Dietary Supplements
Help or Hype?
Many
people take dietary supplements (vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, fatty
acids, enzymes, prohormones, etc.) In fact,
it is estimated that 40-50% of U.S. households
purchase supplements, with total sales amounting to $13.9 billion in 1998.
Students may choose to take supplements for many reasons: to help meet their nutrient needs, achieve their fitness goals, promote optimal physical health, or improve their emotional well-being There is accumulating scientific evidence that many supplements do, in fact, offer these benefits. However, there is also a lot of evidence that many supplements do not. Effective or not, most dietary supplements are safe when taken in the recommended dose (meaning they will not harm you). But, some supplements carry significant health risks of which you might not be aware.
Read on to learn…
· What you ABSOLUTELY must know before you buy any supplement.
· Whether or not you need to take a multi.
· If certain herbs can improve your energy, mood, memory, and/or sex drive.
· The truth about fat burners and muscle builders.
· Whether or not energy bars and drinks are worth your money.
Unlike pharmaceutical drugs and food additives, dietary supplements are largely unregulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for consumer protection. This is largely due to heavy lobbying by the health food store industry, which led to the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) in 1994. Read on to learn how this act made the following legal…
· Supplements do not have to prove they work to be sold.
· Supplements do not have to prove they are safe to be sold.
· Supplement manufacturers can put “structure-function claims” on their labels, so long as they don’t claim to “prevent” or “treat” a specific disease.
· Supplements do not have to be manufactured according to any standards.
Supplements do not have to prove they work to be sold.
Before drugs or food additives go on the market, hundreds of research studies must be submitted to the FDA for review of the product’s efficacy. In fact, the average evaluation of a new drug may take 15 years and cost $500 million! With dietary supplements, manufacturers are simply required to notify the FDA (as a courtesy) within 30 days of marketing their product. The FDA does not evaluate the research to make sure that the product does what the manufacturer claims it does.
Supplements do not have to prove they are safe to be sold.
Before new drugs or food additives go on the market, extensive research proving safety must be conducted by the manufacturer and then submitted to the FDA for evaluation and approval. In other words, the "burden of proof" that a product is safe is placed on the manufacturer.
With a new dietary supplement, however, manufacturers simply need to submit safety data to the FDA 75 days before marketing it. The data need not be evaluated or approved by the FDA, so the quality of research may be questionable. If the FDA suspects that a product is unsafe and wants to take a product off the market, the FDA has to prove it is unsafe. In other words, the "burden of proof" that a product is unsafe is placed on the FDA.
Given the huge number of new dietary supplements added to the market each year and the FDA’s limited resources, it is impossible for the FDA to finance and conduct safety studies for all of these products. As a result, many potentially dangerous products are sold over-the-counter to unsuspecting consumers.
Examples:
· Ephedra or Ma huang, a popular herbal supplement added to many weight loss formulas for its stimulant and appetite-suppressing effects, has been linked with over 1100 reports of adverse effects and 34 deaths since 1993. Yet anyone can get this supplement over-the-counter without a doctor’s prescription or supervision.
· Many herbs can have dangerous interactions with drugs or other supplements. But because their use is not supervised by a qualified clinician, consumers are not aware of these interactions. For instance, St. John’s Wort, a popular (and potentially helpful) herbal supplement for mild depression can interfere with the action of HIV medications and birth control pills.
Supplement manufacturers can put “structure-function claims” on their labels, so long as they don’t claim to “prevent” or “treat” a specific disease.
Structure-function claims can often be misleading. For example, carnitine is added to many weight loss products with the claim: "promotes fat burning." This claim is perfectly legal and somewhat true since it describes the function of carnitine in the human body. Carnitine plays an essential role in transporting fatty acids into the part of the cell responsible for producing energy. This implies that carnitine's function is to “support or promote” fat burning.
But taking carnitine supplements does not speed up the fat burning process and it does not cause weight loss. The healthy body knows how to synthesize carnitine and already has all the carnitine it can use.
The manufacturer can make this misleading claim by including a simple disclaimer: “This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.” In other words, the supplement can't claim to "prevent" or "treat" obesity (a disease)--that would imply that the supplement has drug-like actions. But, it can claim to "support" or "promote" fat burning.
