| These include: |
|
antioxidant supplements |
|
protein supplements |
|
branched- chain amino acid (BCAA) supplememts |
|
meal replacement products |
|
creatine |
|
glutamine |
|
HMB |
|
DHEA |
|
pro- hormones |
|
ephedrine |
|
caffeine |
| |
| We will cover what they
are, how they work, their possible benefits, suggested
doses, possible side effects and whether they are allowed by
the IOC. |
| |
ANTIOXIDANTS |
Antioxidant fact file
 |
| What are they? |
| Substances that quench free
radicals. They include enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and
phytochemicals. |
| |
|
What
are their benefits? |
|
They help
reduce the symptoms and risks associated with high levels of
free radicals generated during exercise, protect against
age- related diseases, slow down the effects of aging. |
| |
| Who could they benefit? |
| Anyone involved in regular
exercise or sport |
| |
| How much? |
| Not certain, but levels
around 15-25m beta-carotene, up to 1000mg vitamin C,
250-500mg vitamin E and 50-100pg selenium are advised by
leading scientists. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| No toxic effects form large
doses of antioxidant vitamins, but doses of selenium over
900pg can be toxic (cause nausea, vomiting). |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| Yes |
| |
| What is the evidence
for antioxidants? |
|
There is
much evidence that antioxidant supplements protect against
age-related diseases such as heart disease, some cancers and
cataracts. |
| |
| Researchers have also
concluded that antioxidant supplementation has a beneficial
effect as it reduced post- exercise soreness. |
| |
| How much should you
take? |
| Fruit and vegetables
provide a vast array of antioxidants, esp. beta- carotene,
vit C and folic acid, as well as protective nutrients called
phytochemicals. At least 5 portions of fruit and veg are
needed to prevent 20% of all cancers. Try get as many antiox
from food as possible. |
| |
| The dept. of health and the
World Health Organisation advises a minimum of 400g or 5
portions of fruit and veg daily. |
| |
| Recommended daily amounts
for athletes have not been set yet. However, it is doubtful
that an athlete’s requirements could be met by food alone.
Therefore it makes sense to take a daily antioxidant
supplement. |
| |
|
ANTIOXIDANT |
FOOD SOURCE |
|
Beta-
carotene |
Carrots,
red peppers, spinach, spring greens, mangoes,
apricots. |
|
Alpha- and
gamma- carotene |
Red
coloured fruit, red and green coloured vegetables. |
|
Canthaxanthin |
Tomatoes,
watermelon |
|
Coumaric
acid |
Green
peppers, tomatoes, carrots |
|
Allicin
saponins |
Onions,
garlic, leeks |
|
Glucosinolates |
Broccoli,
cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts |
|
Sulphoramine |
Broccoli |
|
Lycopene |
Tomatoes |
|
Lutein |
Green
vegetables |
|
D- limonene |
Pith of
citrus fruit |
|
Ellagic
acid |
Grapes,
strawberries, cherries |
|
| |
| Heart disease protection |
|
. |
|
ANTIOXIDANT |
FOOD SOURCE |
|
Folate |
Spinach,
broccoli, curly kale, green cabbage, and other leafy
green vegetables. |
|
Quercetin |
Onions,
garlic, apples, grapes |
|
Phenols |
Grapes |
|
Resveratrol |
Grape
skins, red wine |
|
| |
| Are there any side
effects? |
| No toxic effects have been
found for the antioxidant vitamins. |
|
Large
doses of beta- carotene can turn your skin orange, but it is
harmless. |
| Large doses of vit C can
cause diarrhea and flatulence. |
| Vit E appears to be safe
even at levels of 2000mg per day. |
| However, selenium in high
doses can cause nausea, vomiting, hair loss and loss of
fingernails. Keep it to under 200pg a day. |
| The other antioxidant
minerals - zinc, magnesium and copper - may produce toxic
symptoms in high doses so stick to the upper safety limits. |
|
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|
PROTEIN |
| Protein
supplement fact file
|
| What are they? |
| Powders that mix with milk
or water to make a ‘shake’, or protein bars. Most popular
brands are based on whey protein (a milk protein). Other
protein ingredients include another type of milk protein
called casein or soy protein |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
|
Higher
biological value (BV) than food sources, whey proteins may
stimulate the immune system, high glutamine content spares
muscle and prevents immune suppression during heavy
training. |
| |
| Who could benefit? |
| More beneficial to strength
and power athletes, athletes on below- maintenance calorie
intakes, athletes undergoing very heavy training, possibly
vegans, and vegetarians. |
| |
| How much? |
| One or more servings daily-
just enough to make up the shortfall in your diet. |
| |
| Any side- effects? |
| Excessive intakes of
protein from supplements are neither harmful nor beneficial.
