The Truth About Supplements Revealed

As with all information and materials related to health, exercise and diet, you must first consult your doctor, physician or health care provider before implementing changes into your lifestyle. You must also consult your physician or doctor before using any supplement – especially if you are currently taking medication, have an existing medical condition or if you are pregnant. Sporting Excellence Ltd makes no representation or warranties of any kind with regard to the completeness, accuracy or safety of the contents of this book. Sporting Excellence Ltd accepts no liability of any kind for losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused directly, or indirectly, from using the information contained herein.

Published by Sporting Excellence Ltd 13 Scarisbrick New Road Southport Merseyside PR8 6PU England.

Copyright © Sporting Excellence Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without prior permission.

Disclaimer

The material contained within this book is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as an accompaniment or replacement to medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any illness, metabolic disorder, disease or health problem.

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Forward By Phil Davies

Thanks for downloading this e-book. I think you’ll enjoy reading it and I hope you’ll find it both fascinating and useful.

Most of us, at some point, have either used or seriously considered using nutritional supplements. That makes it big business and with big business comes very clever and very persuasive marketing. It’s easy to be enticed by the promises of improved health, a more attractive body and improved fitness – especially when the sacrifice of swallowing a few pills seems so small and painless.

The real sacrifice of course is the cost – both to your wallet and potentially to your health.

So how do you know if a product is worth your hard earned cash? How can you be sure it’s going to do what it actually claims it will without any harmful side effects?

The answer is to review the science – those completely unbiased experiments conducted by totally impartial scientists who aren’t in the back pocket of a supplement company. After all… That’s what Olympic Committees do.

Each country has an Olympic Committee that supports its athlete’s right up to Olympic level. They have to be sure that any supplement they officially recommend is safe, legal and actually works. Very often an Olympic Committee will cover the cost of an athlete’s supplements and you can bet your bottom dollar they will only pay for independently proven products! Of course, most of us have better things to be doing than researching scientific papers. It’s heavy going and it requires a certain degree of expertise to correctly interpret what you read. Hence the purpose of this book… My colleague, and author, Brian Dean is a fully qualified Registered Dietician. He “gets” the scientific stuff and he’s reviewed it for you here.

Fortunately for us, Brian can also translate scientific jargon into meaningful and interesting summaries. So not only is the information on these pages accurate and unbiased, it’s written in plain, easy-to-apply English. One final point…

We haven’t reviewed every supplement on the market – far from it. But we have covered the most popular ones for now. Consider this book as a work in progress that will be updated at regular intervals with additional supplements. Each time we add a new batch of reviews, we’ll send you the latest version of the e-book by e-mail (free of charge). Best wishes,

Phil Davies Phil Davies BSc, CSCS

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11 Supplement #2: Whey

15 Supplement #3: Glucosamine 19 Supplement #4: HMB 23 Supplement #5: CLA

27 Supplement #6: Caffeine 32 Supplement #7: CoQ10

36 Supplement #8: Echinacea 41 Supplement #9: Ephedra

45 Supplement #10: Essential Fats / Omega 369 50 Supplement #11: HGH

54 Supplement #12: Ribose

58 Supplement #13: Vitamin C & E / Antioxidants 62 Supplement #14: Chromium Picolinate 66 Supplement #15: Multivitamins 70 Supplement #16: Nitric Oxide

Table of Contents

6 Supplement #1: Creatine

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It seems that every time you flip on the TV, open a magazine, or click on an internet article, a new supplement is screaming “buy me!”. With fancy graphics, an eye grabbing headline, and a bold promise, it may be hard to resist the call of the latest and greatest supplement. The problem is, the vast majority of supplements on the market are either worthless or dangerous.

That’s not to say that there aren’t a handful of supplements that have the backing of clinical research and really work. There are. But these diamonds in the supplement rough are few and far between.

With thousands of supplements out there, and plenty more on the way, how can you even begin to decide what’s worth your hard earned money? The sheer volume of information is downright overwhelming. You certainly can’t rely on the agenda-driven advertisements that the supplement companies put out. Magazine and internet articles aren’t much of a help either –writers hired by the supplement companies write the vast majority of supplement content. How do I know? Because I wrote it. For years, supplement companies from around the world have hired me to write articles that help promote their new “cutting edge” supplement. Although I always spoke the truth, the things I wrote were often skewed in favor of the supplement –regardless of the science.

After years working on the inside, I’m ready to blow the lid off the supplement industry. In this guide, I’m putting the top fitness supplements on trial. As you’ll see, I’m tough, but fair. This time around, you’ll see supplements through the only truly objective lens:

Introduction

The Truth About Fitness Supplments Revealed

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We’ll be comparing and contrasting the claims with what empirical evidence says. Sometimes the claims and evidence match up. Sometimes they don’t. And sometimes there isn’t a clear-cut answer.

Believe it or not, but scientists still debate over which supplements are truly effective –and their level of effectiveness. For many supplements, the science is far from clear. Rather than have you wait for years until the scientists sort things out, I’m going to take a bird’s eye view of the most current literature and present to you the evidence as it currently stands. Simply put, I separate the wheat from the chaff –making your future supplement decisions easy. In the long run, this will save you precious time, money, and energy. Before we begin, take a moment to clear your mind of the marketing messages you’ve been exposed to. A clean slate will help you interpret the information presented here. Ready? Then put down your protein shake, spit out your pill and get ready to learn The Truth About Fitness Supplements.

Introduction

science. No hype, no marketing, no bull. Just facts and research.

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Creatine

Creatine is far from a new kid on the block in the supplement world. It’s been used for decades to boost performance. In fact, creatine is one of the most popular supplements in the world. Used by amateur bodybuilders and Olympic athletes –and everyone in betweencreatine has a broad base of research that most other supplements don’t.

As the years progress, the number of claims continue to pile on. Not only that, but it seems that for every claim, a new type of creatine is brought to market –claiming to be better absorbed, more easily utilized, or safer. Although some of creatine’s claims may be a tad strong, unlike inferior supplements that have nothing but bold claims, creatine actually has the science to back it up.

Claims

Increases strength, endurance, and muscle growth. Positive change in body composition (more muscle, less body fat,). Cognitive enhancements.

How it works

In essence, creatine works by giving your muscles more energy. When your muscle contracts, it uses up a molecule called ATP (ATP is commonly referred to as the energy “currency” of your body). When ATP is plentiful, a muscle can continue working as maximum strength. As soon as ATP falls, your muscle isn’t able to keep working at the same capacity.

Creatine works by replacing ATP molecules that are lost during exercise. Creatine is also being investigated for its ability to act as a cell messenger–sending messages to muscle tells telling them to grow. [1]

The Evidence

Overall, most of the claims for creatine have at least some evidence in their favor. Let’s look at each claim one by one. Increase Strength: This is the claim that’s most intensely researched in the scientific community. Regarding creatine and strength, there is no debate: creatine works at boosting strength.

Creatine

Supplement #1

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Creatine Way back in 1998, a study done at the University of Memphis found that creatine boosted strength in a number of different exercises.[2] Fast forward to 2009, and the evidence continues to mount. Research published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that just 5 days of creatine supplementation gave subjects a significant increase in strength. [3]

Increase Endurance: It’s still unclear whether creatine can help you run, swim, or do a few extra bench press reps. Although a few studies have found that creatine improves endurance, there are a number of others that show just the opposite.[4]

Based on the evidence, it seems that creatine can help with muscle endurance for strength training, but doesn’t do a thing for endurance sports like cycling or running.

Muscle Growth: Here’s another area where creatine is a clear winner. It’s a no brainer that lifting more weight will result in more muscle. That’s exactly what creatine does: by allowing you to lift a few extra reps with a few extra plates on the barbell, you’ll be giving your muscles more stimulus for growth. [3] In the long run, this translates to a significantly (and noticeable) boost in total muscle mass.

Body Composition: With an increase in muscle, you expect to have a lower body fat percentage and a better overall body composition, right? Not exactly. Although most studies show that taking creatine makes muscles grow, that doesn’t always translate into a difference recognized by science. That’s because it takes a huge increase in muscle mass to tip the scales to where body fat percentage is deemed “statistically significant”.[5] Usually this is a strength of scientific research, but in this care, it’s a weakness. That’s because you may be walking around buffer than before, but a mathematical formula finds that you’re pretty much the same as you were before. Make no mistake: creatine builds muscle and can give you a leaner and more muscular body composition. [6]

Cognition: A fairly new, yet exciting, area of research is creatine as a brain booster. A high-quality study out of the University of Sydney found that creatine improved memory and concentration in a group of vegetarians. Whether creatine is the new Ginkgo Biloba remains to be seen, but the early research is quite promising. [7]

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Creatine

Side Effects

When creatine first exploded in the bodybuilding community, there seemed to be a public health message that creatine was dangerous. Creatine was unfairly accused of causing minor annoyances like cramps to life-threatening kidney damage. Hundreds of studies later, we know better. In general, creatine is extremely well tolerated although in some people, it may cause stomach upset and could aggravate an already present kidney problem.

It should be noted that there aren’t a lot of long-term studies on creatine use, so it may be years or decades until we understand the potential longterm ramifications of taking creatine on a regular basis.

In the meantime, take solace in the fact that a handful of long-term studies of creatine have found no ill effects.

Research-Based Dose

There are two schools of thought regarding creatine supplementing: loading, vs. a steady dose.

With creatine loading, you’d take 5g of creatine 3 or 4 times per day –for a total of about 20g per day. After about a week of loading, you switch to the maintenance dose. This is oftentimes repeated as a cycle.

The other school of thought is to take the normal daily dose. This “normal” dose is generally between 5-10g, with 5g being the most commonly recommended. Although research shows that creatine loading does indeed speed up results, loading also significantly increases the risk of stomach upset and other minor side effects. Also, new studies indicate that taking the normal dose over a period of time allows you to catch up to a creatine loader who started taking creatine at the same time. To maximize absorption, take creatine with a sugary drink because it’s been shown that creatine taken with a high glycemic index drink helps your body absorb and utilize the creatine.

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Creatine

Verdict/My Take Creatine is a perennial best-selling supplement for a reason: it works. Even when ignoring the hype from the supplement industry, creatine is a clear winner. Although it’s still unclear what, if any, benefit creatine has for overall health, when it comes to muscle building, creatine is second to none.

Although it may not help endurance, even endurance athletes can benefit from taking creatine. That’s because at certain times during an endurance event, you tend to use your anaerobic (no oxygen) energy systems that creatine helps –allowing you to sprint by your closest competitor.

Besides all that, creatine is dirt-cheap. Don’t bother with forms that are supposedly superior to creatine monohydrate. 99% of creatine research is done with creatine monohydrate –which happens to cost just pennies per serving.

The only time you may want to avoid creatine is if you have some sort of chronic kidney problem. Otherwise, feel free to load or take a normal dose at your own pace. Either way, you’ll be stronger, faster, and more muscular than you were before.

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Creatine

References: 1. Engelhardt M, Neumann G, Berbalk A, Reuter I. Creatine supplementation in endurance sports. Med & Sci Sports & Exercise 1998; 30 (7): 1123-29

2. Kreider RB, Ferreira M, Wilson M, Grindstaff P, Plisk S, Reinardy J, Cantler E, Almada AL. Effects of creatine supplementation on body composition, strength, and sprint performance. Med & Sci in Sports & Exercise 1998; 30 (1):73-82 3. Law YLL, Ong WS, GillianYap TL, Lim SCJ, and Chia EV. Effects of two and five days of creatine loading on muscular strength and anaerobic power in trained athletes. J Strength Cond Res 2009; 23(3): 906-914

4. Balsom PD, Harridge SD, Soderlund K, Sjodin B, Ekblom B. Creatine supplementation per se does not enhance endurance exercise performance. Acta Physiol Scand. 1993; 149; 521-3.

5. Mihic S, MacDonald JR, McKenzie S, Tarnopolsky MA. Acute creatine loading increases fat-free mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine, or CK activity in men and women. Med & Sci in Sports and Exercise 2000; 32(2), 29196 6. Huso ME; Hampl JS, Johnston CS, Swan PD. Effect of in-season creatine supplementation on body composition and performance in rugby union football players. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2007; 32 (6): 1052–7.

7. Rae C, Digney AL, McEwan SR, Bates TC. Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double blind, placebo controlled, cros-over trial. Proc Biol Sci. 2003; 22; 270(1529): 2147-50

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Whey Protein

Supplement #2

Whey Protein

If there’s one thing tiny schoolchildren and gigantic bodybuilders have in common, it’s their love for the nursery rhyme: ““Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet eating her curds and whey. ...” (although for very different reasons). At this very moment, there are dozens of wouldbe bodybuilders shaking, stirring, or mixing whey protein into their favorite beverage. Indeed, whey protein is considered a staple of bodybuilding supplementation. It’s particularly powerful as part of the “recovery window” after a workout – supposedly boosting muscle growth and recovery.

