have shown mixed results

Caffeine  Coffee, tea, soda, OTC drugs  Wide range of effects depending on sensitivity  Alertness  Jitters, irritability  Racing heart  Upset stomach, diarrhea  Takes approximately 7 hours for 80mg of caffeine to be metabolized (1 cup of coffee)

How it Works  Caffeine extends performance by:  1. Enhancing fat use by stimulating production of adrenaline, which accelerates release of FA into bloodstream Muscle glycogen is spared when FA used for fuel

Caffeine, cont’d.  2. Decreases perceived exertion Direct effect on CNS Crosses blood-brain barrier; binds adenosine receptors Adenosine increases tiredness When caffeine takes its place it stimulates epinephrine release Feel good hormone during exercise

Caffeine Stats  Studies show up to 22% increase in performance  Well conditioned vs. untrained  Doses: 3-5 mg/kg BW minutes before exercise 9mg seems to be cutoff where it begins to have negative effects Example: 160lbs = 73kg  mg

Caffeine

Creatine  Naturally occurring compound found mostly in muscle  2/3 of creatine stored as Phosphocreatine (PCr)  1/3 “free creatine”  Body can store more than is naturally produced  Can be obtained from foods:  Beef, salmon, cod, tuna, pork  Can be synthesized from glycine, arginine, methionine

Creatine- how it works  CrP serves as a source of super high energy bonds  When broken provide intense bursts of energy for short amounts of time  Significant improvements in sports that require high levels of strength/power  Strength training/power lifting  Cycling sprints  Rowing  CP also replenishes cellular reserves of ATP  More ATP = muscles can do more work!

Creatine – benefits of supplementation  Vegetarians who normally have lower stores of creatine can raise their muscular stores to levels similar to meat eaters  better ATP production  Increases bone mineral density in older individuals engaging in strength training  May be due to enhanced muscle mass/strength due to taking the creatine  Amateur swimmers sprinted faster in the last leg of their race

Creatine – Supplementation protocols  Loading phase: 0.3 g/kg/day for 5-7 days  Can increase muscle creatine/PCr by 10-40%  This phase “saturates” the muscles  Maintenance phase: 0.03 g/kg/day  Creatine monohydrate  Cycling phase?  Ceiling effect – more does not = better

Creatine – side effects  No published serious side effects when dosage instructions are followed  If too much is taken at once  upset stomach  Water weight gain can occur with daily intakes of 1-10 grams per day  Muscle cramping?  Must drink extra water when taking creatine!  Dosages of 40+ g/day = liver/kidney damage

Creatine + Carbohydrate  Taking creatine with CHO boosts muscle stores of CrP by as much as 60%  Creatine also increases insulin  more glucose taken into the cells and liver

Weight Gain Powders  Various combinations of pro, cho, fats, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc.  Studies show inconsistent results for claims that specific formulations promote muscle mass gain more so than added calories from food.  Chromium picolinate – linked to muscle growth because it increases action of insulin  Boron – may increase circulating testosterone

Weight Gain Powders  Phosphagain: 570 calories, creatine, taurine, l- glutamine  Taurine may also enhance action of insulin  Gainer’s Fuel: 1,400 calories, chromium picolinate, boron  Both have shown to be effective weight gain products however both contain calories, carbs and protein which are important to gaining mass!

Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil Made from coconut oil Shorter in length than other fats - Digested, transported, metabolized differently than other fats - Shuttled directly into cells to be burned for energy - Burned in the body like carbohydrates, may help boost endurance - ½ - 1 TBSP per dose, otherwise cramping and diarrhea

Beware of Nutrition Quackery  Sounds too good to be true  Distrust of reputable health organizations/professionals Medical Doctors Registered Dietitians  Beware of “nutritionists”  Case histories, testimonials, subjective evidence instead of science 