EXPENSIVE!! |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| Yes |
| |
| What is the evidence
for protein supplements? |
| Studies show that strength
and power athletes have a greater daily requirement for
protein than most endurance athletes. Strength athletes need
between 1,3-2,0g/kg body weight/day. The harder and more
intensely you train the greater your need for dietary
protein. Protein supplements allow athletes to make up the
shortfall in their diets. |
| |
| Do they have
additional benefits? |
| Yes. Whey protein isolates
have immune- enhancing and muscle- sparing properties.. In
addition, reputable brands are well- formulated, containing
not only high quality protein but other key nutrients (e.g..
vitamins, minerals, selected amino acids, carbohydrates,
essential fatty acids). |
| |
| When is the best time
to take a protein supplement? |
|
It is best
to consume protein in 5-6 divided doses throughout the day.
This will ensure a steady supply of amino acids to the
tissues and therefore favour the build- up of lean tissue
and minimize catabolism. In practice, you should include at
least one food source of protein at each meal, and also take
a protein supplement in one or two snack meals as necessary. |
| |
| Strength and power athletes
would benefit further by including protein in their
post-workout meal, or taking a protein supplement together
with a high carbohydrate food e.g.. bananas. |
| |
| What type of protein
is best? |
| Protein-based supplements
may contain one or more of the 4 types of protein; |
|
WHEY |
|
CASEIN |
|
SOY |
|
EGG |
| |
| Each type has its own
merits. Whey however seems to offer the most advantages and
is the main ingredient in most brands of supplements on the
market. |
| |
| Are there any side
effects? |
| No. Fears about high
intakes causing liver and kidney damage, dehydration or
calcium loss have not been proven conclusively. |
| |
| Advantages of whey |
|
These are
proteins extracted from curdled milk.
Isolated
whey protein has a higher BV (biological value) than
any wholefood source. This means that it has an amino acid
profile that is better matched to muscle proteins than any
other food. It is also extremely easy to digest. |
| |
| It also has an especially
high concentration of IAAs about half of which are BCAAs
compared with other proteins. This means that whey protein
has a ‘muscle-sparing’ effect, which means it
minimizes muscle protein breakdown during intense exercise.