Interestingly, whey is also being studied as a supplement to help people who may never set foot in a gym. Recently published research has suggested that whey may reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and may act as an antioxidant. Like creatine, the benefits of whey protein aren’t something conjured up in a boardroom –but proven in a laboratory.

Claims

Better-absorbed form of protein, builds muscle, speeds recovery, boosts immunity.

How it works

Whey protein has two major routes of functioning: it’s amino acid composition and it’s immunoglobulin concentration. The amino acids in whey (the building blocks of protein) are prime for muscle building. Because whey has extremely high levels of branch chain amino acids– the amino acids found mostly in muscle– it’s ideal for giving your body the building blocks it needs for growth and repair. What makes whey protein particularly unique is its ability to communicate with the body –essentially telling it to ramp up immunity and make new muscle tissue. [1]

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Whey protein has a mountain of scientific research in its favor –bolstering the vast majority of the health claims found on the side of the oversized containers.

Whey Protein

Evidence

Absorption: It turns out that not only is whey better absorbed, but also absorbed faster than other types of protein. Normally, absorption speed wouldn’t make a lick of difference for your body, but there’s one critical point in time where whey shines: right after your workout.

The period following your strength training session, known as the “recovery window” is one of the most critical times for muscle growth. In the recovery window, your body is primed for muscle building. Your damaged muscles are hungry for nutrients and will go to great lengths to utilize the nutrients that they’re given. Because whey is quickly available for your body, it maximizes the potential benefits during this recovery window. [1] Builds Muscle: There’s really no debate here: whey builds muscle. Sure, the absorption speed plays a role, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Because whey protein is composed mostly of BCAAs, it provides your body with something it needs most to build new muscle –high quality amino acids.

In fact, a study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that whey protein significantly increased the potential for muscle growth from strength training. [2]

Increases Strength: It may seem like a no-brainer that more muscle translates to more strength –but this isn’t always the case. There’s an important distinction to be made between functional muscle and plain old muscle. The former helps you run, jump, and lift more while the latter makes you look better flexing in front of the mirror. Luckily, whey protein builds the kind of muscles that makes you stronger. Research presented at the American Physiological Association in San Diego found that when athletes were trained and given whey protein, they improved their lifting capacity more than the same group that received a placebo. Bottom line: whey makes you strong. [3]

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In this regard, you simply can’t beat whey protein. I’ve already shown you that whey is absorbed faster, better, and has a ludicrously high concentration of BCAAs. But what makes whey the gold standard for protein is its ability to act as a cell signaler – ramping up the enzymes that build muscle.

A study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that whey protein helps muscle damaged from training repair and recover faster by ramping up protein synthesis –the process that initiates muscle growth. [4]

Immunity: Whey protein contains a number of unique proteins called immunoglobulin. These immunoglobulin interact with your body’s immune system to help it create more body-shielding immune cells. Research published in the Journal of Nutrition found that the immunoglobulins in whey significantly improved the body’s innate immunity –helping it ward off a wide variety of potential invaders. [5] Chronic Disease: Although there is some promising literature pointing towards whey as stir-able intervention to offset the most common diseases of our time –there still needs to be more research before whey gets prescribed to cancer patients.[1]

Side Effects: In general, whey is exceptionally well tolerated. Unless you have a milk allergy, there’s no reason to avoid whey protein. The only time whey can becomes detrimental to health is if it’s eaten in place of meals. In that case it’s ousting essential nutrients found in whole foods.

Research-Based Dose

Timing is just an important as the amount. It’s best to take 24-40g of whey protein right after your workout.

Verdict

Whether you want to be buff or just in better shape, whey protein can be a tremendous boon to all things muscle. Because of its fairly wide variety of health benefits –with almost no side effects –there isn’t much of a reason not to be taking whey protein.

Although beneficial on it’s own, there are two ways to skyrocket whey’s effectiveness. The first is to take creatine with whey after your workout. The literature is very clear on this: whey + creatine outperforms whey or creatine alone every single time. The second is to take your whey with some sort of carbohydrate source. It appears that the carbohydrates help shuttle whey into the muscles that need it most.

Whey Protein

Aids Recovery: Recovery is crucial for two reasons: firstly, it’s the time that your body is ready to pack on new muscle. Also, faster recovery means that you bounce back faster so you come back stronger for your next session.

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1. Krissansen GW. Emerging Health Properties of Whey Proteins and Their Clinical Implications. Jorn Amer. College of Nutrition 2007; 26 (6): 713S-723S

2. Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Davidson KS, Candow DG, Farthing J, Smith-Palmer T. The effect of whey protein supplementation with and without creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscle strength. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2001; 11(3): 349-64 3. Davis JL. Whey + Creatine = More Muscle Strength. WebMD 2003.

4. Buckley JD, Thomson RL, Coates AM, Howe RC, DeNichilo MO, Rowney MK. Supplementation with a whey protein hydrolysate enhances recovery of muscle forcegenerating capacity following eccentric exercise. Journal of Sci and Med in Sport 2008;06:007 5. Rusu D, Drouin R, Pouliot Y, Gauthier S, Poubelle PE. A Bovine Whey Protein Extract Can Enhance Innate Immunity by Priming Normal Human Blood Neutrophils. J Nutr 2009; 139 (2) 386-93

Whey Protein

References

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Glucosamine

Supplement #3

Glucosamine

controversial supplements.

If your aching joints have you walking around like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz, you may be considering glucosamine. If so, you’re far from alone: glucosamine is the #1 topselling supplement in the world. Sure, an aging nation with weak joints plays a major role –but fitness buffs are also top users of this

The reason that glucosamine is controversial is not because it’s claims are completely unjustified - it’s that there’s so much conflicting research. Despite being one of the most intensely supplements of all time (with a whopping 1500+ research studies), there remains a lack of conclusive evidence for or against its use.

Claims

Reduces joint pain, builds stronger cartilage and joint tissue, treats osteoarthritis, reduces inflammation.

How it works

Glucosamine seems to work in two ways: as a structural component to joints and by reducing inflammation. For your body to produce strong, new tissue, it requires the necessary building blocks, called precursors. Glucosamine itself is one of the most important precursors in the joint-creation process. The theory is that by having more glucosamine floating around, you’ll naturally ramp up the pathways for creating new joint tissue. [1] An emerging area of research is glucosamine’s ability to fight inflammation. Although inflammation is a natural process that helps your body heal, if it spirals out of control in the joints, it can cause pain and degeneration. Indeed, studies have shown that glucosamine is able to block the enzymes that your body uses to increase inflammation –acting as a natural Tylenol. [1]

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Glucosamine

Evidence

Builds Strong Joints and Cartilage: Glucosamine has been shown to make joints stronger in two ways: bolstering production of new joint cells and preventing joint cells from an early death. Amazingly, glucosamine directly interacts with your genes, shutting off the enzymes that are programmed to kill joint cells. [2]

In the long run, this leads to a “net positive balance” of joint tissue –translating to burly, strong joints that can take on the wear and tear of life. Treats Osteoarthritis: Although osteoarthritis tends to affect mostly older folks, that doesn’t mean young fitness buffs are immune to this debilitating condition. Years of high impact sports like marathon running, power lifting, and track and field can do a number on your joints. In fact, osteoarthritis simply means “inflammation in the joints”.

As is its trademark, the results of glucosamine research in the treatment of osteoarthritis are inconclusive. Some studies show that is helps people in pain get back on their feet, and some have shown that it’s all in the subject’s heads. [4] Reducing Inflammation: You can track almost every chronic disease, from heart disease to a bad back, to inflammation. In fact, popular over the counter drugs like Tylenol and ibuprofen work by blocking the enzymes that ramp up inflammation.

It turns out that glucosamine does the same thing, only naturally. A number of studies have shown that glucosamine is able to reduce harmful inflammation in a test tube and in the human body. [2] Reducing Joint Pain: This is clearly glucosamine’s most important health claim. It’s nice that glucosamine can reduce inflammation in a lab, but it doesn’t mean a thing if you still wake up stiff as a board. Although there have been literally hundreds of

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Glucosamine

studies concluding that glucosamine is an effective natural pain reliever, most of them are now considered bunk because they didn’t use a placebo.

It turns out that the placebo effect for pain relievers like glucosamine is extremely high. Even though the person may feel better, it may have nothing to do with the supplement –his mind is playing tricks on him.

In the last few years, two large-scale studies have set out to set the record straight. The first, a giant study funded by the National Institute of Health, found that glucosamine fared no better than placebo in improving chronic knee pain. Not to be outdone, another high quality study published in Arthritis Rheumatology found that glucosamine was effective at treating knee pain. [5,6] Needless to say, this confusion has had researches scratching their heads as much as the subjects were grabbing their achy joints.

Side effects

There’s some concern that glucosamine may make it more difficult for diabetics to control blood sugar, but recent research has vaulted this concern into question and doubt. [7] Also, glucosamine is made from shellfish, so if you’re allergic to shellfish, it’s best to steer clear. Otherwise, glucosamine has the backing of thousands of consumers and research subjects who take glucosamine everyday without issue.

Research-backed dose

The typical dose is 1,500mg per day. For an added boost, you may want to take a glucosamine supplement that also contains chrondroitin. It seems that this one-two punch works better than glucosamine alone.

Verdict/My Take

In my opinion, it will be years before there’s any clarity regarding glucosamine. If you look at the research data, you’ll find that glucosamine works tremendously well for some, and does nothing for others. Scientists are forced to aggregate the data and come up with a broad based conclusion, but you aren’t. You may be one of the “outliers” who feels like a million bucks after taking glucosamine.

The only way to tell is to try it yourself. Understand that some of your relief will be a placebo effect - after all you’re only human. But if you can get back into the gym pain-free again, does it really matter whether it’s the glucosamine or your hopeful mind?

After all, glucosamine is generally well tolerated and comes with an extremely low risk of side effects. If you’re frustrated with the joint treatments you’ve tried thus far, you may want to give glucosamine a shot to see how well it works for you.

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1. Reginster JY, Deroisy R, Rovati LC, Lee RL, Lejeune E, Bruyere O, Giacovelli G, Henrotin Y, Dacre JE, Gossett C. “Long-term effects of glucosamine sulphate on osteoarthritis progression: a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial,” Lancet 2001; 357(9252):251-6. 2. Chan PS, Caron JP, Orth MW. Short-term gene expression changes in cartilage explants stimulated with interleukin beta plus glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. J. Rheumatol. 2006; 33 (7): 1329-40.

3. Uitterlinden EJ, Jahr H, Koevoet J, Jenniskens Y, Bierma-Zeinstra S, DeGroot J, Verhaar J, Weinans H, van Osch G. Glucosamine decreases expression of anabolic and catabolic genes in human osteoarthritic cartilage explants. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006; 14 (3): 250-7.

4. Vangsness CT Jr, Spiker W, Erickson J. A review of evidence-based medicine for glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate use in knee osteoarthritis. Arthroscopy. 2009 Jan;25(1):86-94. Epub 2008 Sep 30. 5. Clegg DO, Reda DJ et al. Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and the two in combination for painful knee osteoarthritis. N Engl J Med. 2006 Feb 23;354(8):795-808.

6. Herrero-Beaumont G, Ivorra JA. Glucosamine sulfate in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study using acetaminophen as a side comparator. Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Feb;56(2):55567. 7. Powels M, Jacobs JR, Span PN, Lutterman JA, Smits P, Tack CJ. Short – term glucosamine infusion does not affect insulin sensitivity in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001; 86: 2099-2103.

Glucosamine

References

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HMB

Supplement #4

HMB

Although not nearly as popular as creatine or whey protein, HMB has a fervent following with athletes of all kinds. HMB has been made popular by bodybuilders, but now professional athletes like football players and endurance competitors are driving the growth in popularity.

HMB marketers are pushing some very dramatic claims regarding HMB –citing scientific evidence. But unlike glucosamine, with thousands of studies, HMB only has a handful. But as you’ll see, those studies are very clear regarding HMB and it’s claims.

Claims

Builds muscle, improves strength, boosts endurance, burns fat, and lowers cholesterol.

How it works

HMB’s main mode of action isn’t in directly stimulating muscle, but preventing muscle breakdown. In the long run, this results in more muscle. HMB blocks muscle breakdown by directly blocking the enzymes that attack muscle fibers.

New research is suggesting that HMB may also act on muscle much like whey: telling your body to build more muscle via a bump in protein synthesis.

Evidence

Builds Muscle: Let’s look at an early study on HMB to see how much muscle it can give you. A study found in the Journal of Applied Physiology a group of men were given HMB or placebo. In just 2 weeks, the muscle mass of the HMB group significantly increased. [1] This may not sound remarkable, but keep in mind that 2

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HMB weeks is a very short time to pile on muscle mass, yet HMB was able to do just that. As the weeks marched on, muscle continued to grow. Other studies have confirmed the findings of this early research. Increases Strength: In the past, there had been some debate as to whether HMB increased strength in people who were already fit and strong. That’s when researchers out of Massey University in New Zealand decided to give HMB to welltrained athletes. Surprisingly, they found that HMB was in fact able to increase lower body strength when compared to placebo. [2] Since then, these findings have been confirmed in study after study. It turns out that whether you’re a gym rat or couch potato, HMB can help you lift more.