In Winter 1999, due to complaints from the supplement industry and consumers, the FDA relaxed its definition of what constitutes a “disease.” Now manufacturers can make claims about “common conditions associated with the passage of life” such as pregnancy, menopause, adolescence, and aging. This means supplements can claim to improve mild memory loss associated with aging, but can't claim to treat real dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. They can claim to ease the mood swings associated with PMS, but not treat clinical depression. Clearly this is a very fine line!
Supplements do not have to be manufactured according to any standards.
Regardless of whether or not a supplement actually does what it claims to do, you might not be getting what you think you are. Products may or may not contain the right amount of the active ingredient that was used in research studies showing a positive effect. And, even if the product label states that it has the right amount, it may actually contain much less or none at all. Contaminants that are not listed on the lable may also be present.
Several independent labs are testing products' contents and finding that several don’t contain what is stated on the label. One company, www.consumerlab.com, analyzes several brands of supplements for quality and purity and reports its findings on its web site. For instance, in October and November 2000, ConsumerLab.com purchased and tested 21 leading brands of St. John’s Wort and found that 1/3 either did NOT contain the stated amount of the active ingredients or were contaminated with unacceptable levels of cadmium (a toxic heavy metal).
When herbs and other supplements are added to foods and beverages, it’s even less likely that the right amount of the active ingredient is present. For example, to get one herbal dose of Siberian ginseng from Sobe Green Tea, you would have to drink 13-20 bottles. Ginseng is expensive, so many manufacturers may not add a therapeutic dose to their products.
What's a person to do?
Given the limitations described above, it’s hard for consumers to know what (if anything) to take. If you do decide to take supplements, be smart about it.
· Consult with a qualified health provider to determine if a product is safe and effective for you.
· Choose a product that is manufactured by a major company that also produces pharmaceutic drugs (and/or sells directly to health professionals). It is more likely that these companies have existing good manufacturing practices (GMPs) in place to ensure top quality products.
· Visit www.consumerlab.com and select one of the brands that passed its independent lab tests.
· Check out the recommended websites on dietary supplements for more advice on what and how much to take.
If you are a healthy individual who usually eats an optimal diet (with enough calories and enough servings from all the food groups), it is possible for you to get everything you need without a supplement. If you regularly eat a fortified breakfast cereal or other fortified products (like sports bars or shakes), it’s even easier. Many of these foods supply 30-100% of the Daily Value for many nutrients.
Read on to learn…
· How foods can meet all of your vitamin and mineral needs.
· Who may need to take a supplement.
· How to choose the right multi for you.
The Food Guide Pyramid: A great guide for assuring adequate nutrient intake
The Food Pyramid separates foods into 6 groups. Each group provides a distinct array of different nutrients. Check it out…
· Grains: Supply lots of complex carbohydrates, fiber, some protein, plus B vitamins 1, 2, and 3 (thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin), as well as the minerals magnesium and iron.
· Vegetables and fruits: Supply carbohydrate, fiber, vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, and magnesium. Green leafy vegetables are also good sources of vitamin K, iron, and calcium.
· Milk products: Supply protein and carbohydrate, plus calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and (if they are fortified) vitamins A and D.
· Meat, poultry, fish, legumes/beans, eggs, and nuts: Supply protein, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and 12, iron, zinc, magnesium, niacin, and thiamin.
· Vegetable Oils: Supply essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
Who might not be getting enough from each of these food groups?
There are many situations in which students might not be getting enough servings from all of the food groups to meet their nutrient needs. Below are some examples:
· Students who are strict vegetarians.
· Students who are allergic or intolerant to certain foods (like milk or wheat).
· Students who are restricting their calorie intake to lose weight
· Students who are following a rigid fad diet that does not include certain foods or food groups.
· Students who don’t choose an optimal diet on a regular basis.
In each of these cases, a supplement may be a good idea. The hard part is how to choose the right one.
So, you've decided to take vitamin and mineral supplements. How do you filter through all the products out there and choose the best one (or ones) for you? Here are some suggestions:
1. Keep it simple. Choose one single multi vs. many separate individual tablets.
In general, nutrients are absorbed best from foods, in the presence of other nutrients that favor their absorption. Taken in pure concentrated form, high amounts of individual nutrients can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients. For example, zinc hinders copper absorption, iron hinders zinc, calcium hinders iron, very high levels of beta-carotene may interfere with the absorption of other disease-fighting carotenoids, and so on.