BCAAS make up a high proportion of muscle tissue and are the
first to be broken down for energy during high intensity
prolonged exercise. So the more BCAAs you have, the less
likely it is that you will breakdown existing muscle tissue. |
| |
| It also has an
immune-enhancing ability. Studies show that the amino
acid make-up of whey can stimulate the production of
glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps
support the immune system. This is particularly useful
during times of intense training when the immune system is
suppressed. |
| |
| It may also stimulate
muscle growth by increasing insulin-like growth
factor-1 (IGF-1) production - a powerful anabolic
hormone made in the liver that enhances protein manufacture
in muscles. |
| |
| Advantages of casein |
| It has a high BV relative
to food sources, which means a relatively high % of the
amino acids are utilized for tissue growth. |
| |
| It is especially high in
the amino acid glutamine. This can help spare muscle mass
during intense exercise and prevent exercise-induced
suppression of the immune system. |
| |
| Casein also travels through
the gut more slowly than whey protein. This slow transit
means that amino acids and peptides could be absorbed more
thoroughly and therefore a greater % of the protein could be
absorbed. |
| |
| Advantages of soy
protein |
| It has the highest
concentration of the key amino acids that are important for
muscle growth: BCAAS, glutamine and arginine. These amino
acids make up 36% of the soy protein. The glutamine content
is similar to that of casein, so it’s a good protein for
sparing muscle tissue during intense exercise |
| |
| It is also thought to
enhance the production of thyroid hormones. These are
important for regulating the metabolic rate. |
| |
| Advantages of egg
protein |
| Egg protein has a BV of
100, higher than any wholefood source and has long been
considered the highest quality protein available out of all
the wholefood proteins. However, technology has brought us
‘new’ proteins (the whey isolates) that have even higher BVs. |
|
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|
BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACIDS |
|
BCAA Fact File
|
| What are they? |
| Three IAAs that have
branched molecular configurations : valine, leucine, and
isoleucine. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| They may decrease protein
breakdown during intense exercise but may not offer any
advantage over carbohydrate supplementation. |
| |
| Who could they benefit? |
| Athletes on a fat loss
program who are consuming inadequate carbohydrates. |
| |
| How much? |
| 4g taken during and after
exercise |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| BCAAs are relatively safe
as they are normally found in protein in the diet. Excessive
intakes may reduce the absorption of other amino acids in
the body. |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| Yes |
| |
| What are they? |
| The BCAAs include the 3
IAAs with a branched molecular structure ; leucine, valine
and isoleucine. They make up one third of muscle protein. |
| |
| What do they do? |
| They are thought to prevent
the break down of muscle tissue during exercise. They can
also be used directly by the muscles as fuel, esp. when
glycogen is depleted, studies confirm that under conditions
of stress, injury, or exercise, the body uses a
disproportionately high amount of the BCAAs for energy. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| Studies show that taking 4g
BCAA during and after exercise can reduce muscle breakdown.
They seem to be effective in preserving muscle in athletes
on a low carb diet. |
| |
| However it is unclear if
they have any benefits on performance. |
| |
| Who could benefit
from BCAAs? |
| Athletes, esp. body
builders, report muscle strength and growth benefits from
BCAA supplementation. However, they are not just for power
athletes. Endurance athletes can also benefit from
supplementation with them |
| |
| They are usually an
ingredient of most protein and meal replacement products, so
it is probably not worth taking them if you are already
taking such a supplement. |
|
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|
MEAL REPLACEMENT
PRODUCTS (MRPs) |
|
MRP fact file
|
| What are they? |
| Multinutrient supplements
designed to a provide near- perfect balance of nutrients,
and possibly other ergogenic aids, in a drink. |
| |
| What are their benefits? |
| It takes the guesswork out
of meal planning, highly convenient, good way of combining
nutrients and supplements. Best used as ‘snacks’ rather than
meal substitutes. |
| |
| Who could they benefit? |
| Any athletes with high
nutritional needs. |
| |
| How much? |
| One or more servings per
day, just enough to make up the shortfall in the diet. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| High intakes are unlikely
to be harmful, although they will provide no further benefit
either. They may also lead to weight gain if they cause you
to consume more calories than you burn. |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| Yes. However, you must
check the ingredients for banned substances such as caffeine
or ephedrine. |
| |
| What are MRPs |
| They are multinutrient
powders which mix with water or milk to make a ‘shake’. They
are designed to provide as complete a nutritional package as
possible, comprising of carefully calculated quantities of
protein powder (usually whey and/or casein and/or other
milk proteins), carbohydrate (usually maltodextrin and/or
various sugars), vitamins and minerals. |
| |
| Some MRPs have extra
ergogenic nutrients such as creatine and glutamine to
combine all the benefits of all the ingredients. |
| |
| Why take MRPs instead
of food? |
| They should be seen as
supplement rather than substitute meals. Their 2 biggest
advantages over food are convenience and ‘completeness’.
