Thursday 25, Apr 2013
Athletes Often Misuse Protein Supplements
According to a recent study, protein supplements don’t improve performance or recovery time and such supplements are inefficient for most athletes.
Martin Fréchette, a researcher and graduate of the Université de Montréal Department of Nutrition, said these supplements are often poorly used or unnecessary by both high-level athletes and amateurs.
Fréchette submitted questionnaires to 42 athletes as part of his thesis for the Masters degree. In the questionnaire, sportsmen were asked about their use of supplements while keeping a journal of their eating habits for three days and came from a variety of disciplines including biathlon, cycling, long-distance running, swimming, judo, skating, and volleyball. Nine out of 10 athletes reported food supplements on a regular basis and they consumed an average of 335 products: energy drinks, multi-vitamins, minerals, and powdered protein supplements. Fréchette found their knowledge of food supplements to be weak and remarked the role of proteins is particularly misunderstood and said only one out of four consumers could associate a valid reason, backed by scientific literature, for taking the product according.
Seventy percent of athletes in Fréchette’s study didn’t feel their performance would suffer if they stopped such consumption despite the widespread use of protein supplements and Fréchette said more than 66 percent of those who believed to have bad eating habits took supplements. For those who claimed to have ‘good’ or ‘very good’ eating habits that number climbs to 90 percent. He further stressed that supplements come with certain risks and contended that their purity and preparation aren’t as controlled as prescription medication and sports supplements often contain other ingredients than those listed on the label and some athletes consume prohibited drugs without knowing.
No less than 81 percent of athletes taking supplements already had sufficient protein from their diet, Fréchette said and added that the use of multivitamins and minerals can make up for an insufficient intake of calcium, folate yet not for lack of potassium. Other studies have shown that 12 to 20 percent of products that are regularly used by athletes include prohibited substances and a particular interest by the athletes on the efficiency, legality, and safety of those drugs was observed by Fréchette. The researcher and graduate of the Université de Montréal Department of Nutrition also remarked that consumers of supplements had levels of sodium, magnesium, niacin, folate, vitamin A and iron that exceeded the acceptable norms, which makes them susceptible to health problems such as nausea, vision trouble, fatigue and liver anomalies.
In another study, Tim Byers, MD, MPH, professor of epidemiology at the Colorado School of Public Health and associate director for prevention and control at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, disclosed that Beta-carotene, selenium and folic acid have now been shown to increase the risk of developing a host of cancers. Byers added that we need to do a better job as a society in ensuring that the messages people get about value versus risk is accurate for nutritional supplements and also added that his conclusion is that taking high doses of any particular nutrient is more likely to be a bad thing than a good thing.
Tags: biathlon, cycling, energy drinks, judo, long-distance running, nutritional supplements, protein supplements, skating, swimming, volleyball
Posted in Performance Enhancing Drug Abuse, steroid nation, Steroid Profiles, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Monday 12, Mar 2012
According to a survey by industry body Assocham, about 78 percent of adolescents in urban areas of India consume at least one dietary supplement such as pills, energy drinks, steroids, and high-protein powders.
“The statistics are shocking, as many children are becoming overly involved and obsessed by a wide variety of substances that promise to boost energy, appearance, performance, immunity and overall health, even if it shortened their lives,” it said in a statement.
“In addition to that, cash incentives and college admissions through sports quota lure them into taking wrong steps,” Assocham said.
Tags: creatine, dietary supplement, energy drinks, protein powders, sports drinks, steroids, supplements, use of steroids
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Thursday 23, Feb 2012
In urban India, college admissions on the sports quota and body building are driving youngsters to consume dietary supplements and steroids.
About 78 per cent of the adolescents take at least one supplement such as pills, energy drinks, steroids, and high protein stuff.
The ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF) team conducted the survey on the “Ill-effects of energy drinks and other popular dietary supplements on youngsters†in major States and cities during October 2011-January 2012.
Tags: body building, creatine, dietary supplements, energy drinks, protein powders, steroid use, steroids, supplement, supplements, use of steroids
Posted in bodybuilding, Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Friday 27, May 2011
A new study from Nova Southeastern University has revealed that 80 percent of the 198 players interviewed reported using drugs and other substances to enhance their performance.
The drugs, generally, were marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, Valium, and other prescription medications, as well as caffeine, energy drinks, and guarana.
Kevin Clauson, Pharm.D, an associate professor at NSU’s College of Pharmacy, who was the principle investigator in the study, said the higher stakes the game, the more likely the use of substances to enhance performance.
Tags: amphetamines, anabolic steroids, energy drinks, Valium
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Friday 22, Oct 2010
Even though half of all American adults make use of dietary supplements such as diet pills, vitamin pills, energy drinks, and herbs, the FDA doesn’t have enough authority for ensuring that the products are safe. A recently released government audit has suggested that the FDA should seek more oversight power.
Though the FDA has taken some steps for supervising the supplement industry more closely, those steps have not gone far enough as per a new report from the Federal Government Accountability Office.
It is worthwhile to note here that the market for dietary supplements is growing in the United States, which is evident from the fact that Americans spent an estimated $25 billion on such products in 2008 as compared to $23.7 billion in 2007 according to Nutrition Business Journal, which covers the industry.
Tags: diet pills, dietary supplements, energy drinks, supplements, vitamin pills
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids
Tuesday 07, Sep 2010
According to a recent study, protein supplements are not good enough to enhance performance or reduce recovery time.
Martin Fréchette, a researcher and graduate of the Université de Montréal Department of Nutrition, said that protein supplements are often poorly used or unnecessary by both high-level athletes and amateurs.
Fréchette remarked that some supplements have levels of sodium, magnesium, niacin, folate, vitamin A and iron that exceeded the acceptable norms that can lead to health complications such as nausea, fatigue, vision trouble, and liver anomalies.
Tags: energy drinks, food supplements, protein supplements, proteins, supplements
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids, Steroids in Sports
Tuesday 29, Jun 2010
According to a government audit, more than half of all adults in the United States, or at least 14 million people, make use of dietary supplements like herbs, diet pills, vitamin pills, and energy drinks.
But the FDA doesn’t have enough control to ensure that these products are safe and more oversight power is required to put things in the right place.
The new report from the Federal Government Accountability Office acknowledged that the FDA had indeed taken some steps in the past few years for supervising the supplement industry more closely, but those steps didn’t go far enough.
Tags: diet pills, dietary supplement makers, dietary supplements, energy drinks, herbs, prescription drugs, supplement industry, vitamin pills
Posted in Steroid Cycles, steroid nation, Steroids and Anabolic Steroids
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