Boosts Endurance: When HMB is given to endurance athletes, it has been shown to help their damaged muscles recover. It seems that the same signaling pathways that HMB works with to help weightlifters pack on muscle also benefits endurance athletes by helping their muscles repair after a particularly strenuous workout. Also, a small study in endurance athletes fond that HMB boosted oxygen capacity, known as Vo2 Max, when undergoing interval training. [3] It’s yet to be determined whether HMB can actually give a direct boon to endurance athletes like runners and swimmers. Unfortunately, most of this research is short term –not allowing enough time to see whether the enhanced recovery can actually help endurance athletes run, pedal, or swim for a longer period of time. Fat Loss: By no means should HMB be considered a “fat burner”. Although one study was able to find that HMB helped with fat loss, it was a small study with 70-year-old men. The vast majority of research suggests that HMB may transfer some bodyweight from fat to muscle, but it’s not enough to be considered significant. [4]

Lowering Cholesterol: For most fit people, high cholesterol is the last thing on their mind. However, there are a few health nuts that –due to a genetic abnormality –can’t seem to keep their cholesterol under control. HMB may be able to help your heart and your bicep at the same time. A 2001 study

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HMB found that HMB was able to drop “bad” cholesterol (LDL) by a whopping 28%. However, there hasn’t yet been a follow up study so it’s unclear whether HMB’s benefit on cholesterol is legitimate. [5] Side effects: In the research, reports of side effects are extremely rare although there hasn’t been a single study that looked at HMB for any long-term effects.

Research backed dose

Although you can take anywhere from 1.5g to 5g to see a benefit, it seems that 3-5g is the “sweet spot” for HMB.

My Verdict

There might not be as large of a library of research for HMB as there is for some other supplements, but make no mistake –HMB builds muscle and boosts strength. It does so quickly and significantly. Before sprinting to the drugstore to buy your bottle, make sure you keep these HMB drawbacks in mind:

Price: HMB is not cheap. Unlike whey protein and creatine –both of which are effective and reasonably priced –HMB can cost you. A typical serving of HMB can be up to 8x more than creatine. This comes without the guarantee of effectiveness that choices like whey and creatine bring to the table.

Long-Term Effects: Although most supplements are studied over a week or month, not years, there’s usually at least a bit of published research investigating whether a supplement may be dangerous to long-term heath. This can’t be said for HMB. Therefore, if you decide to take HMB for years, you may be rolling the dice.

If you’re a hardcore bodybuilder who has maxed out the effects of other supplements and have some money to burn, by all means, try HMB. But if you’re a gym rat who just wants a better beach body, creatine and whey are certainly better options for you.

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HMB

References 1. Nissen S, Sharp R, Ray M, Rathmacher JA, Rice D, Fuller Jr. JC, Connelly AS, Abrmrad N. Effect of leucine metabolite -hydroxy--methylbutyrate on muscle metabolism during resistance-exercise training. J Appl Physiol 1996; 81: 20952104

2. Thomson JS, Watson PE, Rowlands DS, Effects of nine weeks of beta-hydroxybeta- methylbutyrate supplementation on strength and body composition in resistance trained men, J. Strength Cond. Res. 2009; 23: 827-835

3. Lamboley CR, Royer D, Dionne IJ. Effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate on aerobic-performance components and body composition in college students. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2007; 17 (1): 56-69

4. Vukovich MD, Stubbs NB, Bohlken RM. Body composition in 70-year-old adults responds to dietary beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate similarly to that of young adults. J Nutr 2001; 131: 2049–52. 5. Coelho C.W, Carvalho T. Effects of HMB supplementation on LDL-cholesterol, strength, and body composition of patients with hypercholesterolemia, Med. & Sci. in Sports & Exer. 2001; 33:s340

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CLA

Supplement #5

CLA

When eaten in the diet, CLA is nothing more than a run of the mill fat molecule. But when taken in high doses in supplement form, its effects on the body begin to emerge. Although CLA supplements have been traditionally thought of as a weight loss supplement, they’ve found a niche in the lean and fit community as well. Because of CLA’s purported ability to boost metabolism and burn fat –two things that just about anyone would be happy with more of –its popularity is increasing. More and more research looking into new aspects of CLA climbs every year – suggesting that the discovery of CLA as a fat burner was only scratching the surface.

Claims

Boosts metabolism, decreases belly fat, builds muscle, fights insulin resistance, and boosts immunity.

How it Works

It’s not fully understood how CLA is able to exert it’s effects on the body. In most laboratory studies, CLA behaves like a fat –because it is. Although omega-3s are a type of fat that’s shown to do more than just provide the body with energy from fat, this level of research hasn’t been done on CLA. [1]

The research that does exist, suggests that CLA may interact with some of your body’s enzymes- shutting down production of inflammatory proteins that damage and stress the body. One study also found that CLA blocks the production of an enzyme that helps your body store body fat. CLA may also act as an antioxidant –fighting free radical damage in cells. Regardless of it’s mechanism of action, the 30 or so studies on CLA have focused on end results like fat loss, muscle gain, and calories burned –factors that are much

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CLA

more important to you than anything that could be discovered in a test tube.

Evidence

Increase Metabolism: A faster metabolism is the most preferable way to get leaner. You literally burn calories in your sleep! However, despite supplement company claims, a significant increase in metabolism is hard to find. That is, unless you count CLA.

It seems that CLA gives your sagging metabolism a kick in the pants. A study published in International Journal of Obesity found that giving CLA to people trying to lose weight was able to increase the calories they burned throughout the day.[2] There’s no reason to think that CLA won’t ramp up metabolism even if you’re not in weight loss mode. In fact, weight loss tends to suppress metabolism, making CLA’s metabolism boost in this study even more impressive. It stands to reason that if you take CLA while maintaining weight then you can see the same metabolic effect.

Insulin resistance: Research is conflicting as to whether CLA benefits or impairs insulin resistance. The majority of studies on CLA and insulin resistance were done on type 2 diabetics –making it difficult to determine how CLA will influence insulin sensitivity in healthy people. If CLA reduces body fat and increases muscle, this will indirectly, yet positively, influence insulin sensitivity. [3]

Bottom line: if you’re already fit, active, and eat a solid diet, insulin sensitivity isn’t something that needs to be on your radar screen. Your healthy lifestyle will do more for insulin resistance than CLA could ever hope to do. Decrease Belly Fat: If there’s an area that’s most resistant to diet and exercise, it’s the abdominal region. It appears that CLA may be able to put your love handles in its crosshairs and burn away some of that stubborn belly fat.

A 2001 study out of Sweden found that CLA was able to “…decrease abdominal fat, without concomitant effects on overall obesity or other cardiovascular risk factors”. In other words, the belly fat loss seen from CLA wasn’t collateral damage from an overall loss of fat, but instead a targeted assault. [4]

It seems that CLA’s action of making cells more sensitive to insulin prevents the blood glucose “spikes” that tend to result in unwanted abdominal fat storage.

Builds Muscle: Although a handful of studies have found that CLA does indeed help one pack on some extra muscle mass, the effect is probably small. An analysis of a large group

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CLA

of CLA research found that CLA was effective at burning fat, but not building new muscle tissue.

What CLA does is improve body composition –the ratio of fat to muscle. Even though CLA may not give you any more muscle, but via fat burning, you may find yourself with an improved body composition. [5]

Research-backed dose

To maximize the fat torching effects of CLA, somewhere between 2-3.5g seems to be the idea dose. The research that found the most profound fat loss used 3.4g.

Side effects

CLA has been associated with some fairly significant side effects. One study found that CLA increases oxidative stress, while another found that taking CLA regularly made you 1/3 more likely to develop gallstones.

CLA doesn’t have years of research or long-term studies to see whether these side effects are real or the result of a preexisting condition that subjects had. Although CLA is considered safe (after all, it’s used in ethical research), it should be used with a tad bit of caution. [6]

My Take

The decision to take CLA depends entirely on your goals. If you’re looking to add a few extra plates to your bench press, look elsewhere. The strength and muscle building effects from CLA are real, but modest. There are a handful of other supplements that are leagues more effective than CLA. On the other hand, if you spend half of your free time slaving away on a treadmill and still can’t seem to get rid of those love handles, CLA may be for you. Because it has the unique ability to boost total metabolism and laser-target belly fat, CLA may just be the best supplement out there for shedding those pesky abdominal-laden pounds.

However, the side effects from taking CLA are a bit concerning, although the vast majority of CLA users do so without any ill effects. I want to bring to your attention a 2004 study published in the Journal of Nutrition that found an entire year of CLA supplementation was safe and well received by the subjects. I recommend taking about 2g for a few weeks to see if you notice a benefit or side effects. It may turn out that 2g works for you –and a lower dose will surely drop the side effect risk considerably. It’s important to note that no amount of CLA will compensate for a poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. After all, they call CLA a supplement for a reason –it supplements what you’re already doing.

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CLA

References 1. Terpstra AHM. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid on body composition and plasma lipids in humans: an overview of the literature. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:352–61

2. U Risérus, L Berglund and B Vessby. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduced abdominal adipose tissue in obese middle-aged men with signs of the metabolic syndrome: a randomised controlled trial International Journal of Obesity (2001) 25, 1129-1135

3. Gaullier JM, Halse J, Hoye K, Kristiansen K, Fagertun H, Vik H, Gudmundsen O. Conjugated linoleic acid supplementation for 1 y reduces body fat mass in healthy overweight humans. Amer Jour of Clin Nutr 2004; 79 (6): 1118-1125 4. Risérus U, Vessby B, Ärnlöv J, Basu S. Effects of cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on insulin sensitivity, lipid peroxidation, and proinflammatory markers in obese men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004; 80 (2): 279-83.

5. Blankson H, Stakkestad JA, Fagertun H, Thom E, Wadstein J, Gudmundsen O. Conjugated Linoleic Acid Reduces Body Fat Mass in Overweight and Obese Humans. Journal of Nutr 2000; 130: 2943-48 PMID 11110851 6. Kim YJ, Lee KW, Lee HJ. Total Antioxidant Capacity of Arginine-Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Complex. J. Agric. Food Chem 2004; 52 (3): 439-44

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Caffeine

Caffeine

Supplement #6 Do you go directly from Starbucks to the gym and back again? Good. Research from around the globe is pointing towards caffeine as one of the safest and most effective ways to boost performance. Besides giving you a jolt for your workouts, caffeine has some other unexpected benefits. From helping you think clearly during competitions to burning away excess fat, caffeine is more than just a morning pick me up –it’s a legitimate performance-enhancing supplement in a cup.

Claims

Increases strength during workouts, increases metabolism, burns fat, boosts endurance, quickens recovery, helps coordination,

How it works

As you may remember from this morning’s cup of dark roast, caffeine is a potent stimulator of the nervous system. In other words, caffeine increases adrenaline release. Adrenaline, known as the fight or flight hormone, travels around the body –forcing your body to exert more energy. This may explain how caffeine can increase metabolism and fat burning. Importantly, caffeine has been shown to spare glycogen –carbs that are stored in muscles to give them quick bursts of energy. Not only that, but brand new research shows that caffeine actually helps you store glycogen after a workout, making you bounce back faster next time around. [1]

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Increases Strength: It seems that caffeine can give you a significant strength boost – even if you’re already strong to begin with. A small, but well-done, group of research studies suggest that caffeine can help you lift heavier and heavier weights. [2]

Caffeine

Evidence

Metabolism: There’s no debate as to whether caffeine increases metabolism. The debate is whether it amounts to anything in the long run. Some studies have found that caffeine increases metabolism by more than 10% -the equivalent of burning an extra 200+ calories per day. Unfortunately, it seems that this boost to metabolism quickly wears off. Which leads us to our next caffeinated claim:

Burns Fat: Controversy continues to swirl regarding caffeine, weight loss, and fat burning. Although caffeine has been shown to burn fat in the short term, when subjects are followed in the long-term, caffeine doesn’t do much of anything to people’s waistlines. [3]

It used to be thought that the combination of caffeine and cardio would do the trick. A recent well-done study published in The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that a full 2 months of caffeine supplementation didn’t budge fat anymore than a placebo. [4] Although far from conclusive, this study strongly suggests that caffeine alone isn’t the answer for losing a few extra pounds. Increases Endurance: There’s no doubt that caffeine can prevent you form “hitting the wall” during your 5K or halfway through your last set of squats. Caffeine can accomplish this by keeping your body from using up precious glycogen. When glycogen runs out, your workout takes a hit. Caffeine’s ability to give you a second wind is far from trivial –most studies find that caffeine increases endurance by a whopping 25%. [5] In fact, caffeine works so well that it’s is listed as a banned substance by many professional sports organizations.