They usually have a good nutritional profile and are low in
calories and fat. They are quick and easy to prepare, and
easy to carry with you. They will not have a significant
effect on your performance, strength or stamina, but they
will help you meet your nutritional needs and take the
guesswork out of meal and snack planning. |
|
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|
CREATINE |
|
Creatine fact file
|
| What is it? |
| It is made naturally from 3
amino acids in the body, stored mostly as phosphocreatine
(PC) in the muscles. PC generates energy during high
intensity activity. When you have a quick-energy need, your
anaerobic system breaks down PC to resupply ATP to your
muscles. This system delivers a great boost if you have a
high-intensity short-term need, but the ATP supplied from it
is depleted rapidly. Creatine products are designed to boost
the body’s reserve of useable PC for energy. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Prolongs maximal power
output, speeds recovery between high-intensity ‘sets’,
increases lean and total body mass, and buffers lactic acid
build-up in muscles. |
| |
| Who would benefit? |
| Athletes involved in
high-intensity and anaerobic-based sports, interval training
and possibly aerobic sports that include some anaerobic
bouts. |
| |
| How much? |
| Either a loading dose of
20g (4x5g) per day for 5 days followed by 2g a day
maintenance; or a daily 3-6g divided dose for 30 days.
Reload after 8-12 weeks. |
| |
| Side effects? |
| The only proven side effect
is the weight gain as water and/or lean muscle mass. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Yes |
| |
| What does creatine
supplementation do? |
| Increasing the muscle
stores of PC through creatine supplementation would
theoretically increase the ability to maintain power output
during intense exercise and promote recovery between short
bursts of exercise. This would result in more effective
training gains and give the athlete the competitive edge. |
| |
| Creatine supplementation
raises PC stores by 10-40%. Elevates creatine levels would
allow athletes to maintain greater training volumes,
particularly if involved in short bursts of activity (eg.
Weight training, sprinting, football, rugby). Creatine
supplementation may help athletes by one or more of the
following mechanisms: |
| |
|
Boosts the short-term energy stores of PC so the duration of
maximal exercise can be increased |
|
Speeds the recovery between ‘sets’ so it is beneficial for
high-intensity bursts |
|
Promotes protein manufacture and muscle hypertrophy (by
drawing water into the cells), increasing lean body mass |
|
Reduces muscle acidity (it buffers excess hydrogen ions),
thus allowing more lactic acid to be produces before fatigue
sets in |
| |
| What is the evidence for
creatine? |
| Anaerobic performance |
| Of all the studies done,
creatine supplementation has proved to be beneficial in over
half of the cases. |
| Aerobic performance |
|
There is
less evidence that it is beneficial in aerobic-based sports.
This is probably because the PC energy system is less
important during endurance activities. It may however
increase an athletes’ lactate threshold and provide some
benefit. |
| Body mass and
composition |
| Studies show that short
term creatine supplementation increases body mass. This
effect occurs in males, females, trained and sedentary
people, elite and non-elite athletes. Well-trained athletes
show considerable increases in lean body mass. |
| |
| The observed gains in
weight are due partly to and increase in cell volume and
partly to muscle synthesis. |
| |
| 1. It is
an osmotically active substance, ie. it causes water to be
move across cell membranes. When muscle cell creatine
concentration increases, water is drawn into the cell. It is
thought that the raised cell volume caused by creatine
supplementation acts as an anabolic signal and can stimulate
protein synthesis and reduce protein breakdown. The result
is increased lean tissue. |
| |
| 2.
Creatine may have a direct effect on protein synthesis. |
| |
|
3.
If creatine
improves the quality of resistance training over time, this
would lead to faster gains in mass, strength and power. |
| |
| Who could
benefit from creatine supplementation? |
| Athletes in
sports that involve high-intensity bursts of activity
benefit the most. It may benefit aerobic athletes too if
bursts of high intensity effort are needed. |
| |
| Does it
work for everyone? |
| No. Not
everyone responds well to creatine. In some people, creatine
concentrations rise very slightly. It may be due to
differences in muscle fibre types. Fast-twitch fibres (FT)
tend to build up higher concentrations of creatine than
slow-twitch (ST). This means that athletes with naturally
low FT fibre compositions may experience smaller gains from
creatine supplementation. Taking creatine with a
carbohydrate may help solve the problem as carbohydrate
raises insulin, which, in turn, helps creatine uptake by
muscle cells. |
| |
| What is
the best form of creatine? |
| Creatine
monohydrate is the most widely available form of creatine.
