Nutritional AidsB y N o r a , L e a h , J u s t i n & Tay l o r

INTRODUCTION Many athletes use dietary supplements

as part of their regular training or competition routine, including about 85% of elite track and field athletes. 

Supplements include vitamins, minerals, protein, amino acids, creatine, carnitine and caffeine.

Often used without a full understanding of the potential benefits and risks associated with their use.

Are they necessary for athletes? What are the risks?

VITAMINS & MINERALS Many athletes take nutritional supplements

in doses up to 1000 times the Dietary Reference Intakes.

In general, vitamin and mineral supplements have not been proven to improve training or performance.

Negative Side-effects: Illness Tissue damage Vitamins can be toxic when taken in excess

Over 90% of vitamin supplements on sale are synthetic.

Nutritionists recommend food first because it provides a wide variety of vitamins and minerals and other dietary factors that are not found in supplements.

The body is better at breaking down these natural foods than synthetic supplements.

Supplements can be beneficial only when the athlete has a clear deficiency Pregnant women Adults over 50 Vegetarians

PROTEI

N AND AMINO ACID

SUPPL

EMENTS Protein and amino acids are an

essential component of any balanced diet

Supplements used to increase muscle mass, strength and endurance

Some studies show that amino acids enhance the growth hormone insulin

Too much protein can cause your body to have toxic effects due to too much urea, which leads to loss of water

This dehydration can cause cramps and decrease your abilities in sport.

ARE AMINO ACID SUPPLEMENTS EFFECTIVE?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fciZtBMek7o

CREATINE Used for short-term, high-intensity exercise. Found in skeletal muscle and is where the rapid

production of ATP takes place, which provides immediate energy.

When phosphocreatine stores are depleted, creatine supplements are taken to refill and increase the content in skeletal muscle.

Consuming carbohydrates can increase the uptake of creatine by more than 50%.

Creatine does not improve the bodies maximum force, it allows the body to maintain a high-intensity exercise longer.

There is a limit that can be reached and the excess is excreted from the body.

Improvement is only obvious during sprint exercises during running, swimming, and cycling.

CARNITINE

Synthesized in the kidneys and liver and stored in skeletal and cardiac muscles.

Found in living cells that is used to transport fatty acids to the mitochondria during the breakdown of lipids for the generation of metabolic energy.

CARNITINE CONT’D Theorized to be a super fat

burning substance but that has never been proven

Carnitine supposedly decreases lactate production, delays fatigue, increases VO2, spares glycogen, and induces the loss of body fat.

Carnitine deficiency is not a concern for athletes as adequate levels remain in muscle tissues during exercise.

CARNITINE’S IM

PORTA

NCE

Carnitine is important for the muscle because it: Improves the efficiency or

production of ATP with oxygen Reduces the need for anaerobic

glycolysis Can result in a 44% reduction

of Lactate production.

CAFFEINE PROS Can increase performance

during prolonged endurance and short-term intense exercise

Increases alertness and reduces fatigue

CONS

Urinary caffeine limit: more than 3 cups of coffee before a competition

Potential diuretic effect which could cause dehydration, nervousness and irritability

Can enable athletes to go beyond safe physiological limits by delaying fatigue

Risk of drug dependency

DO ATHLETES NEED SUPPLEMENTS?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1rkmr2Jn_0

QUESTIONS?

REFERENCEShttp://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Supplements/Do-I-Need-a-Supplement-.

aspxhttp

://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Vitamin-Supplements-Healthy-or-Hoax_UCM_432104_Article.jsp#

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/dietandnutrition/feature/vitamins.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18049988http://www.theraceclub.net/nutrition/l-carnitine-shown-to-

improve-athletic-performances/