Helps recovery: Although caffeine is recommended as part of a post-recovery strategy, it acids in recovery not through directly stimulating muscle growth, but by helping your muscles bounce back faster. After your workout, muscle glycogen is depleted. When eating your post-workout carbs, your body works full throttle to turn the carbs that you eat into glycogen.

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Caffeine Caffeine takes the carbs that would otherwise be routed to fat storage and stuffs them into muscle. A recent study found that caffeine skyrocketed glycogen storage by 50-60%![6]

Coordination/ Cognition: Although mindlessly peddling away on a stationary bike may not require a whole lot of dexterity, for many competitive sports, coordination can make or break your efforts. If you’re in that camp, then caffeine can do double duty for you. Not only will it help your athleticism boost, but it may also help you perform better in your given sport.

Research backed dose

Ideally, you want to take 0.45–1.36 mg caffeine per lb (1–3 mg per kg) of body weight. For a 70kg person, this translates to a dose of about 70-240mg – a dosage that can easily be obtained by drinking a small to medium cup of coffee. [1] Although some research suggests that the higher range of caffeine is the most effective dosage, you may get the same benefits from a lower dose like 0.45–0.9 mg caffeine per lb (1–2 mg per kg). Try the low dose and see how you feel, and only increase if you feel that you need it. Also, timing is key: get your caffeine fix 30-60 minutes before your next workout for it to kick in at the right time.

Side effects

As morning commuters prove on a daily basis, caffeine has very few negative side effects. However, if you take too much in one sitting, symptoms like nervousness, shaking, and anxiety are fairly common. Also, if you’ve never touched a cup of coffee or green tea, then it’s wise to take a very low dose and work your way up. Otherwise, a sudden rush of 250mg or more of caffeine can

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Caffeine

make you a jittery mess.

My take

Although caffeine’s ability to fight fat remains controversial, it’s boon to working out does not. An expert in caffeine and performance research, Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky of McMaster University in Canada recently told the New York Times: “There is so much data on this that it’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s just unequivocal that caffeine improves performance. It’s been shown in well-respected labs in multiple places around the world.”

However, the caffeine conundrum that researchers face today is that caffeine can clearly make you workout longer and harder –yet why doesn’t the fat fly off? In other words, how can caffeine help you run harder, lift more, and spend more time in gym, yet leave your flab untouched?

It will be years before this question gets a definitive answer. There’s no doubt that caffeine can make you a better athlete. It’s also relatively safe and easy to take. In fact, it’s probable that you already take caffeine everyday –you may just not be timing or dosing it correctly for workouts. I personally take caffeine to help me think clearly and to workout harder. Has it made me more buff? Hard to say. All I know is that I love coffee almost as much as I love working out, and it’s definitely not hurting my physique –so why not?

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Caffeine

References 1. Burke LM. Caffeine and sports performance. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2008; 33 (6): 1319-34 2. Jacobson BH, Weber MD, Claypool L, Hunt LE. Effect of caffeine on maximal strength and power in élite male athletes. Br J Sports Med 1992; 2 (4): 276-80

3. Acheson KJ, Zahorska-Markiewicz B, Pittet P, Anantharaman K, Jequier E. Caffeine and coffee: their influence on metabolic rate and substrate utilization in normal weight and obese individuals. Amer J Clin Nutr 1980; 33: 989-97 4. Malek MH, Housh, TJ, Coburn JW, Beck TW, Schmidt RJ, Housh DJ, Johnson GO. Effects of Eight Weeks of Caffeine Supplementation and Endurance Training on Aerobic Fitness and Body Composition. J Strength & Cond Res 2006; 20 (4)

5. Bell DG, McLellan TM. Exercise endurance 1, 3, and 6 h after caffeine ingestion in caffeine users and nonusers. J Appl Physiol 2002; 93: 1227–1234.

6. John L. Ivy, Harold W. Goforth, Jr., Bruce M. Damon, Thomas R. McCauley, Edward C. Parsons, and Thomas B. Price/ Early postexercise muscle glycogen recovery is enhanced with a carbohydrate-protein supplement. J Appl Physiol, Oct 2002; 93: 1337 - 1344.

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CoQ10

Supplement #7

CoQ10

5 years ago, it seemed like no one had even heard of CoQ10. As of late, CoQ10 is a supplement that has the backing of some of the top nutrition scientists in the world. Even though CoQ10 is marketed as a “miracle supplement” that can treat everything from heart disease to cocaine dependency, the research for the vast majority of its claims are sparse or nonexistent.

But that doesn’t mean that CoQ10 doesn’t have a place for fit people. From working harder to helping muscles recover, research in CoQ10 in athletes is fairly strong.

Claims

According to The Mayo Clinic, there are no less than two-dozen claims for CoQ10. For this section, we will focus on the claims that have a direct connection with athletic performance, body composition, and disease prevention.

How it works

CoQ10 is an enzyme in the body that helps cells produce energy. In cells that need to make the most energy, like heart and muscle cells, CoQ10 is used up quickly. As people age, CoQ10 has been shown to clearly fall. It’s been theorized that this drop on CoQ10 can lead to a whole host of health problems: from heart failure to cancer.[1] Also, CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant. The science is very clear in the relationship between oxidation and disease –if oxidation continues unabated, the risk of chronic disease skyrockets.

Evidence

Performance: An early study of cross country skiers, which are some of the most wellconditioned athletes on Earth, found that CoQ10 was effective at boosting a handful of different performance indicators like endurance, speed, and fatigue.[2] It’s unclear why CoQ10 is able to help performance. A 2008 study published in Nutrition, The International Journal of Applied and Basic Nutritional Sciences shed

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CoQ10 some light on this question. In this study, the researchers noted that giving CoQ10 to athletes was able to help offset muscle fatigue during workouts. [3] It’s well documented that premature muscle fatigue causes a serious drop in performance – forcing your workout to take a serious hit.

Muscle Protection: An interesting research study on martial arts competitors showed that CoQ10 is able to offset workout-related muscle damage. After giving martial artists CoQ10 for 20 days, the competitors who trained and took CoQ10 had almost half the levels of important markers of muscle damage as the placebo group. Preventing muscle damage is critical –unchecked muscle damage slows recovery and makes muscle recovery an uphill process. [4] Although promising, It’s not yet clear if this effect will make a difference in the long run.

Body Composition: One of the most popular claims behind CoQ10 is its ability to boost metabolism, thereby accelerating fat loss. However, the research is still very foggy in this area.

composition.[5]

Although one study found that low CoQ10 levels were associated with higher body fat and less muscle mass, there hasn’t been any follow up research to conclusively link CoQ10 with body

Disease prevention: Although there is significantly more research in the area of CoQ10 and long-term health, it’s still too soon to say if CoQ10 definitely wards off disease.

One of the areas where CoQ10 has been proven effective is in treating high blood pressure (hypertension). Of course, if high blood pressure is under control, the risk of developing heart disease or a stroke freefalls.

Other diseases like diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s need a few more years of research. Although it’s conceivable that CoQ10 may reduce the risk of these diseases –but the research isn’t as clear as the marketers would have you believe. [6]

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CoQ10

Side effects

The only side effect that’s commonly seen is upset stomach. Other than that, CoQ10 is a very safe supplement.

Research backed dose

The recommended adult dose is 30 - 200 mg daily. It’s also important to note that because CoQ10 is fat soluble, you should take it with a meal for better absorption.

My Take

Because research on CoQ10 is in its infancy, most of the claims surrounding CoQ10 are either exaggerated or flat out made up. If you’re looking for a supplement to help your workouts or physique, CoQ10 shouldn’t be your first choice. Although early research is promising, when putting CoQ10 in the perspective of all known performance enhancers, it’s a very weak supplement, especially when compared to creatine, HMB and other proven supplements. In other words, CoQ10 might help your body, but it might do nothing. On the other hand, you can bank on the fact that creatine and whey protein are going to give your workouts and results a serious jolt.

Chronic disease prevention is another story. Researchers have only begun to scratch the surface on what a CoQ10 “deficiency” means. Although low CoQ10 levels have been associated with a number of serious health problems, very few studies have been conclusive. I’d recommend taking CoQ10 only if you’re a little long in the tooth and are worried about heart disease, cancer, or other common chronic diseases. Otherwise, you’re much better off spending your hard earned cash on other supplements that almost certainly work.

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CoQ10

References 1. Ho MJ, Bellusci A, Wright JM. Blood pressure lowering efficacy of coenzyme Q10 for primary hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Oct 7;(4):CD007435. 2. Mizuno K, Tanaka M, Nozaki S, Mizuma H, Ataka S, Thara T, Sugino T, Shirai T, Kajimoto Y, Kuratsune H, Kajimoto O, Watanabe Y. Antifatigue effects of coenzyme Q10 during physical fatigue. Intl J of Applied & Basic Nutrl Sci 2008; 24: 293-99 3. Cooke M, Iosia M, Buford T, Shelmadine B, Hudson G, Kerksick C, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Leutholtz B, Willoughby D, Kreider R. Effects of acute and 14-day coenzyme Q10 supplementation on exercise performance in both trained and untrained individuals. J int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008; 5: 8

4. Daniells S. CoQ10 may cut muscle injuries for athletes. Nutraingredients.com 2008. 5. Ravaglia G., Forti P., Maioli F., Scali R.C., Boschi F., Cicognani A., Morini P., Gasbarrini G. Coenzyme Q10 plasma levels and body composition in elderly males (1996) Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 22 (SUPPL.1), pp. 539-543. 6. Sarter B. Coenzyme Q10 and cardiovascular disease: a review. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2002 Jul;16(4):9-20. Review.

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Echinacea

Echinacea, a natural floral extract, is sold at the drugstore as a cold and flu remedy. However, Echinacea is emerging as a potential boon for athletes who want to increase their endurance. Also, because Echinacea is a potent antioxidant, it may be able to fight off the inevitable oxidation that occurs from intense exercise.

However, the dosage for athletes is quite high –oftentimes 7x the amount you’d take for the sniffles. However, if you’re an endurance athlete, it may be worth giving Echinacea a second look. Regardless of your health goals, colds and flu’s are far from enjoyable and can derail progress in the gym. For that reason alone, Echinacea is worth a second look.

Echinacea

Supplement #8

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Echinacea

Claims

Boosts Immunity/Prevents colds, shortens duration of sickness, increases Erythropoietin levels.

How it works

Echinacea is able to directly stimulate increased immune cell production. In essence, this translates to more soldiers in your immune system army. These same immune system cells also tell the kidneys to produce more Erythropoietin –increasing red blood cells production.

Evidence

Immunity: There’s some fairly strong and convincing evidence regarding Echinacea’s ability to give immunity a boost. However, there is still an intense debate to whether Echinacea’s influence on the immune system is strong enough to actually keep the common cold at bay. A recent review done by Keith I. Block at the University of Illinois concluded that yes, Echinacea is able to not only reduce the risk of contracting a cold in the first place, but also help your body fight off the cold that you already have. [1] However, a extremely well controlled trial on Echinacea and the common cold published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Echinacea had no effect on cold development or duration of symptoms. [2] As you read this, more Echinacea research is going on in University laboratories somewhere in the world. Even so, it’s going to be a while until we get a determination on whether Echinacea is a true coldfighter or just an urban legend.

Cutting Cold Symptom Time in Athletes: Recently, there’s been a buzz about Echinacea as a supplement to help athletes bounce back from colds even faster. Even though exercise itself is a natural immune system booster, during the period following a tough bout of exercise, your immune system actually becomes more vulnerable to attack. Not only that, but colds and the flu tend to infect the lungs and airways –making a hardcore gym session a real challenge. A recently published study out of Elmhurst College and Detroit’s Wayne State University found that Echinacea was able to cut the duration of time that athletes were sick by more than half –dropping the impact of the illness on treatment. [3,4]

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That’s why the endurance world got a buzz when a study published Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that highdose Echinacea was able to increase Erythropoietin (EPO) levels and endurance. EPO is a hormone made by the kidneys that control red blood cell production. [5]Athletes of all kinds go to great lengths (including blood transfusions) to give their EPO levels a shot in the arm. However, it seems that Echinacea may be a legitimate way to accomplish this. However, the dose used in that’s study was 7g of dried root–a dose that exceeds even the most liberal of recommendations.

Side effects

Although issues are rare, taking Echinacea comes with a set of risks. The most alarming of which is a serious, but rare, allergic reaction. It should be said that in the scientific literature, Echinacea is almost always tolerated without issues (even at high doses), but it is important to point out the possibility of an Echinacea allergy.

Research Backed Dose

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the proper dose for Echinacea is as follows: Dried for use in a beverage such as tea: 1 - 2 grams dried root Liquid extract: 2 - 3 ml Powdered extract containing 4% phenolics: 300 mg Unlike most supplements, Echinacea is not one to be taken everyday. The maximum consecutive use is about 10-14 days. For illness, it’s best to take Echinacea when first feeling the signs of a cold or flu coming on.