It looks like a white powder, dissolves readily in water and
is virtually tasteless. It is simply a molecule of creatine
with a molecule of water attached to it so that it is more
stable. It is the most concentrated form and is the least
expensive. |
| |
| You can also
get creatine monohydrate attached to carbohydrate, taurine,
glutamine, and amino acid, all of which claim to make it
more effective. |
| |
| Studies have
shown that insulin can stimulate creatine transport into the
cells and so some manufacturers have added a carbohydrate to
the creatine dose. This high GI carb causes an increase in
insulin which, in turn, drives the creatine into the muscle
cells. However, by taking creatine monohydrate with a food
or drink containing carbohydrate works just as well and is
much cheaper |
| |
| How much
should you take? |
| The key to
efficient creatine supplementation is to take small
quantities at a time- to slow the absorption from the gut.
Roger Harris (1998) recommends taking only 0,5-1g at a time
with a daily dose of 6g and sprinkling it on your food so
that it reduces your absorption rate. Over a 5- or 6-day
period that will produce results equivalent to taking 20g
per day. After that, a maintenance dose of 2g a day will
keep creatine muscle levels high enough. The loading
strategy can be repeated in8-12 weeks. |
| |
| Alternatively,
you can load up with 3g a day for 30 days. This technique
produces the least water retention. |
| |
| Muscle has a
maximal creatine storage capacity of 150-160mmol/kg, which
makes supplementation over the recommended quantities a
waste of time and money. |
| |
| Guidelines when using
creatine |
| 1. Take it
60mins before your training session so that it is in your
bloodstream during the workout. Take it with a high GI carb
as carbs seem to help transport the creatine to the muscles
and boost the amount they retain significantly. |
| 2. When the
week-long loading period is over, stop the loading and move
to a maintenance dosage. Once you achieve muscle saturation,
anything above a maintenance dose is a waste of money. |
| 3. Creatine
loading can dehydrate you. Drink a lot of extra water during
the program. |
| 4. Studies
show that caffeine cancels creatine’s performance benefit.
Don’t waste your creatine by washing it down with a
caffeinated drink. |
| 5. Some people
experience bloating, gas, cramping, diarrhea, or a
combination of these symptoms when they load. Try increasing
your fluid intake to alleviate these symptoms. If that
doesn’t help, reduce your dose. |
| 6. Experiment
with loading during a hard training period. Don’t initiate
the practice just before a competition. |
| |
| Are there any side
effects? |
| The only proven side effect
is weight gain. All the studies conducted indicate that
there are no health risks associated with creatine
supplementation. |
| |
| When would it be a
disadvantage? |
| The body weight gain would
be a disadvantage in athletes who need to be light, for
example, long distance running, swimming and cycling. The
extra weight will slow them down. It’s a matter of weighing
up the potential advantage of increased maximal power and/or
lean muscle mass against the possible disadvantage of
increased weight. |
| |
| What happens when I
stop taking it? |
| When you stop
supplementing, elevated creatine levels will droop very
slowly to normal levels over a period of 4 weeks. During
supplementation the body’s own synthesis of creatine is
depressed but this is reversible. |
|
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|
GLUTAMINE |
|
Glutamine fact file
|
| What is it? |
| Dispensable amino acid (DAA)
found in muscle cells, the major fuel of the immune system. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Helps prevent muscle
breakdown and suppresses exercise-induced immune depression. |
| |
| Who could it benefit? |
| Any athlete during periods
of intense training or immediately after prolonged intense
exercise (eg. Major competition) |
| |
| How much? |
| 100mg/kg body weight during
2-hour post-exercise period. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| No |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| It is labeled as
‘nonpermissible’ by the NCAA (national college athletic
association). |
| |
| What is it? |
| Glutamine is a DAA. It can
be made in the muscle cells from other amino acids (glutamic
acid, valine, and isoleucine) and is the most abundant free
amino acid in muscle cells. It is essential for cell growth
and is a critical source of energy for immune system cells
called lymphocytes. |
| |
| What does glutamine
supplementation do? |
| It indirectly promotes
muscle growth by increasing cell hydration. When cells are
swollen with water the breakdown of protein and glycogen is
inhibited while the synthesis of protein and glycogen is
promoted. This is a favourable state for athletes. |
| |
| The idea behind glutamine
supplementation is that when taken during stressful
catabolic periods (e.g. intense training), it should help
prevent muscle breakdown and boost the immune system. |
| |
| During training, stress,
illness or trauma, cell hydration takes a back seat to more
important survival processes. So, muscle and blood levels of
glutamine drop as demand exceeds supply. This causes a
domino effect on the immune system and cell volume. Without
adequate fuel (glutamine) immune cell activity is impaired.
