Ergogenic Aids And other modalities and/or products marketed for fitness and athletics improvement – Can they hurt you? MATTHEW HARDER, ATC, CSCS

Ergogenic Aids  Ergogenic Aid: Any substance that can increase the capacity for bodily or mental labor, especially by eliminating fatigue symptoms.  Nutritional Ergogenic Aid: A substance that can enhance performance and are either nutrients, metabolic by-products of nutrients, food (plant) extracts, or substances commonly found in food (e.g. caffeine, creatine) that are provided in amounts more concentrated than in food.  Non-nutrient Ergogenic Aids – Includes anabolic steroids and their analogues, most of which are nearly universally banned by sports organizing bodies (NCAA, IOC, USOC, etc.).

Ergogenic Aids  Companies selling ergogenic aids often target different athlete populations.  Focusing on various sports aspects…  Strength  Power  Aerobic endurance  The ergogenic benefit derived from a balanced diet is legal, far less expensive, and much more likely to be safe than any potential benefit that might be provided in bottles and pills….

Ergogenic Aids  In most cases, the performance-enhancement claims attributed to ergogenic aids exceed reality.  The only truly credible source of information come from published scientific works, many of which are reviewed in the website for the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health (  Improvements are seen often due to a Placebo Effect

Nutritional Supplements  1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act  Definition of a supplement  Any product that contains vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, botanicals or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or combination of any of these ingredients  Removed dietary supplements from FDA regulation on the front end  FDA must prove a supplement is dangerous before its sale can be prohibited

Nutritional Supplements  1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act  Manufacturers do not have to provide scientific proof of claims  Manufacturers cannot state product is meant to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure a disease but can make indirect suggestions  Created a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to grow rapidly

Buyer Beware!!!  IOC funded study by Shanzer (Germany) from 10/00 to 11/01  Analyzed 634 products labeled as non-hormonal nutritional supplements from 13 countries and 215 different suppliers  94 products (14.8%) were found to be “positive supplements” (contained anabolic steroid precursors not declared on the label)  Anabolic androgenic steroid concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 190 micrograms per gram of supplement  23 products contained steroid precursors of nandrolone and testosterone  64 products contained steroid precursors of testosterone only  7 products contained steroid precursors of nandrolone only  Percentage of positive supplements per country  25.8% of products bought in Netherlands  22.7% of products bought in Austria  18.8% of products bought in UK  18.8% of products bought in US (45 positive out of 240 tested)

Anabolic Steroids and Anabolic Steroid Precursors  Are banned and tested for by the USOC, IOC, NCAA, NFL, NBA and MLB  NHL has no official policy and does not perform testing  You can be disqualified from participating in college sports if you test positive for a substance banned by the NCAA  Whether or not you knew it was banned  Whether or not the product was mislabeled

Consumer Responsibility  Studies by Maughan (2001) demonstrate that the dietary supplements athletes take might cause them to fail a doping test because they contain nandrolone (an anabolic steroid) or other banned substances.  Maughan cites numerous reports of athletes failing drug tests because herbal supplements they believed to be safe and legal actually contained banned substances.  If a banned substance is found in an athletes body, the athlete will fail the drug test, even if the athlete didn’t knowingly use the substance.

Categories of Ergogenic Aids  Ergogenic Aids fall into several categories…  Mechanical  Free weights, specialized equipment (lightweight shoes), training equipment (parachutes for sprinting), nasal strips for breathing…etc.  Pharmacological  Androgenic steroids and/or precursors, high dose nutrient supplements (vitamins and minerals)…etc.  Physiological  Blood doping, sauna, massage…etc.  Nutritional  Carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake, hydration strategies, consumption of food or substances found in food…etc.  Psychological  Hypnosis, relaxation techniques, imagery, motivational techniques…etc.