Echinacea

Increasing EPO: One of the more interesting areas of Echinacea research is its purported ability to increase endurance. Although most fit people workout for no longer than an hour, for those that participate in sports like cycling and marathon running, endurance is crucial.

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The science is certainly stronger in favor of Echinacea as an illness treatment than as a preventer. Even though being under the weather after being on a roll at the gym or at your sport can be a drag, taking Echinacea may do nothing to keep that pesky cold from striking.

Echinacea

My Take

However, if you wake up with a sore throat and a serious cough, it’s not a bad idea to reach for the bottle of Echinacea. It’s likely that you’ll bounce back from the illness a lot faster than you would with bed rest alone.

Regarding Echinacea and EPO, more research needs to be done. Although the potential is great, follow up research with a larger group and a closer look at side effects needs to be done. Like most supplements, the long-term effects of taking Echinacea for years remain to be determined. It doesn’t take a large leap of faith to assume that a mega-dose would greatly increase the risk of these yet to be determined long-term issues.

Bottom line: if you’re groggy and sneezing non-stop, take Echinacea. Otherwise, your best line of defense for the cold and flu –hand washing- should be all the protection you need.

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Echinacea

References 1. Linde K, Barrett B, Woelkart K, Bauer R, Melchart D. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006; (1): CD000530. 2. Turner RB, Bauer R, Woelkart K, Hulsey TC, Gangemi JD. An evaluation of Echinacea angustifolia in experimental rhinovirus infections. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2005; 353(4): 341–348.

3. Granato H. Echinacea May Support Immunity in Athletes. Nat Prod Insider 2007

4. Block KI. Immune System Effects of Echinacea, Ginseng, and Astragalus: A Review. Intergrative Cancer Therapies 2003; 2 (3): 247-67 5. Whitehead MT, Martin TD, Scheett TP, Webster MJ.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2007 Aug;17(4):378-90.

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Ephedra

Supplement #9

Ephedra

Ephredra/Ephedrine is one of the most controversial supplements in the world. It seem that the only thing about ephedra that isn’t controversial is its ability to burn fat. Although deemed dangerous by a number of health organizations (and even the US government), due to its remarkable effectiveness, the demand for Ephedra remains unabated.

Claims

Through the introduction of “Ephedra-free” ephedrine, that demand can be legally satiated. Even so, safety questions linger. There’s no question that Ephedra use is a risk. Read on to see whether the risk is worth it.

Burns fat, aids in weight loss, improves athletic performance.

How it works

Like caffeine, ephedra is a potent nervous system stimulator, although ephedra’s ability to promote adrenal release is much stronger than most reasonable doses of caffeine. Most importantly, the stimulation of the nervous system with ephedra is strong enough to boost metabolism and fat burning. [1]

Evidence

Burns Fat: It’s clear that ephedra burns fat right after the first dose. If taken regularly, the fat burning can add up to a significant amount. One of the best puttogether studies out of St Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Columbia University concluded that a combination of caffeine and ephedra was able to help people drop up to 8 lbs. of fat when taken for 6 months.[2]

This study lends credence to the fact that ephedra can be taken over the long-term and still have a fat-loss benefit. However, it’s unclear whether the weight would stay off if one chose to stop taking ephedra. Also, this particular study, and many others looked at a caffeine/ephedra combination so it’s difficult to say that ephedra alone would be effective for the long haul.

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Ephedra Bottom line: ephedra alone most likely reduces fat, although for the benefit to stick, you probably have to take ephedra indefinitely. If not, research suggests that the weight will fly back on the moment you stop. Weight loss: Looking to drop some serious pounds -not just burn away an ounce or two of abdominal fat? According to a report commissioned by the United States government, you should look beyond ephedra.

This report, done by the RAND corporation with government funding, analyzed all available data regarding ephedra and weight loss. Although they agreed that ephedra can give your weight loss efforts a jolt, the weight is more than likely to creep back on –even if you continue to take ephedra. [3]

Performance: Early research suggested that Ephedra may be able to increase the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max) in athletes. Surprisingly, most new research has frowned upon the use of ephedra as a performance enhancer – not because of safety concerns, but because it likely doesn’t work. In fact, a welldone study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that ephedra didn’t do a thing to help trained cyclists perform any better. [4] Also, because caffeine works much the same way as ephedra, it was thought that using them together would also help athletes exercise harder and longer. This may be the case, as evidenced by an astounding 35% endurance increase seen in one study. [5]Although a small number of studies do support a caffeine/ ephedra combination for exercise, the tiny amount of published research makes ephedra’s influence on exercise uncertain.

Side effects

There’s little debate that ephedra is a risky supplement. Scientists from around the globe have found that the risks associated with ephedra are both serious and common. From heart attacks, to stroke, and even sudden death, ephedra has been linked to a surprisingly vast number of health problems.[6]

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Ephedra

It’s this controversy that has lawmakers, the media, and athletic commissions up in arms about Ephedra. Is all the controversy fair? A review published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, gives a resounding “yes” to that question. After reviewing the published literature and comparing it with the side effect risk of other common herbal supplements, the ephedra made you 100700 times more likely to end up with a serious health problem.[7] What about “ephedra-free” ephedra, like “ephedrine”? Although a clever way to sidestep bans, many researchers see the new line of ephedra products just as dangerous as the original.

The newer ephedra compounds, usually made with a similar herbal plant called bitter orange, are under scrutiny by scientists. In fact, The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine concludes: “there is currently little evidence that bitter orange is safer to use than ephedra.”

Research backed dose

Although almost any amount is considered unsafe, most research has used 50100mg per day with a fairly low risk of side effects (although these subjects were under fairly intense medical supervision).

My verdict

You’d have to pay me a lot of money to take Ephedra. The risk is just too great. Sure, it may get rid of a bit of fat that I’m not thrilled about, but it’s not worth it to me to jeopardize my health. Even if the short-term results give you a bit of temporary satisfaction, you have to take ephedra for the rest of your life to maintain it.

Will you drop dead after taking your first ephedra tablet? Probably not. Honestly, the risk from ephedra may be blown a bit out of proportion by the media, but it’s still the most dangerous supplement on the market. Is it really worth the risk of a heart attack for a few weeks of a 6-pack? Not only that, but other supplements like green tea extract work almost as well and actually benefit overall health –not harm it. If you’ve tried everything to drop those last 5 kilos or want to look lean for beach season, there are a whole host of other approaches (both supplement and non-supplement) that work just as well without forcing you to roll the dice on your health.

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Ephedra

References 1. Astrup A, Bulow J, Madsen J, Christensen NJ. Contribution of BAT and skeletal muscle to thermogenesis induced by ephedrine in man. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 1985; 248: E507-E515

2. Boozer CN, Daly PA, Homel P. Herbal ephedra/caffeine for weight loss: a 6-month randomized safety and efficacy trial. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2002 May;26(5):593-604

3. Shekelle PG, Morton SC, Maglione M, Hardy ML, Mojica W, Suttorp M, Rhodes S, Hilton L, Gagne J. Ephedra and Ephedrine for Weight Loss and Athletic Performance Enhancement. Rand Corporation 4. Gillies H, Derman WE, Noakes TD, Smith P, Evans A, Gabriels G. Pseudoephedrine is without ergogenic effects during prolonged exercise. J Appl Physiol 1996; 81 (6): 2611-7

5. Bell DG, Jacobs I, Zamecnik J. Effects of caffeine, ephedrine and their combination on time to exhaustion during high-intensity exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1998; 77 (5): 427-33 6. Powers ME. Ephedra and Its Application to Sport Performance: Another Concern for the Athletic Trainer? J Athl Train 2001; 36 (4): 420-24

7. Bent S, Tiedt TN, Odden MC, Shlipak MG. The relative safety of ephedra compared with other herbal products. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138 (6): 468–71

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Essential Fats / Omega 369 Of all the supplements on the market, none seem to have the range of claims as essential fats do. Essential fats, especially omega-3s are pushed as cancer fighters, a weight loss tool, and even as a depression treatment. Although some of these claims overhype the research, there’s no doubting that fish oil has a mountain of research backing it up as a supplement health miracle.

Essential Fats / Omega 369

Supplement #10

Although plant sources of essential fats, like flaxseeds and tofu, are generally healthy, they aren’t nearly as powerful as fish oil.

Knowing that, it’s no wonder that fish oil has been flying off the shelves recently. However, getting the benefits of omega-3s isn’t as simple as walking into your local supplement shop blindfolded and reaching for the first thing that hits your hand. There are some critical guideless for choosing a fish oil that will make sure that you get the benefits you’re looking for.

Claims

Like CoQ10, fish oil has an incredible amount of health claims. We’ll stick to some of the most common and relevant health claims here.

How it works

As discussed in the glucosamine section, inflammation is the root cause of all chronic disease. If you can reduce inflammation, you can bet your risk of developing chronic disease will freefall.

Fish oil is one of the most powerful inflammation fighters known to man. Fish oil acts to block enzymes that ramp up inflammation. Not only that, but fish oil activates genes that help your body “relax”- furthering the drop in inflammation levels. [1]

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Essential Fats / Omega 369

One other way fish oil seems to do its work is by making cells more fluid. Fluid cells are less likely to cause problems like hardened arteries or painful joints. The outside layer of your cells are mostly made up of fat. If that fat layer is made up of “bad fats” like saturated and trans fats, your cells will be stiff and rigid. On the other hand, if they are made up of healthy fats, like omega-3s, then they’ll be fluid. Whether your cells end up stiff as a board or loose like a rubber band depend entirely on the types of fat that you put into your body –it’s the ultimate “you are what you eat” scenario.

Evidence

enzymes that your body relies on to store fat. [2,3]

Burns Fat: Who would have thought that fish would help your love handles disappear? Although a bold claim, research is consistently showing that fish oil is a legitimate fat burner. And unlike ephedra, which is like playing Russian Roulette with your body, fish oil gives you head to toe benefits. A 2007 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that fish oil, when combined with exercise, helped people lose 3x more fat than if the participants didn’t take fish oil. Other studies have shown that omega-3s directly block the

Treats Depression: Although being physically active is one of the best ways to ward off depression, this debilitating disease can hit just about anyone. The great news is that fish oil seems to help your brain work even better –making depression symptoms disappear. Remember how fish oil makes your cells more fluid? When this effect hits your brain cells, it helps your brain cells function more efficiently –releasing more “feel good” hormones like dopamine in the process. The end result? Better moods, reduced anxiety, and reduced risk of depressive episodes. Research published in Archives of General Psychiatry illustrates just how effective fish oil can be. When given fish oil, 64 patients with severe depression reported improved symptoms –outperforming the placebo group by 4x.[4] In fact, fish oil has been

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Lowers Cholesterol: It seems that fish oil may be able to reduce a certain fat found in the blood, triglycerides. Triglycerides are a form of fat in the blood which raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. As you may expect, fish oil is especially good at dropping out of control triglyceride levels. If you’re an active person with low HDL, then fish oil can give your good cholesterol a bump. A 2007 study out of University of South Australia found that the combination of fish oil and cardio bumped up sagging HDL levels. [2] Prevents Cardiovascular Disease: It’s one thing to have low cholesterol, but it’s quite another to fight off cardiovascular disease. Fortunately, fish oil works in the long term. Because it goes after a number of risk factors: triglycerides, fat stores, and inflammation, it’s amazingly effective at reducing the risk of getting a heart attack or stroke. [5]

Side Effects

Most people tolerate fish oil extremely well. The only population that needs to be careful are people on blood thinners. Other than that, you can take a reasonable dose of fish oil without worry.

That is assuming that you’re taking a fish oil supplement that is free of heavy metals and toxins. Fish are notorious for accumulating toxins that eventually make their way into fish oil, and into you. Although the research isn’t yet clear, taking in nasty toxins like mercury can wreak havoc on your body –especially your brain.

Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to find a fish oil supplement that’s purified and free of these dangerous toxins.

Research Backed Dose

Honestly, it may be a bit misleading to say that “fish oil” is inherently beneficial. It’s actually the omega-3s in the fish oil, EPA and DHA, that do the work. That’s why, when crafting an ideal dose, it’s ideal to look at the amount of DHA and EPA that you take – not just the fish oil.

The current recommendations are to take between 500mg to 800mg of combined DHA and EPA per day. Most fish oil contains about 400mg of DHA+EPA in every 1 gram of fish oil, although this can vary greatly between brands. It takes a bit of math to get the perfect dose, but it’s most definitely worth it.

Essential Fats / Omega 369

consistently shown to work better than most of the common prescription treatments for depression.

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Essential Fats / Omega 369

My Take

Whether you take it to ward off a heart attack or to look leaner in a bathing suit, fish oil is the real deal. Don’t bother with Omega 3,6,9 blends. Most people get plenty of omega6s and omega-9s –it’s omega-3s that most are missing out on. I love fish oil, and recommend it without reservation, for these reasons:

1. Proven Effective: Although I’m reluctant to ever use the word “proven”, in the case of fish oil, it’s well warranted. That’s because, when it comes to fat loss, triglycerides lowering, and mood lifting, fish oil has a boatload of research showing that it works.