As a result, athletes are more susceptible to minor
infections and illness, and as cell volume decreases the
muscles become catabolic and there is a net breakdown in
muscle tissue. |
| |
| Every cell in your body
uses glutamine, and maintaining an ample supply- which is
crucial for supporting your immune and CV systems, building
muscles, replenishing glycogen stores after exercise,
protecting you brain from ammonia toxicity, and much more-
can take special dietary efforts. If you don’t have enough
of it, your muscles will begin to atrophy, and you may even
get sick. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| Studies show that glutamine
taken immediately after intense prolonged exercise and again
2 hours later, boosted immune cell activity and lowered the
risk of illness in professional athletes. Studies have also
shown that it may promote muscle growth and/or prevent upper
respiratory tract infections among athletes. |
| |
| How much? |
| No ideal dose has been
determined. Usually around 100mg/ kg body weight in the 2
hours following strenuous exercise has been suggested. You
can take it before and after workouts, but taking it
afterwards is the most important. |
| |
| What is the best
form? |
| You can get it from a
protein supplement fortified with glutamine or as a separate
supplement. Both provide adequate amounts. But the
supplement should be taken straight after training. |
|
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|
HMB |
| HMB fact
file
|
| What is it? |
| A metabolite of the amino
acid leucine. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Reduces muscle damage,
repairs and builds muscle after exercise, increases muscle
strength, reduces body fat. |
| |
| Who could benefit? |
| Strength and power
athletes, athletes wishing to gain lean muscle mass,
possibly endurance athletes. |
| |
| How much? |
| 38,1mg/kg body weight/day –
approx 3g (men) or 2g (women) |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| No. Excess is excreted in
the urine. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Yes |
| |
| What is HMB? |
| HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate)
is made in the body from the BCAA, leucine. You can also
obtain it from a few foods such as grapefruit, alfalfa and
catfish. |
| |
| What does it do? |
| It assists the immune
system, builds muscle, decreases body fat and lowers blood
cholesterol. It is involved in cellular repair. It protects
muscle protein from excessive breakdown and accelerates
repair. Thus it helps build muscle and repair tissue more
rapidly after exercise. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| Studies show it reduces
muscle damage and produces greater strength gains. It works
equally as well in men and women, trained and untrained
individuals. |
| |
| It may also reduce body
fat, probably due to the increase in muscle. Since muscle
burns more calories during rest and exercise, the more
muscle you have, the more calories you expend. |
| |
| Who could benefit? |
| Endurance and strength
athletes. It minimizes muscle damage and promotes faster
recovery. |
| |
| How much? |
| A daily dose of 3g for men
and 2g for women is recommended. |
|
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|
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and human growth hormone |
|
DHEA Fact File
|
| What is it? |
| An adrenal steroid hormone. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| No proven benefit.
