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THE
2005 AAB ON SUPPLEMENTS
FOR ATHLETES
A rule
of thumb about performance-enhancing substances: Any drug that is powerful
enough to effect metabolic changes will, almost by definition, have side effects.
WHAT
WORKS?
Supplement
studies are fraught with bias, usually funded by the manufacturer, and are difficult
to interpret.
Performance
benefits from legal supplements have been noted only with caffeine and creatine.
Both have some modest drawbacks that may need to be considered on a sport-specific
basis.
CAFFEINE
PRO'S
CON'S
Caffeine
is an effective stimulant.
Caffeine
allows the body to break down fat (triglycerides) into free fatty acids, which
are used instead of glycogen stores.
Preserving
glycogen means you can exercise harder, faster, and longer.
Improves
mental performance including recall and reflexes.
The
International Olympic Committee has set a limit to caffeine at 12 mcg/mL of urine
tested.
The
performance boost from caffeine diminishes in habitual users.
Caffeine
tolerance and response are highly variable from person to person.
Caffeine
is a diuretic, so hydration can become a concern.
For
sports requiring calmness, caffeine may be harmful
CREATINE
PRO'S
CON'S
Safe
and effective at helping to build muscle.
Buildup
of muscle and retention of water can be detrimental to athletes who require joint
range of motion, such baseball pitchers, or for whom weight is an issue, such
as cyclists specializing in climbing.
No
exhaustive studies tell us what happens when athletes stop taking creatine.
Some
athletes report increased cramping and unwanted water retention with creatine.
ANABOLIC
STEROIDS AND PROHORMONES
They
do speed recovery, but are illegal.
ALL
OTHER SUPPLEMENTS
There
is no solid evidence of performance benefits for any of them. Manufacturers hire
clever and experienced advertising and marketing people who use unpublished and
fabricated "data" including paid testimonials and scientific jargon to make unsubstantiated
claims and sell products to people (athletes) motivated to try anything that could
potentially enhance performance.