2. Bang For Your Buck: As opposed to other supplements, which have a single benefit, fish oil has a handful. It’s not terribly expensive, and if you consider all that it does, fish oil is a real steal. 3. Safety: Most supplements are chemicals manufactured in a lab. Fish oil is a supplement that’s fairly close to nature. This may seem unimportant, but it becomes clear from the fact that fish oil has so few side effects, that its natural source pays off. If you’re not taking fish oil, you have to ask yourself “why”? It’s a fantastic safe supplement that really works!

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1. Wang C, Harris WS. n-3 Fatty acids from fish or fish-oil supplements, but not alphalinolenic acid, benefit cardiovascular disease outcomes in primary- and secondaryprevention studies: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Jul;84(1):5-17. 2. Hill AM, Buckley JD, Murphy KJ, Howe PRC. Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Am J of Clin Nutr 2007; 85 (5): 1267-74 3. Belzung, F, Raclot T, Groscolas R. Fish oil n-3 fatty acids selectively limit the hypertrophy of abdominal fat depots in growing rats fed high-fat diets. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 1993; 264 (6): R1111-R1118 4. Stoll AL, Severus WE, Freeman MP, Rueter S, Zboyan HA, Diamond E, Cress KK, Marangell LB. Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Bipolar Disorder. Arc of Gen Psych 1999; 56: 407-12

5. Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ. Fish Consumption, Fish Oil, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, and Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation 2002; 160: 2747

Essential Fats / Omega 369

References

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HGH

Supplement #11

HGH

HGH shot on the radar screen of most people after reports of its widespread use by professional athletes. After HGH’s ban by almost every major athletic body, pro athletes of all types were being linked to HGH use –and suffering the consequences.

Why were these talented athletes putting their careers on the line? Because they were convinced that HGH works. Indeed, HGH does have a fair bit of research behind it, although claims of it being a “wonder drug” are wild exaggerations. That doesn’t stop bodybuilders from taking HGH to help them bulk up and get lean –despite the long-term health risks.

Claims

Builds muscle, boosts athletic performance, burns fat, slows aging.

How it works

Human growth hormone (HGH) is a hormone that’s naturally produced by the body. HGH interacts with a number of different areas of the body – especially muscle cells. In fact, HGH is one of the most important hormones in your body for making muscle cells grow in size.

Also, after you’re 30th birthday, natural HGH levels begin to freefall. It’s been suggested that taking HGH can reverse some of the inevitable health issues, such as osteoporosis and muscle loss, that come with getting older.

Evidence

Builds Muscle: There’s no doubt that HGH builds muscle. Take this study done by researchers at University of New Mexico School of Medicine. When they gave high doses of HGH to elite athletes, a population presumed to have already “hit the ceiling” of muscle gain, they somehow were able to grow even more muscle. [1] Although skeptical researchers thought that the sudden growth of muscle was actually water weight, more sophisticated research has shown these claims to be false.

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HGH A well-done study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism looked at how HGH actually influenced muscle cells. They found that HGH ramped up pathways necessary for muscle growth and protein metabolism. [2]

Boost Athletic Performance: It seems logical that more muscle would help athletes perform at an even higher level. Surprisingly, there’s been a lack of consistency on this. Some studies have found that HGH aids in training and exercise, while others have shown that HGH can even make performance worse.

A recently published review entitled ‘Systematic Review: The Effects of Growth Hormone on Athletic Performance’ concluded that: “However, our review of the limited published literature suggests that although growth hormone may alter body composition, it has minimal effect on key athletic performance outcomes and may, in fact, be associated with worsened exercise capacity.”[3] Fat Loss/Body Composition: Through it’s ability to build muscle, HGH can certainly improve body composition (the important ratio of fat to muscle). However, it remains to be seen whether HGH can fight fat directly. Some studies have shown that HGH can burn fat, while others show that it only influences body fat % through an increase in muscle. [1,4] Looking at the fat loss research as a whole, it seems that HGH can help people who are overweight shed fat. But if you’re already lean to begin with, HGH won’t make you any more lean than you already are.

Slows Aging: The outrageous claim that HGH can reverse the aging process is rooted in a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in the early 90’s. In that study, the researchers gave HGH to older men who had low HGH levels. The HGH was able to successfully reduce excess fat and help them put on a pound or two of muscle. [5] However, recent research on older men show that, although HGH can improve with body composition, it doesn’t influence other aging factors like cholesterol levels of oxygen capacity. [6]

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HGH

Side Effects

In general, HGH is not as safe as most other supplements on the market. Because of its ability to profoundly affect many areas of the body, HGH is more akin to a drug than a vitamin. Also, there’s a lack of research on HGH given to people for the long term. However, there is enough research out there to suggest that HGH is a risky supplement to take even temporarily. A review of the safety of HGH published in The Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that HGH drastically increased the risk of: “soft tissue edema, arthralgias, carpal tunnel syndrome, and gynecomastia and were somewhat more likely to experience the onset of diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose.”[3]

Although some of potential HGH side effects are minor or reversible, diabetes is a serious condition that’s consistently tied to HGH use.[7]

Research-Backed Dose

The ideal dosage range is 14 micrograms to 36 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.

My Take

It’s clear from the biochemical and clinical research that HGH builds serious muscle. It may also help you lean out and cut some excess fat. In other words, if you’re a bodybuilder, HGH is a perfect supplement for your goals. However, if you’re an athlete that wants to improve at your sport, HGH is not the supplement for you. The pro athletes who have used HGH to get to the top have done so under false assumptions –HGH likely does very little to make you a better athlete. Like ephedra, HGH doesn’t seem to be worth the risk. Although it may give you bigger biceps and a leaner waist, it’s potential health implications down the road make it a dangerous thing to take. Sure, I want a better body just like anyone else, but I’m not willing to have diabetes for the rest of my life to get there.

Are the side effects overstated? Possibly. It’s true that there isn’t a lot of long-term research on HGH use, but the few that are out there strong suggest that taking HGH isn’t healthy. Bottom line: if you want to bulk up and lean out, you’re better off sticking with provensafe supplements like creatine, whey, and fish oil. Leave the HGH to the naïve baseball player who just failed his drug test.

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HGH

References 1. Crist DM, Peake GT, Egan PA, Waters DL. Body composition response to exogenous GH during training in highly conditioned adults. J Appl Physiol 1988; 65: 579-84 2. Healy ML, Gibney J, Russell-Jones DL, Pentecost C, Croos P, Sonksen PH, Umpleby AM. High Dose Growth Hormone Exerts an Anabolic Effect at Rest and during Exercise in Endurance-Trained Athletes. J Clin Endo Metab. 2003; 88 (11): 5221-26 3. Liu H, Bravata DM, Olkin I, Friedlander A, Liu V, Roberts B, Bendavid E, Saynina O, Salpeter SR, Garber AM, Hoffman AR. Systematic Review: The Effects of Growth Hormone on Athletic Performance. An Int Med 2008 148 (10): 747-58 4. Skaggs SR, Crist DM. Exogenous Human Growth Hormone Reduces Body Fat in Obese Women Horm Res 1991; 35: 19-24

5. Rudman D, Feller AG, Nagraj HS, Gergans GA, Lalitha PY, Goldberg AF, Schlenker RA, Cohn L, Rudman IW, Mattson DE. Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old. N. Engl. J. Med. 1990; 323 (1): 1–6. PMID 2355952. 6. No proof that growth hormone therapy makes you live longer, study finds”. PhysOrg.com. 2007-01-16. http://www.physorg.com/news88140162.html. Retrieved 2009-03-16.

7. Moller N, Jorgensen JOL. Effects of Growth Hormone on Glucose, Lipid, and Protein Metabolism in Human Subjects. End Rev 2008; 30 (2): 152-77

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Ribose

Although nothing more than a special form of sugar, D-Ribose continues to be hawked by supplement makers as a way to improve endurance, build muscle, and even burn fat. Although researched fairly extensively for its ability to build better athletes, the results have been a mixed bag.

However, there is some research in Ribose’s favor as an energy enhancer. In fact, it works much the same way as creatine –although presumably not as well. For people with chronic fatigue syndrome, or those who are just a bit groggy, D-Ribose may be a supplement to consider.

Claims

Builds muscle, enhances endurance, increases strength, and fights fatigue.

How it works

Much like creatine, ribose is able to replenish ATP after it’s been used up for energy. Unlike creatine, ribose can also make new ATP from scratch. In fact, your body goes to great lengths to produce ribose on it’s own. There’s some evidence that having extra ribose lying around pushes your body towards even more ATP production. [1] For people who are physically active, and therefore using up a lot of ATP, it may be beneficial to give your body ribose in an effort to replenish muscle energy.

Evidence

Builds Muscle: Although research has pointed towards ribose as a potent performance enhancer, there hasn’t been any conclusive evidence showing that it can actually build muscle. In a study out of the University of Florida, researchers gave amateur bodybuilders 10 grams of ribose per day for 4 weeks. Although the subjects that took ribose were stronger, there wasn’t any difference in body composition when compared with the placebo group. It seems that the boost in strength may not be enough to cause significant muscle gain in people who are already fit.[2]

Ribose

Supplement #12

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Ribose

Enhances Endurance: Considering that running out of ATP is what causes you to “hit the wall” while running or biking for a long period, it makes sense that ribose has been extensively tested on endurance athletes. Sure enough, ribose has been shown to help people who just worked out for an extended period replenish their ATP faster.

However, when ribose was given to collegiate rowers, the results published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine called into question whether ribose can really help one’s endurance. Despite taking ribose for 2 months, the rowers weren’t able to paddle longer because of ribose. [3]

Increases Strength: When researchers test ribose’s ability to help sprinters run faster, the results come up short. Because sprinting and weight lifting use the exact same energy pathways, it’s not uncommon for scientists to conclude that ribose will have no effect on strength. However, this may not be the case here.

As mentioned earlier, ribose given to bodybuilders helped them lift more. In fact, some of the subjects were able to pack on significantly more plates on the bench press bar and even lift for more reps. However, there aren’t any other follow up studies to confirm whether these results can be trusted.[4,5]

Increases Energy: If you find yourself constantly tired, you may have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a condition that’s a real challenge for doctors to treat. However, ribose has emerged as a potential natural way to give sufferers the jolt of energy that they’ve been missing.

In a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine ribose’s fairly profound effect on fatigue was uncovered. When people with CFS took ribose, they found an average increase in energy of 44.7% and a boost of overall well being of 30%. [6]

Although encouraging and supported by newer studies, it should be noted that the placebo effect in CFS is quite high and probably explains at least some of the effect of ribose.

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Ribose

Side Effects

For most people, ribose is taken without incident. Some folks may get upset stomach or diarrhea –but this is quite rare. Because ribose is a fairly new supplement, there’s a big question mark to how safe it is to use in the long term. Research Backed Dose Most manufacturers recommend 5g per day although the research with the most promising results has found that 10g seems to work the best.

Verdict/My Take

Ribose doesn’t have the research to justify taking it. If you’re already taking a few proven supplements and looking for an edge, it’s certainly not going to hurt you to take ribose for a while (although scientists still don’t know that ribose will do to your body long-term). You may just be a tad bit stronger after taking ribose, just don’t expect to pack on loads of muscle from it. In fact, some reviews of ribose have really called into question its effectiveness to bolster performance or physique. If you’re feeling tired all the time and get enough sleep, you may want to consider ribose. The science behind the ribose/energy connection is much stronger than for ribose as a performance enhancer.

The one good thing about ribose as a whole is that it’s one of the safest supplements out there. Although able to have significant effects on the body, it really is just sugar –a completely natural substance. Unless you’re desperate to add some weight to your squat or you can’t keep your eyes open during the day, I’d hold off on spending your money on ribose until a few more years of conclusive research comes out.

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Ribose

References 1. Hellsten Y, Skadhauge L, Bangsbo. Effect of ribose supplementation on resynthesis of adenine nucleotides after intense intermittent training in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2003; 286: R182-R188 2. Peverler WW, Bishop PA, Whitehorn EJ. Effects of ribose as an ergogenic aid. J Strength Cond Res 2006; 20 (3): 519-22

3. Kreider RB, Melton C, Greenwood M, Rasmussen C, Lundberg J, Earnest C, Almada A. Effects of oral D-ribose supplementation on anaerobic capacity and selected metabolic markers in healthy males. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2003; 13 (1): 7686

4. Dunne L, Worley S, Macknin M. Ribose Versus Dextrose Supplementation, Association With Rowing Performance: A Double-Blind Study. Clin J Sport Med 2006; 16 (1): 68-71 5. Berardi JM, Ziegenfuss TN. Effects of Ribose Supplementation on Repeated Sprint Performance in Men. J Stength Cond Res 2003; 17 (1): 47-52

6. Teitelbaum JE, St.Cyr J, Johnson C. The use of D-Ribose in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia: a pilot study. J Alterna Complement Med 2006; 12(9): 857-62.