Theoretically, it increases testosterone levels and may
reduce body fat. |
| |
| Who could benefit? |
| Insufficient evidence to
recommend its use to anyone. Definitely should not be used
by anyone in drug-tested sports. |
| |
| How much? |
| Doses of 50-100mg have been
used in studies. |
| |
| Side effects? |
| No major effects, except
for excess facial hair in women. Higher doses may result in
liver toxicity and prostate cancer in men. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Legal to buy but prohibited
by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) |
| |
| What is DHEA? |
| It is the most abundant
steroid produced by the adrenal glands. It plays a central
role in the production of other hormones. |
| |
| What does it do? |
| It is converted to the more
powerful androgenic and anabolic hormones: oestrogen,
testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone. Lowered DHEA is
associated with increased abdominal fat storage, loss of
muscle mass, fatigue and decreased sex drive. The theory is
that because DHEA is a precursor of testosterone,
supplementation should increase testosterone. This is a
powerful anabolic hormone that increases muscle mass and
decreases body fat. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| Despite it’s widespread
use, no studies have shown conclusively that it has any
effect on body composition in trained athletes. However,
studies in older and sedentary people, obese people and
animals, suggest that it may be effective in reducing body
fat. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Yes |
|
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|
PRO-HORMONES |
|
Pro-hormone fact file
|
| What are they? |
| Inactive substances which
are converted to active hormones in the body. The ‘andro’
compounds are precursors to testosterone. The ‘nor’
compounds are precursors tonandrolone. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Theoretically, they
increase testosterone production, strength and muscle mass.
In practice, there is no scientific proof for their
purported effects. |
| |
| Who could they benefit? |
| According to their
marketing claims, strength and power athletes should
benefit. |
| |
| How much? |
| Manufacturers recommend
daily doses between 50 and 100mg. |
| |
|
Any
side effects? |
| May raise oestrogen levels
and decrease HDL. May raise nandrolone levels, therefore
banned in drug-tested sports. |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| Legal to buy, but may
result in illegal levels of testosterone or nandrolone. |
| |
| What are prohormones? |
|
They are
steroid compounds that can be converted by the body into
potently active steroid hormones such as testosterone. The
pro-hormones possess only very weak anabolic properties, but
when converted to hormones, they have a powerful anabolic
effect, increasing muscle mass and strength. |
| |
| Androstenedione is produced
naturally in the body from DHEA and is then converted into
testosterone. There are a number of ‘andro’ derivatives on
the market that are then converted by the body into
testosterone. |
| |
| Another pro-hormone,
19-norandrostenedione, does not convert to testosterone, but
to a less androgenic compound called nandrolone which also
causes increased muscle mass and strength. |
| |
| What do pro-hormones
do? |
| The theory behind “andro’
supplements is that they increase the body’s production of
testosterone, which in turn helps build muscle and gain
strength. The norcompounds are claimed to be converted into
nandrolone, a potent androgenic hormone that increases
muscle mass and size and speeds up recovery. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| It has been suggested that
under-the-tongue forms of pro-hormone work more effectively
than oral pro-hormone supplements. |
| |
| Are there side
effects? |
| The ‘andros’ may increase
oestrogen and decrease HDL levels. This can lead to
gynecomastia and lowered libido in men. Reduced HDL
increases your risk for heart disease. Another possible side
effect is reduced prostate function which can result in
lowered sperm count. It can also cause “roid rage”. They can
cause radical, violent behavior. |
| |
| Are they legal? |
| They are not permitted by
the IOC. |
|
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|
EPHEDRINE |
|
Ephedrine fact file
|
| What is it? |
| A stimulant substance
derived from the ephedra or mahuang plant. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Increases alertness,
arousal, and motivation to train; increases thermogenesis
and helps fat loss. |
| |
| Who could it benefit? |
| Not recommended to anyone
in drug-tested sports. In practice it is taken by endurance
and strength athletes to increase workout intensity and
duration and to aid weight loss. |
| |
| How much? |
| Up to 25mg in one dose is
considered safe in cold and flu remedies, higher doses
around 150mg would be needed to produce a stimulant effect. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| Anxiety, heart
palpitations, hypertension, insomnia, and if taken in high
enough doses it can be fatal. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Legal to buy but banned by
the IOC. |
| |
| What is ephedrine?
|
| It is a drug rather than a
supplement. It is a common ingredient in ‘energy boosters’
and ‘fat burners’ and weight loss supplements. |
| |
| It is also used in low
concentrations in cold and flu remedies and in cough syrup.