The same it true of amino acid supplements. Amino acids compete with one another for absorption. When you eat protein-rich foods, you consume all the amino acids together in the right proportion. If you take high doses of single amino acids, however, you may be interfering with the absorption of other amino acids and thus impairing protein synthesis. That’s why it’s better to get nutrients from whole food sources when possible.
To get the right proportion of different nutrients and to minimize adverse interactions, choose one simple multi. You'll save yourself a lot of money and also the trouble of having to remember to take lots of pills!
Look for a multi that contains both vitamins and minerals.
● Make sure it has 100% of the following ten vitamins and two minerals:
thiamin (vitamin B1)
riboflavin (vitamin B2)
niacin (vitamin B3)
pyridoxine (vitamin B6)
cobalamin (vitamin B12)
folic acid
vitamin C
vitamin D
vitamin E
zinc
copper
● It should also have at least 30% (25 mcg) of vitamin K, at least 120 mcg of chromium, and 100 mg of magnesium.
● Women should look for a multi with 100% (18 mg) of iron.
● Men don’t need any extra iron and should look for a multi with 0 mg or no more than 10 mg.
2. Avoid excesses. Choose a multi that supplies nutrients in amounts smaller than, equal to, or very close to the recommended Daily Value (DV).
Remember, this is a supplement. You may already be getting close to (or more than) 100% of most vitamins and minerals from the foods in your diet. There is no need to supplement with an additional 100% unless specifically recommended by a health care professional.
Some students think that if a little of something is good, more must be better. This is NOT TRUE! Megadoses of certain vitamins and most minerals are harmful and can result in toxic reactions. It’s not possible to reach toxic doses through eating whole foods. But it is definitely possible to reach toxic doses with supplements.
Check out the examples below:
· Too much B6 (which a lot of women might be taking for its purported PMS benefits) can lead to neurological damage.
· Too much iron can impair calcium and zinc absorption, contribute to constipation, may increase the risk for heart disease, and can be toxic for students with hemochromatosis (a genetic defect that causes iron overload).
· Too much zinc (which a lot of students may take to fight off colds) may actually depress immune function and lower the "good cholesterol" in your blood.
Some formulas may supply more than 100% DV of some nutrients. This is okay so long as a daily dose does not exceed the upper limit (UL) for any nutrient. The UL is the level above which toxic effects may occur. See From A to Zinc for a listing of all the vitamins' and minerals' upper limits.
3. Consider a separate supplement for calcium if your diet is lacking.
Most multis don’t contain enough of this mineral because it is too big and bulky to fit into a single pill.
Why is calcium so important?
Calcium is vital for maximizing your bone density. You only build bone up to the age of about 25 years. After that, it stabilizes until around 40 and then starts to decline (especially after menopause in women). If you don’t have much bone built up, you’re at risk for significant losses that can lead to broken bones later in life.
How much calcium do you need?
● College students younger than 20 years old need 1300 mg /day.
● Adults 20-50 years old need 1000 mg /day.
● Adults over 50 need 1200 mg / day.
● Women who are not menstruating need 1500 mg. These women are at especially high risk for bone loss because they are not producing as much estrogen, a hormone which is vital for bone health. If you are a woman who has not menstruated for 3 months or longer, consult a clinician in the Ashe Center's Women’s Health Service immediately. You can schedule an appointment online here.
How do you know if you're getting enough?
Each of the following foods provides about 300 mg (or 30% of the DV) for calcium.
1 cup (8 oz.) of milk, calcium fortified soy milk, or calcium fortified orange juice.
1 carton (6-8 oz.) of yogurt
1 ½ oz. of cheese
1 cup pudding, custard, or flan
6 sardines with bones (the bones contain calcium)
1 Power Bar (or other sports bar that provides about 30% DV)
1 cup Total cereal (or other breakfast cereal with about 30% DV)
How many servings of these foods do you usually eat each day?
NOTE: If you usually eat 3 or more of these foods every day (4 or more if you are younger than 20 or older than 50), you're likely meeting your calcium needs. You don't need a supplement. If you don't usually get this much, read on...