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Vitamins C and E / Antioxidants

Vitamins C and E / Antioxidants

Supplement #13

The word “antioxidant” has become so overused as to become a nutritional buzzword. Even chocolate candy wrappers, whose content contain a smidgen of antioxidants, boast about purported health benefits. Make no mistake: antioxidants are crucial to a healthy lifestyle. It’s antioxidants that explain how fresh fruits, vegetables and legumes can offset diseases and extend lifespan. However, in the realm of physical activity, the research into antioxidant supplements like vitamins C, and E have been disappointing.

For every study that shows a benefit from taking vitamins, another two or three discount it. That’s not to say that taking vitamins is a bad idea: it’s just that, despite their enormous popularity, they don’t have the research backing that most people expect. That being said, antioxidants may actually serve as a serious boon to athletes by helping them bounce back from the damage that intense exercise can induce.

Claims

Improves performance, limits muscle damage.

How it works

As your cells work, they produce what are known as free radicals –renegade cells that wreak havoc in your body. You can consider free radicals a natural exhaust that’s produced from energy-producing cells. If free radicals run rampant, oxidation occurs –a process detrimental to overall health.

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Evidence

Vitamins C and E / Antioxidants

Enter antioxidants. Antioxidants are able to fight off free radicals, thus preventing oxidation. It’s theorized that antioxidants are even more important for active people. That’s because the free radical “exhaust” ramps up considerably after a workout. Therefore, if you take more antioxidants, you might be able to offset the damage that would occur if free radials ran around unchecked. [1]

Improves performance: There’s very little evidence that taking extra vitamins and antioxidants can make you a better athlete. Unlike supplements like Ribose, which hasn’t been studied very much in athletes, vitamins have. The results haven’t been encouraging.

Take this review, ‘Vitamin E, vitamin C, and exercise’, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The authors looked at a whopping 60 studies involving these two very popular antioxidants and their effect on exercise. Their conclusion? “The overwhelming consensus of the literature is that long- or short-term supplementation with vitamins E or C has no ergogenic (performance-enhancing) effect on sub maximal exercise performance, aerobic capacity, or muscle strength”. [2] In other words, they agree that the theory that excess free radical production may warrant extra antioxidants, but 60 studies later, they still aren’t sure. Another review of antioxidants in healthy people echoed these results: “additional oral supplementation does not increase endurance or strength”. [3]

In fact, a recent study that garnered a lot of buzz suggested that antioxidant supplements can actually reverse some of the benefits from exercising. Regarding the benefits to insulin sensitivity, the study authors Michael Ristow, MD, stated that: …“antioxidants interfere with this health-promoting effect of exercise.” [4] Although a small study, the results show us how little we understand the effects of taking extra antioxidants can have on the body. However, the negative reviewers stopped short of closing the door on antioxidants as a potentially safe way to help athletes perform better. That’s because new research continues to be done, either with a different dose or a change in the timing that suggests vitamins can help athletes.

Protects Muscle Damage: This is the “bread and butter” of antioxidant claims. There’s no doubt that exercise causes more free radical production –raising the risk of oxidation. Also, there’s some fairly substantial research that shows antioxidants can protect the muscle from damage.

For example, a well-done study published in European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology found that giving vitamin C before a workout helped prevent excess muscle damage and sped up recovery. There have been a few dozen others that suggest the same muscle shielding benefit. [5]

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Vitamins C and E / Antioxidants

However, a brand new, December 2009 study concluded that “Although some equivocation remains in the extant literature regarding the beneficial effects of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on muscle damage, there is little evidence to support such a role.” [1]

Research-based dose

Here is the dosage range most commonly used in research done on athletes: Vitamin C: 400-800mg Vitamin E: 600-800IU

Side effects

Like most supplements, we only know the short-term risks, which in this case are small.

In the short-term, there aren’t any side effects of taking antioxidants, especially if you don’t go overboard with the dosage. However, there’s some research that shows taking Vitamin E supplements for years may very slightly increase the chance of developing heart disease –although some research finds the exact opposite.

My take

Over 60% of Olympic athletes take antioxidants every day, despite the lack of solid research. [6] Are these amazing athletes misguided? Perhaps. But they just might be onto something. That shimmering hope about antioxidants is what keeps scientists studying them and athletes taking them.

The reality? They probably do help a little. Even the most negative of studies leaves open the possibility that the lack of evidence may just be because the effect is so small that it flies under the statistic’s radar.

Not only that, but with antioxidants and exercise, there are so many variables to consider: dosage, relative dosages of vitamin C vs. vitamin E, type of physical activity, timing, the diet’s contribution to antioxidants, training level etc. It’s going to be a long time before someone can say with confidence: “antioxidants don’t help your body or your athleticism”.

Last year, I would have still recommended taking antioxidants, despite the lack of evidence. That’s because they seemed benign, and may even help certain people do certain types of exercise. However, the new study that found antioxidants blunt some benefits of exercise was a rude awakening. Without a doubt, antioxidants should be obtained from colorful plant-based foods. That’s always going to be the best source, and the one your body prefers. Not only that, but it’s pretty much guaranteed that they aren’t going to hurt you down the road.

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1. McGinley C, Shafat A, Donnelly AE. Does Antioxidant Vitamin Supplementation Protect against Muscle Damage? Spor Med 2009; 39 (12): 1011-32 2. Evans WJ. Vitamin E, vitamin C, and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 72 (2) 647S-652S

3. Urso ML, Clarkson PM. Oxidative stress, exercise, and antioxidant supplementation. Toxicology 2003; 15 (189): 41-54 4. Ristow M, Zarse K, Oberbach A, Kloting N, Birringer M, et al. (2009) Antioxidants prevent health-promoting effects of physical exercise in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106: 8665–8670.

5. Jakemanl P, Maxwell S. Effect of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on muscle function after eccentric exercise. Eur J App Physiol Occup Physiol 1993; 67 (5): 42630 6. Huang SH, Johnson K, Pipe ALCM. The Use of Dietary Supplements and Medications by Canadian Athletes at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games. Clin J Spor Med 2006; 16 (1): 27-33 7. Kanter MM, Williams MH. Antioxidants, carnitine, and choline as putative ergogenic aids. Int J Sport Nutr. 1995; 5: S120-31

8. Juhn MS. Popular Sports Supplements and Ergogenic Aids. Spor Med 2003; 33 (12): 921-39

9. Golfarb AH. Antioxidants: role of supplementation to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1993; 25 (2): 232-6

Vitamins C and E / Antioxidants

References

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Chromium Picolinate

Chromium Picolinate

Supplement #14

Chromium picolinate is a supplement that was originally designed to help diabetics get their out of control blood sugar under control. When supplement makers caught wind of the research, they spun the results to make the supplement seem like a miracle for athletes everywhere. Although Chromium picolinate most definitely increases insulin sensitivity, whether it can actually make you stronger or leaner remains to be seen. The reason the question mark remains is that the vast majority of research done with Chromium picolinate is done with type 2 diabetics, making the results from these studies difficult to apply to the general public.

However, a few studies of Chromium picolinate with active people have been promising –while others have been disappointing. Is Chromium picolinate worth your time and effort? Read on to find out.

Claims

Lowers insulin resistance (increases insulin sensitivity), improves muscle growth/ strength, burns fat.

How it works

Your body requires a steady intake of the element chromium to regulate the activity of the hormone insulin. Insulin, as you may know, is the hormone that is the “key” that opens up cells to let nutrients in. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t as sensitive to insulin, so they require more insulin to get the job done. It’s well known that greater insulin sensitivity has a number of benefits including: greater muscle growth, body fat loss, less inflammation. In fact, when people are very sensitive to insulin, they are much less likely to store fat and tend to have a more muscular body composition.

However, most healthy and active people’s insulin sensitivity is already normal. It’s theorized that a tad bit of extra insulin sensitivity from chromium supplementation can give healthy people a boon to their physique. [1]

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Chromium Picolinate

Evidence

Increases insulin sensitivity: The relationship between insulin resistance and chromium has been researched for decades. Fortunately, many scientists have done reviews of the literature in order to get a bird’s eye view of chromium and determine whether it has any effect on healthy people’s insulin action. A review out of Tufts University looked at 41 of the best-designed studies on chromium and insulin resistance. After extensively pouring over the literature, they concluded: “There was no benefit in individuals without diabetes.”[1] Another study combined the results of 20 studies to see whether chromium was able to influence insulin levels. What did they find? “… no effect of chromium on glucose or insulin concentrations in nondiabetic subjects.”[2]

It seems fairly clear that, if you don’t have diabetes (and maybe even if you do), chromium isn’t going to budge your insulin sensitivity one bit.

Strength and Muscle: Even if chromium doesn’t affect insulin, it still may be able to build muscle.

A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise gave chromium to a group of resistance trained young men. After 3 months of lifting weights and taking chromium, the researches found no difference in strength of muscle mass.[3] A different study done by the USDA found the exact same results. [4] In fact, I wasn’t able to find a single human study that found chromium helped boost strength or build muscle.

Burns Fat: Fat loss seems to be the #1 most popular claim surrounding chromium –and the one that makes the most sense considering its theoretical mode of action. However, like muscle strength, there isn’t much evidence in chromium’s favor here either. A study done in Naval officers who were intensely training showed fairly clearly that chromium doesn’t do a thing for stripping away a bulging waistline. In this study, published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, they were disappointed to find that chromium wasn’t able to help the seamen lose any more fat than a placebo. At the end of the study the authors proclaimed: “It was concluded that chromium picolinate was ineffective in enhancing body fat reduction”. [5]

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Chromium Picolinate

However, another study done in overweight people found that chromium does help people burn away excess pounds. The head researcher of the study, Gilbert Kaats, PhD, of the Health and Medical Research Foundation in San Antonio states: “The data clearly confirm that supplementation with chromium picolinate can lead to significant improvements in body composition resulting from fat loss”. [6] Other research done with in-shape, physically active people flies in the face of the conclusion from Dr. Kaats. It’s important to note that people who are overweight, even if not diabetic, have significant insulin resistance going on. This inherent difference in insulin sensitivity probably explains the discrepancy in these results.

Side Effects

In the short term it seems that taking a low to moderate dose of chromium has no ill effect, although a few case studies of people taking chromium and undergoing lifethreatening injuries have been published. However, the link between serious health issues and chromium supplements is weak.

However, new research has suggested that chromium may increase damage to DNA – setting one up for serious health problems down the road. It remains to be seen whether this DNA damage is significant or just a phenomenon seen in a laboratory setting.

Research-backed Dose

Most studies use a range from 200mcg to 400 mcg per day.

My Take

From looking deeply at the research, I don’t see chromium as an effective supplement for most people. Although there are a handful of studies in it’s favor, the vast majority of those have been done in diabetics.

Fortunately, researchers have given chromium to healthy people as well –especially athletes. By and large, they’ve found that chromium is useless. I think that the only instance where chromium may have an effect is if you’re already significantly overweight. Otherwise, your insulin sensitivity has probably already hit a ceiling, making it impossible to become more sensitive to insulin. It’s pretty clear that chromium probably won’t do a thing for your strength or your waistline. Worse yet, more and more science is finding potential dangers of taking daily chromium supplements. All in all, chromium picolinate just isn’t worth it.

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1. Balk EM, Tatsioni A, Lichtenstein AH, Lau J, Pittas AG. Effect of Chromium Supplementation on Glucose Metabolism and Lipids. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Diab Care 2007; 30 (8): 2154-63

2. Althuis MD, Jordan NE, Ludington EA, Wittes JT. Glucose and insulin responses to dietary chromium supplements: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 76 (1): 14855

Chromium Picolinate

References

3. Hallmark MA, Reynolds TH, DeSouza CA, Dotson CO, Anderson RA, Rogers MA. Effects of chromium and resistive training on muscle strength and body composition. Med Sci Spor Exerc 1996; 28 (1): 139-44 4. Trent LK, Thieding-Cancel D. Effects of chromium picolinate on body composition. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1995; 35 (4): 273-80

5. Lukaski HC, Bolonchuk WW, Siders WA, Milne DB. Chromium supplementation and resistance training: effects on body composition, strength, and trace element status of men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1996; 63: 954-65 6. Kaats G.R., Blum K., Fisher J.A., Adelman J.A. Effects of chromium picolinate supplementation on body composition: A randomized, double-masked, placebocontrolled study (1996) Current Therapeutic Research - Clinical and Experimental, 57 (10), pp. 747-756.

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Multivitamins

Multivitamins

Supplement #15

According to some estimates, a daily multivitamin is the most popular supplement on the planet. Even though it may not be able board about claims of bulging biceps or washboard abs, you get a real value from your run of the mill multivitamin. On paper, you won’t find a supplement with as much to offer. Most multivitamins contain a whopping 15 vitamin and minerals. Some fancy formulas go even further by adding antioxidants or herbs.