It comes from the dried young branches of the Ephedra
sinica plant, and asian shrub commonly known as ephedra
or mahuang. |
| |
| What does ephedrine
do? |
| It is chemically similar to
amphetamines which act on the brain and central nervous
system. Athletes use it because it increases arousal,
physical activity and the potential for neuromuscular
performance. It is often combined with caffeine which
roughly doubles the effect of the ephedrine. |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| It is a proven stimulant.
However, it has little effect on strength and endurance.
They are used because they have a ‘speed-like’ effect and
make you feel more alert, awake, motivated to train hard and
more confident. |
| |
| There is also some evidence
that it helps fat loss: partly due to and increase in
thermogenesis and partly because it suppresses the appetite
and partly because it makes you more active. |
| |
| When taken as a
‘caffeine-ephedrine stack’ or as a
‘caffeine-ephedrine-aspirin stack,’ it is thought that it
has a greater effect on thermogenesis and weight loss. The
caffeine also stimulates the beta-2 agonist receptors on
muscle cells, which could increase the force of muscle
contractions. |
| |
| Are there any side
effects? |
| It is safe in doses of
18-25mg, the amount used in medications. Too much can cause
increased heart rate, increased blood pressure,
palpitations, anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, nausea,
vomiting and dizziness. Very high doses (around 3000mg) can
be fatal. |
| |
| Caffeine-ephedrine stacks
produce adverse effects at even lower doses. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| It is classified as a
banned substance by the IOC. |
|
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|
CAFFEINE |
| Caffeine
fact file
|
| What is it? |
| A stimulant. |
| |
| What are the benefits? |
| Increases alertness,
concentration and endurance. |
| |
| Who could it benefit? |
| Athletes involved in both
high-intensity short-term activities and endurance athletes.
Not recommended to athletes in drug-tested sports. |
| |
| How much? |
| Doses between 210 and
1050mg will have no ergogenic effect. However this varies
between individuals. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| It varies, but it may
exacerbate anxiety and sleeplessness. Diuretic action may
cause dehydration if extra fluids are not consumed. |
| |
| Is it legal? |
| Legal to buy but banned by
the IOC at levels above 12pg/ml in the urine. |
| |
| What is caffeine? |
| It is a drug not a
nutritional supplement. It is found in drinks such as coffee
(50-100mg/cup), tea (30-60mg/cup), cola (50mg/330ml can),
herbs such as guarana and chocolate. It is also added to a
number of energy and sport drinks and to meal replacement
powders. |
| |
| What does it do? |
| It acts on the central
nervous system increasing alertness and concentration. It
also stimulates adrenaline release and mobilizes fatty acid
release. This means that more fatty acids are used for
energy and glycogen is spared. This would be advantageous in
many sports as this glycogen-sparing property would increase
endurance. Caffeine can also affect muscle contraction
positively by releasing calcium from its storage sites in
muscle cells. This would be advantageous in both aerobic and
anaerobic activities |
| |
| What is the evidence? |
| There is a huge amount of
research evidence that shows that caffeine improves
performance. It has proved beneficial in both short-term
high-intensity activities, such as 100m sprint runs or
swims, as well as aerobic activities, such as long distance
swimming and running. Positive effects have even been
demonstrated within the legal limits. |
| |
| Any side effects? |
| Its side effects include
sleeplessness, trembling and anxiety. Some people are more
susceptible than others to its effects. It is also a
diuretic, so it causes a net excretion of fluid from the
body. So you must make sure that you are adequately
hydrated, and consume extra fluid during exercise to offset
the diuretic effect. |
| |
| Is caffeine legal? |
| The IOC classifies it as a
stimulant, but as a constituent of drinks, it is permitted
in doses that produce a urine level of less than 12pg/ml. On
average the amount needed to reach this level is equivalent
to 8 cups of coffee or 16 cans of cola. |
|
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