Each of the following foods provides about 100 mg (or 10% of the DV) for calcium.
½ cup cottage cheese
½ cup cream soup
½ cup ice milk, frozen yogurt, or ice cream
1 cup dried beans or peas
2 oz. (1/2 can) canned fish with bones (salmon, mackerel)
½ cup tofu processed with calcium
¼ cup almonds
½ cup bok choy or turnip greens
1 cup broccoli, kale, or mustard greens
5 figs
2 corn tortillas
1 Tbsp. black strap molasses
2 Tbsp. nonfat cream cheese
How many servings of these foods do you usually eat each day?
If you are not meeting your need with food sources, it's a good idea to supplement with the difference. For example, if you need 1000 mg and are only getting 700 mg, you should supplement with the difference of 300 mg per day.
Calcium carbonate (which is in Tums, Caltrate, and Viactiv chews) or calcium citrate (which is in Citracal) are generally good supplement sources. Avoid sources made from bone meal, oyster shell, and dolomite, as they are more likely to be contaminated with heavy metals from the manufacturing process.
Avoid taking more than 500 mg of calcium at one time, and avoid taking a calcium supplement at the same time as a multi with iron. Calcium and iron interfere with each other.
4. Consider higher doses of antioxidants from foods and/or a supplement.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that protect the body from oxidative damage (toxic reactions with oxygen). Oxygen is vital to life, but at the same time, it has the potential to cause a lot of damage in the body. Oxygen can react with cell membranes, genetic material, and other body compounds to form very unstable molecules called “free radicals.” Left unchecked, these free radicals exert a domino-like effect in the body, as each reacts with other compounds to become more stable. Over time, high amounts of oxidative damage may contribute to aging, heart disease, cancer, as well as other degenerative diseases.
Antioxidants are protective because they get oxidized themselves so that the body's cells and tissues are spared. In a way, antioxidants are like bodyguards; they jump in front of the bullet to protect the person they are guarding from harm.
Our bodies have their own antioxidant defense systems to protect themselves from the constant influx of oxygen we breathe everyday. These natural defense systems may weaken with age or they may get stronger with regular physical activity. Certain vitamins and minerals in our diet can also serve as antioxidants. For example, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and selenium all protect our bodies from oxidative damage.
How much of these substances offers optimal protection?
Some experts believe that antioxidants in higher amounts than the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) may be beneficial.
● Vitamin C RDA = 75 mg for women, 90 mg for men (an extra 35 mg if you smoke); but several experts recommend 200-500 mg to saturate your body.
● Vitamin E RDA = about 30 IU; but several experts recommend 100-400 IU.
● Beta Carotene: There is no RDA or specific recommendation. However, the RDA for vitamin A is 2300-3000 IU for women and men respectively, and beta carotene can be converted to vitamin A in the body.
Should you supplement with these?
It’s actually fairly easy to get the higher amounts of beta carotene and vitamin C from foods. Consider the following points:
· One 8 oz. glass of orange juice has about 100 mg vitamin C. Add just two more ½ cup servings of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables (like broccoli, sweet red bell pepper, chili peppers, citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, or melon) and you’re at your goal of 200-300 mg for the day.
· Just 3/4 cup cooked carrots provides 15,875 IU of beta carotene (which can be converted to 2643 IU, or 100% of the RDA for vitamin A). Other deep orange, yellow, or red colored fruits and vegetables and dark leafy greens are also rich sources of beta carotene.
On the other hand, it’s much more difficult to get the higher amounts of vitamin E from food sources alone.
· Vitamin E is found in high amounts in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ.
· But, you would have to consume 6 cups of canola oil or 3.5 cups of shelled sunflower seeds to get 400 IU of vitamin E.
Bottom Line:
· It may be reasonable to take a separate vitamin E supplement (and vitamin C if you are not eating several servings of fruit and vegetables every day).
· Don’t exceed the upper limit of 2000 mg for vitamin C or about 1200 IU for vitamin E. Harmful effects can occur beyond these limits.
· Rely on food for beta carotene. Supplements of beta carotene have been linked with increased risk of lung cancer in one recent study with smokers. High doses may interfere with other disease-fighting carotenoids found in whole foods.