Does all that quantity translate to quality? Hard to say. Although you’d be hard pressed to find a fit person who doesn’t take a multivitamin, you’d be just as hard pressed to find a conclusive study in its favor. Let’s look at the multivitamin from a number of different angles –preventing chronic disease and helping athletes perform.

Claims

Prevents disease, improves performance.

How it works

The theory behind taking a multivitamin is that, even if you eat an extremely healthy diet, there still may be nutrients that you’re missing out on. In that way, a multivitamin serves as a “safety net” –giving you the vitamins and minerals that are lacking in the diet. Also, if you’re physically active, you’re body uses up nutrients at a faster rate. Therefore, it’s assumed that a multivitamin is doubly important for the athlete as it replenishes the losses that inevitably come from working out. [1]

Although most people get more than enough of most nutrients found in a multi, there are a few nutrients added to a multivitamin that some people may be missing out on. Vitamin D: According to many researchers, there’s a vitamin D “epidemic” going on. Because vitamin D is made from our exposure to the sun, and we tend to spend so much time indoors, deficiency has been estimated to be as high at 90%. Low levels of vitamin D have been strongly linked to serious conditions like heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. [2]

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Multivitamins

A multivitamin, while not providing enough to meet most people’s needs, usually can at least prevent a severe deficiency.

Calcium: Low calcium isn’t just detrimental to bones. New research shows that a high intake of calcium can help shed excess belly fat. Potassium: If you eat a typical American diet (even a healthy one), it’s likely that your ratio of sodium to potassium is out of whack. Fresh fruits and veggies are a fantastic way to get potassium, and a multivitamin can give you a little extra. In theory, it’s the work of these 3 nutrients, perhaps combined with others, that makes a multivitamin worthwhile.

Evidence

Chronic Disease: Because most research on vitamins and health has been observational, scientists have had a hard time distinguishing between the influence of the vitamins versus other confounding variables. Let’s take a look at a well-done study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers in this study combined the results of several other studies to see if there is in fact a relationship between multivitamin use and disease. Their conclusion? “Evidence is insufficient to prove the presence or absence of benefits from use of multivitamin and mineral supplements to prevent cancer and chronic disease”. [3] In other words, they aren’t sure. Because people who take multivitamins tend to be healthier already, it’s a real challenge to extract the effect of the multivitamins on chronic disease vs. a already healthy lifestyle.

Improve Performance: It’s true: if you workout more, you use up more nutrients than if you were a couch potato. In particular, a deficiency in certain B vitamins and vitamin C has been shown to decrease oxygen capacity. However, it’s not clear whether you lose enough to warrant a supplement. A recently published study gave a multivitamin supplement to sprinters for 8 weeks. They found that the multivitamin group was able to last a bit longer on their sprints: and that the vitamins “… may result in a minor decreased rate of fatigue”. [4] On the other hand, a different study using similar conditions found that a multivitamin didn’t help athletes run faster or for longer. [5] A “tie breaker” study done on elite Australian athletes for 8 months concluded that “In general, however, this study provided little evidence of any effect of supplementation to athletic performance”. [6]

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Multivitamins, even when taken 2 or 3 times per day, are one of the safest and best tolerated supplements around.

Multivitamins

Side Effects

Research-backed dose

Although difficult to give a “dose”, as the composition of most multivitamins vary tremendously between brands, 1 capsule per day is usually enough. As many nutrients in the multivitamin are fat soluble, be sure to take it with food.

My take

We may never know whether a multivitamin can ward off cancer, heart disease, or any other chronic disease. There are just too many inherent flaws in the research to be overcome. Until confounding variables can be eliminated, the role of the multivitamin in disease will remain a mystery. It comes as a surprise to most active people that a multivitamin has no effect on their performance. They figure, because they use up more vitamins and nutrients, that they need more. This may actually be true, however, people who are active tend to also eat a healthy diet rich in nutrients. The healthy diet likely covers your bases and precludes the need for the multivitamin at all. That being said, you’d have to fight me to take my bottle of multivitamins away from me. Because they are so incredibly cheap (oftentimes less than ten cents per capsule) and safe, I figure I’m not doing my body any harm by taking it. Because no study has completely ruled out a multivitamin as a healthy-enhancer, then I may actually be doing myself some good. If you’re on the fence about taking a daily multivitamin, feel free to give it a shot. Don’t expect it to make you live forever or look like a fitness model, but it’s certainly not going to do you any harm.

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1. Williams MH. Dietary Supplements and Sports Performance: Introduction and Vitamins. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2004; 1 (2): 1-6

Multivitamins

References

2. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jul 19;357(3):266-81.

3. Huang HY, Caballero B, Chang S. The efficacy and safety of multivitamin and mineral supplement use to prevent cancer and chronic disease in adults: a systematic review for a National Institutes of Health state-of-the-science conference. Ann Intern Med. 2006 Sep 5;145(5):372-85. Epub 2006 Jul 31 4. Fry AC, Bloomer RJ, Falvo MJ, Moore CA, Schilling BK, Weiss LW. Effect of a liquid multivitamin/mineral supplement on anaerobic exercise performance. Res Sports Med. 2006; 14 (1): 53-64

5. Armin F, Maike S, Wolfgang K, Kohles, Beat K. No Effect of Pre Race Supplementation with Vitamins and Minerals on Performance in an Ultra-Endurance Race. King Fahd Univ Petro Min. 2008.

6. Telford RD, Catchpole EA, Deakin V, Hahn AG, Plank AW. The effect of 7 to 8 months of vitamin/mineral supplementation on athletic performance. Int J Sport Nutr. 192; 2 (2): 135-53

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Nitric Oxide

Supplement #15

Nitric Oxide

Once used as the anesthesia “laughing gas” by 19th century dentist,s nitrous oxide has taken on an entirely new role in the supplement world. While the actual nitrous oxide (NO) gas isn’t used, the supplement exerts some of the same effects in the body.

In the last 5 years, NO supplements have absolutely exploded on the market. Backed by enormous marketing campaigns and a stack of research articles, the buzz behind NO came quickly and has yet to fade. But are the elite bodybuilders who push the products scam artists taking advantage of an unsuspecting public, or are they messengers of the next creatine?

Claims

Builds muscle, enhances strength, boost recovery, and burns fat.

How it works

Nitric oxide’s chief job in the body is to expand blood vessels and increase blood flow (vasodilatation). It’s theorized that having more NO floating around your blood will increase the amount of blood flow to muscles –thus giving them more nutrients and oxygen to do work. Actually, your body produces nitric oxide. To do so, it needs the precursor amino acid, arginine. Most “NO” supplements on the market today are simply high doses of arginine –stimulating the body to produce more NO than it otherwise would. [1]

Evidence

Body Composition: Although there have been a few studies on humans to see whether NO can really burn off fat and increase muscle, the vast majority have been in animals. [2,3] Although results from animal studies can oftentimes lead to the same effects in humans, that isn’t always the case. That being said, let’s look at one of the few human studies that looked at NO (arginine) supplement and muscle growth.

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However, there is some support from the biology side of things as NO has been shown to increase growth hormones –a proven way to build more muscle.

Enhances Strength: Although the “famous” 1989 study also discovered that

NO can increase strength, there’s limited evidence to support it. A review of the literature published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence yet to support taking NO for strength. [5]

Boosts Recovery: Can arginine help you bounce back from a tough workout? For the answer, we have to again look at the 1989 study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness (because it really is the only well-done human study out there). They found that NO was able to offset some of the muscle damage brought on by intense weight lifting. Supporting that study was another, titled: ‘The effect of a carbohydrate--arginine supplement on post exercise carbohydrate metabolism.” They found that when arginine was taken with a high carbohydrate supplement after a hard workout, more glycogen (storage form of carbohydrate) was stored in the muscle. [6]

Side Effects

When taken in the short term, arginine is very well tolerated, although certain people may get stomach upset from taking it. Also, an instance when NO can actually be detrimental is if you take blood pressure medications. In that case, NO may drop your blood pressure to dangerously low levels. Also, no one knows what taking arginine could do to the body over a period of months or years.

Nitric Oxide

In a very well-designed placebo controlled study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, researchers gave arginine to weight lifters with the goal of increasing muscle mass. Sure enough, NO was effective at increasing muscle mass in a very short period of time. [4] However, despite this study being published way back 1989, it has stood alone as one of the only research studies looking at the direct link between NO and body composition.

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Nitric Oxide

Research backed dose

There haven’t been enough human studies to indicate an appropriate dose. A range of 2-5g has been used to treat other conditions (like erectile dysfunction).

My take

There probably isn’t another supplement on the market today with a wider discrepancy between claims and research than NO. Although there have been dozens of human studies done with NO, there are very few (possibly only 1) welldesigned study on people trying to build muscle.

The claims floating around out there about “muscle dilation” and “blood flow” increase are taken from studies either done in animals or heart attack patients. It’s unlikely that the results from these studies will necessarily translate to bigger muscles.

On the other hand, it’s possible that NO does indeed work at increasing muscle, but the research has yet to be done. In theory, NO should help grow muscle due to its influence on growth hormones and blood flow. However, NO lacks the research to say if this is definitively the case.

I’d be hard pressed to recommend NO to a healthy person trying to build muscle. A single study doesn’t justify the cost and potential risk.

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Nitric Oxide

References 1. Alba-Roth J, Müller O, Schopohl J, von Werder K. Arginine stimulates growth hormone secretion by suppressing endogenous somatostatin secretion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1988; 67 (6): 1186–9. doi:10.1210/jcem-67-6-1186. PMID 2903866.

2. Johgen W, Meininger CJ, Johgen SC, Li P, Lee MJ, Smith SB, Spencer TE, Fried SK, Wu G. Dietary L-Arginine Supplementation Reduces White Fat Gain and Enhances Skeletal Muscle and Brown Fat Masses in Diet-Induced Obese Rats. J Nutr 2008; 139 (2): 230-37 3. Ohta F, Takagi T, Sato H, Ignarro LJ. Low-dose L-arginine administration increases microperfusion of hindlimb muscle without affecting blood pressure in rats. PNAS 2007; 104 (4): 1407-11 4. Elam RP, Hardin DH, Sutton RA, Hagen L. Effects of arginine and ornithine on strength, lean body mass and urinary hydroxyproline in adult males. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1989; 29 (1): 52-6

5. McConell GK. Effects of L-arginine supplementation on exercise metabolism. Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2007; 10 (1): 46-51 6. Yaspelkis BB 3rd, Ivy JL. The effect of a carbohydrate--arginine supplement on postexercise carbohydrate metabolism. Int J Sport Nutr. 1999; 9 (3): 241-50

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Wrapping Up

When you strip away the fancy charts, the celebrity endorsements, and the bold promises, all you’re left with is the science. In many cases, science is twisted and spun until the original research is no longer recognizable. All in the name of making a sale. In rare cases, like whey protein and creatine, the marketing messages actually reflect the science. These are the few supplements that are actually worth your time and effort.

However, as you saw, most supplements fall into a grey area. They aren’t necessarily God’s gift to muscle, but they aren’t a $49.95 per dose placebo either. Confused? Join the club: scientists are oftentimes found arguing their side even though each of them see the same research. For some supplements, like CLA, clarity may come relatively soon, for others, like a multivitamin, we may never find out whether it’s worth our time and money. The decision to take a supplement or not really depends on your goals and how much your willing to risk to get there. I’m not going to tell you that you need to take supplement A but should never take supplement B. I respect that the decision is yours. I hope that this guide will make that decision a little easier for you.

In health, Brian Dean MS, RD

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Other E-books By Phil & Brian The Essential Guide to Fat Loss By Phil Davies BSc, CSCS

Do you want to lose that excess body fat, re-shape your entire body… and then keep it that way long-term? Then forget celebrity-backed fad diets and exercise gimmicks – they will only get you limited, short-lived results at best (you probably know that already from experience). “The Essential Guide to Fat Loss” is based on cutting-edge, proven science. The program works and you don’t have to turn your life upside down following it. Click here for more details and to get your copy today The Essential Guide to Building Muscle By Phil Davies BSc, CSCS If you want to bulk up, build significant muscle mass and create your ideal physique (no matter what you’ve tried before), then you should follow the guidelines in “The Essential Guide to Building Muscle”. Unlike the vast majority of hyped-up information you’ll find on the Net, my program is based on proven, fully-referenced scientific research. It shows you THE most effective way to build muscle naturally... and you don’t have to arrange your life around the next meal! Click here for more details and to get your copy today The Back Paint Diet By Brian Dean MS, RD

Did you know you can dramatically lower and even eliminate your lower back pain with some simple adjustments to your diet? Independent studies have now shown that the majority of conventional treatments (like physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, injections and medications) DON’T work. The Back Pain Diet works. It’s not speculation either. Brian can back it up with clinical research that proves it. Click here for more details and to get your copy today

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