Supplements & Ergogenic Aids - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Supplements can come in many forms and serve a variety of purposes. The most common type is probably vitamin and mineral supplements that people take when these nutrients are inadequate in an individual′s regular diet. While this may be necessary for some, most health professionals agree that a balanced diet, sufficient rest, and regular exercise are the key ingredients for a healthy life.
It is not our job to tell you whether it is right or wrong to take supplements, merely to inform you about their uses and effects. Before you resort to any type of supplements however, it is always best to consult your physician and a registered dietician on your specific needs and to do regular assessments.
Other health supplements include antioxidants and herbal remedies intended to help fight disease and maintain health. Always ensured that the products are produced by credible companies and, again, inquire with a licensed health professional before use.
The third type of supplement has probably received the greatest amount of media attention in the fitness industry: ergogenic aids and performance enhancing substances. These products aim to improve one′s physical appearance or performance, but unfortunately, they also tend to have numerous, undesirable side-effects. The following will provide a glance at some of these supplements out in the market today and their potential gains and risks.
Nutritional Aids
Creatine
Creatine is an oral supplement that is widely available in the market. This amino acid is naturally present in skeletal muscles and is employed in fast ATP production for short, high-intensity activities. Creatine supplements functions by replenishing phosphocreatine stores during exercise to avoid muscle fatigue and provide a ready supply for fast-twitch muscle fibres. This allows an athlete to perform at near maximal intensity for longer durations, but it will not enhance the individual′s strength.
Only a very limited amount of creatine can be stored in muscle fibres before saturation; any excess creatine is released in the user′s urine. Creatine appears to have a greater effect on a select number of people and in certain interval activities, such as swimming, running and cycling.
On the other hand, many healthy individuals do not respond well to creatine supplementation. By increasing electrolyte concentrations in the body, creatine can lead to greater water retention and thus a bloated appearance. Putting down creatine after a lengthily period of use can also result in a drop in energy and physical appearance due to a loss of water.
At the moment, long-term research surrounding creatine and its effectiveness have been largely limited. Scientists believe that as creatine gains greater public attention and long-term usage, more of its adverse effects may begin to surface.
Carnitine
Carnitine is promoted as a ″fat burner″ that claims to ″decrease lactate production, increase VO2 max, delay fatigue, spare glycogen and aids fat loss″. At the moment, experimental data has not provided any results that can support any of these assertions. Chemically, carnitine is composed of nitrogen containing short-chain carboxylic acid that transports fats to the mitochondria for ATP production. This chemical also helps remove excess coenzymes from the mitochondria that could accumulate during exercise.
Although heavily advertised by marketers, carnitine is naturally produced in the kidneys and liver and can be found in many meats, poultry, fish and milk products. Carnitine levels have not been shown to drop significantly in muscle tissue during exercise either.
Whey Protein Powder
Probably the only ″safe″ ergogenic supplement in this list, whey protein is a type of globular protein derived from the liquid by-product of cheese production. As a dietary supplement, dried whey powder is a rich source of amino acids (particularly leucine) that are employed in protein synthesis and used as fuel for energy production. Effectively, whey protein supplementation can be used to speed up adaptation in exercise and recovery time. A growing branch of research has also suggested that the amino acids in whey protein can act as antioxidants in the body to reduce the risk of cancer and heart diseases.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a common alkaloid compound found in many foods, most commonly coffee, tea and chocolate. The rate that caffeine comes into effect varies with how regular it is consumed. Experimental results suggest that caffeine heightens alertness by interacting with adenosine receptors in the brain and can improve physical performance during endurance and short, intense activities.
Like other nutritional aids however, caffeine can be detrimental as well. By delaying perception of fatigue, athletes with caffeine in their bodies may train beyond a safe threshold. As a diuretic, it can also lead to dehydration during exercise. Overuse, can also lead to irritability, nervousness and dependency.
Pharmacological Aids
Pain-masking Drugs
Known as narcotic analgesics, pain-masking drugs allow athletes to ignore pain that may result from injury. Chemical compounds in these products may include morphine, heroin, pethidine and dextropropoxyphene. These drugs intercept impulses from pain receptor from traveling to the brain.
There are two shortcomings with pain-masking drugs. By not being able to perceive pain, athletes take the risk of extending an injury by continuing training and not taking the proper recovery. At the same time, many pain-masking drugs are highly addictive with high tolerance that can make users to be dependent on them.
Anabolic Steroids
One of the most denounced performance-enhancing drugs out there today, anabolic steroids have been widely abused until the surface of its many detrimental effects. Also known as androgens, or androgenic steroids, these synthetic drugs are derived from the male hormone, testosterone. Like testosterone, anabolic steroids stimulate protein synthesis, preserve phosphate, potassium and nitrogen in the body, and decreases amino acid breakdown. In effect, the body composition is changed to decrease fat and build lean muscle mass.
As mentioned however, anabolic steroids often, if not always, have harmful consequences on the body. These may include mood swings and aggressiveness, liver scarring, stunted growth, acne, and premature balding. Women who take anabolic steroids also take the risk of disrupting menstrual patterns and developing male characteristics such as facial hair growth and a deepened voice. Anabolic steroids are banned by nearly all sport governing organizations.
Prohormones
Prohormones share many of the properties of anabolic steroids and chemically mimic testosterone. Like the aforementioned, prohormones cause a number of unfavorable changes to the body and are blacklisted by almost all sport organizations.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
A natural product from the pituitary gland in the brain, athletes may take synthetic injections of this drug for prospective muscle mass, aerobic endurance, and stronger bones. Although clinical benefit of human growth hormone is seen when administered to adults with a deficiency in growth hormone, the alleged physical performance gains have not yet been proven.
Abusive use of growth hormone can cause the permanent growth of hands and feet, bones and vital, internal organs such as the heart, kidneys, and liver.
Erythropoietin
Produced naturally by the kidneys, erythropoietin is a hormone used to produce red blood cells. Synthetic erythropoietin is therefore used to increase hemoglobin production in red blood cells in an attempt to maximize oxygen-carrying capacity and performance in endurance sports. Additional red blood cell count can be taxing on heart and abusers run the risk of heart fatigue, or worse, heart failure.