5. Look for a supplement with the USP lettering. These are usually the cheaper, generic store-brands. Or consult www.consumerlab.com for a listing of quality products.
Supplements may or may not be packaged in a capsule that will dissolve in your body. In 1997, Tufts University tested a variety of supplements for dissolvability and found that a few expensive, big name brands failed miserably. If a company puts “USP” on its label, it is legally responsible to the FDA for meeting the standards set forth by the United States Pharmacopeia.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) conducts a variety of tests on supplements to ensure the following:
- Disintegration (how fast a tablet breaks down into small pieces or at least into a mushy mass so that its ingredients can proceed to dissolve).
- Strength or potency, (whether the amount of the vitamin or mineral in the tablet actually is the amount claimed on the label)
- Purity (the pill hasn’t degraded during production or been contaminated by bacteria, heavy metal, or other undesirable substances).
NOTE: USP dissolution test does not apply to supplements that are sustained-release or timed-release, only immediate release.
6. Don’t be fooled by marketing ploys.
· Statements like “release-assured,” “laboratory-tested,” “quality and potency guaranteed,” and “scientifically blended” carry little, if any, legal weight if not accompanied by the USP seal.
· In most cases, “natural” vitamins are no better than synthetic. The one exception is natural vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), which appears to be slightly better retained and used by the body than synthetic E (dl-alpha tocopherol). By contrast, folic acid (synthetic form) is more bioavailable than folate (the natural form found in foods).
· In theory, chelated minerals may be better absorbed. Because they are sitting inside an amino acid “claw,” they are protected from substances in foods that can bind them. But, it may not be worth the extra cost. Chelated calcium, for example, is absorbed 5-10% better than ordinary calcium, but it costs five times as much.
7. Be sure to check the expiration date.
8. Take it on a full stomach.
· Some nutrients are better absorbed when your digestive tract is geared up to handle food. Also, food slows the movement of the nutrients through the digestive tract, allowing more time for them to dissolve and be absorbed.
· Unless your doctor or pharmacist says otherwise, it’s a good rule of thumb to wait a few hours between taking any prescription medication and taking a multi, since some nutrients could interfere with the drug, and vice versa.
9. Put your supplement in perspective.
Some students believe “I don’t need to worry about how I eat, I took my supplements this morning.” Taking supplements does not make up for a lousy diet. Supplements can’t cancel out the damaging effect of a fast food diet high in saturated fat and sodium. And, they aren’t packaged with fiber and the disease-fighting phytochemicals that only plant foods (like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and beans) provide. In addition, they are not the magical cure to sleep deprivation, lack of exercise, and excessive stress.
10. Aim to eat like the Food Pyramid and supplement a healthy lifestyle with a multi.
You’re reading the latest issue of your favorite fitness magazine; and, cover-to-cover, you see ads for all kinds of supplements promising to “erupt your anabolic drive,” “dramatically increase protein synthesis,” and “pack on pounds of lean mass…fast!” There’s always an impressive before-and-after shot, and you’re intrigued. But, do these impressive ads have scientific muscle to back up their heavy claims?
Read on to learn…
· How much protein and amino acids you really need to build muscle.
· If creatine is the magic bullet it is claimed to be.
· Whether or not andro and other pro-hormone supplements offer safe and effective alternatives to anabolic steroids.
· What are the keys to achieving optimal muscle strength and mass?
· Is there a genetic limit to how much muscle you can gain?
What is it?
Creatine is comprised of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. It can be made in the body (primarily by the kidneys, but also by the liver and pancreas to some extent) from these amino acids. Because it can be made in the body, there is no dietary requirement for it. We synthesize about 1 gm/day.
Creatine is also a naturally occurring compound found in beef, poultry, and fish. We consume creatine in our diet from these food sources (about 1 gm/day). Vegetarians who do not eat these animal foods tend to have lower creatine levels than meat eaters.
Once creatine is taken up by the muscle, it can combine with phosphate, forming creatine phosphate (CP). CP is a high energy compound stored in muscle that is used during very short, very intense power activities which last only 2-30 seconds (like weight lifting, sprinting, swinging a baseball bat, or slam-dunking a basketball). It's claimed that taking creatine supplements will help you train harder and achieve greater gains in muscular strength and size.
Does it work?