Ergogenic Aid Safety  Consider these points before purchasing or consuming a supplement or ergogenic aid!  Pregnant or breast feeding women should be cautious, supplements may be dangerous to the fetus or baby.  Certain medications and supplements can dangerously interact with each other.  Athletes undergoing surgery should be cautious. Some supplements, like omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit blood clotting.  Be cautious about “too good to be true” claims, or supplement companies offering money-back guarantees.

Ergogenic Aid Safety  Continued…  Choose brands labeled with NSF International, U.S. Pharmacopeia, or Consumer Lab seals. These in signify that the supplement actually contains the ingredients stated on the label and does not contain contaminants., potentially harmful ingredients, or banned substances not listed on the label.  Many supplements produced outside the United States may not be regulated and may therefore, contain potentially toxic substances.

Popular Ergogenic Aids  Carbohydrate as an Ergogenic Aid  Creatine Monohydrate  Proteins and Amino Acids  Caffeine  Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Carbohydrate as an Ergogenic Aid  In high-intensity exercise, carbohydrate (CHO) is the primary fuel used by the muscles.  In low-intensity, long duration exercise, fat may be the primary fuel source. However, fat need CHO for complete oxidation.  CHO depletion results in a dramatically reduced exercise performance.  How quickly an athlete can recover from exhaustive exercise by reestablishing muscle glycogen is an important factor.

Carbohydrate as an Ergogenic Aid  In activities such as soccer and hockey, where competition frequency and exercise intensity make glycogen depletion more likely, consumption of CHO during a competition is a logical strategy to avoid glycogen depletion.  After exercise, it seems logical to consume a CHO food (1 gram per kilogram of body weight) to reduce protein breakdown and aid in protein synthesis.

Creatine Monohydrate  A compound made from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, joins with phosphorus to make phosphocreatine (PCr).  PCr serves as a storage depot for maintaining adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels during high-intensity activities.  ATP is the energy fuel used by cells.  We can obtain creatine through meat.  Creatine “loading” can cause muscle PCr content to increase by as much as 50%

Proteins and Amino Acids  Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins.  Many athletes consume protein or amino acid supplements, believing they will promotes muscle building.  It is more critical for an athlete to meet his/her caloric needs rather than exceeding protein or amino acid intake.  Food is usually cheaper and safer than supplementing with proteins and amino acid supplements  An athlete should consume grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.  Excess consumption will be stored as a fat molecule.

Caffeine  A central nervous system stimulant has been shown to help endurance-type performance in athletes.  Caffeine ingestion significantly increases free fatty acid concentration in plasma….allowing for FFAs to be used as fuel during activity.  Frequent and regular consumption results in a reduced dose effect.  Overconsumption of caffeine is associated with irritability, insomnia, diarrhea, and anxiety.  Caffeine consumed between 3-9 milligrams per kilogram appears to aid performance in endurance type activity.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids  Available as over the counter supplements…or easily obtained through regular consumption of cold-water fish (salmon, herring, sardines).  May be beneficial and useful for reducing muscle soreness.  Other benefits include:  Improved oxygen delivery and nutrients to muscles and other tissues.  Improved aerobic metabolism  Higher release of somatotropin in response to normal stimuli  Inflammation reduction and faster recovery  A study by Tartibian et al. found a lower level of perceived pain associated with delayed-onset muscle soreness in untrained men who took omega-3 fatty acids

Summary  Many claims of ergogenic aids have little or no scientific support.  Most products sold as ergogenic aids have not been tested to determine their safety.  Studies show that 25% of ergogenic aids contain banned substances not listed on the label.  Athletes who consume ergogenic aids show look for labels indicating they have been tested and ensure content and purity.  Many ergogenic aids work well because they fulfill a dietary weakness, often associated with inadequate energy intake.

MAIN MESSAGE!!!  THERE IS NO ERGOGENIC AID THAT CAN MAKE UP FOR A PROPER FLUID INTAKE, SOLID NUTRITION INTAKE, AN APPROPRIATE TRAINING PROGRAM, AND SUFFICIENT REST!!

QUESTIONS???