There is convincing evidence that creatine supplementation enhances recovery, and thus improves performance, during repeated bouts of very intense power activities. The physiological basis for creatine supplementation is similar to that of carbohydrate-loading routinely practiced by endurance athletes (like long-distance runners and cyclists). While carbohydrate loading increases stores of muscle glycogen (which provides energy during endurance events), creatine supplementation increases stores of CP (which provides energy during short bursts of high intensity exercise). Supplementation with creatine has been shown to increase muscle CP stores by approximately 20%. Because of increased stores, CP is less rapidly depleted and you are able to maintain your high-energy performance longer during repeated bouts of high intensity activity.
A common side effect of short-term creatine supplementation is increased body weight (1.5-4.5 lb.). This is probably due to water retention (since water travels along with creatine into muscles). But, over the long term, there may also be some increase in protein synthesis and muscle mass due to increased training capacity. Because of the fluid shifts that occur with creatine supplementation, it's important to drink plenty of fluids while taking it. Click here for more tips on sensible creatine supplementation.
Should you add creatine to your training plan?
While there is good evidence supporting the positive effects of creatine, it's important to remember that it's no magic bullet. Hard training, combined with adequate calories from whole foods, is what builds muscle. Creatine supplements just give you a little extra edge by maximizing your muscle CP stores, helping in recovery between sets, and allowing you to keep training at a higher intensity.
It works best in people who have marginal creatine stores in their muscles (like vegetarians). If you include a lot of meat, chicken, and fish in your diet, which most power athletes do, your muscles are probably already saturated with creatine, and you may see only minimal gains with supplementation. The average concentration of creatine in muscle is approximately 120 mmol/kg and ranges from 90 to 160 mmol/kg. You cannot supersaturate creatine muscle stores above this level. Once muscle capacity is reached, excess creatine taken from supplements is simply excreted in the urine.
Is it safe?
This is an important question to ask yourself before taking any dietary supplement. As for creatine, here's what we know about its safety:
· Taking supplements may suppress your body’s own creatine synthesis, but this reverses when you stop taking it.
· Anecdotal information from athletic trainers suggests a relationship between creatine supplements and muscle cramps, muscle spasms, and even pulled muscles (possibly due to water retention, dehydration, or over-training), but this has not been seen in scientific studies.
· Research studies done in the United States have only been short term (4 days to two months), so the long term safety of taking creatine is unknown.
· There are increasing concerns about possible kidney stress and liver damage with supplementation. In one case report, a 20 year old healthy man developed acute nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys) after supplementing with 20 g of creatine daily for four weeks. This exceeds the recommended dosage of 20 g for 5 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3 g daily. People with pre-existing kidney conditions, family history of kidney disease, and others who are at high risk (such as people with diabetes) should avoid creatine supplements.
· Because long term safety data is not available, creatine can no longer be distributed to athletes in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). But, unlike many other muscle builders, it is not a banned substance in the athletic world.
· It is expensive and the benefits may not be worth it.
Manufacturers typically recommend a loading phase followed by a maintenance phase. In the loading phase, the optimal amount required to increase creatine stores to their maximal level is about 20 g/day for 5 days. To get 20 g of creatine from food, you would have to eat about 10 pounds of steak! The 20 g should be divided into four, 5 g doses and taken every 3 to 4 waking hours. In the maintenance phase, one daily dose of about 3 g is typically sufficient to maintain elevated levels of creatine in muscle.
Don’t bother taking more than these recommended doses. Once your muscles are loaded up, the excess creatine will just be excreted in your urine. And, more importantly, the excess creatine in your body may cause damage to your liver or kidneys.
Other tips for safe and effective creatine supplementation:
· Take each dose with food or beverage--preferably a carbohydrate-rich item that has a high glycemic index (or high blood sugar response) plus some protein--to enhance its uptake into muscle.
· Drink plenty of water (especially during the loading phase) to avoid dehydration, prevent muscle cramping, and minimize any potential damage to your kidneys. Remember, as muscle retains the ingested creatine, fluid is retained with it. This leaves less fluid available for the other vital functions it serves in the body, such as body temperature regulation (through sweating), particularly when exercising in hot, humid conditions.
· Monitor your individual response. If you don't see any positive effects within a few weeks (or if you experience any negative effects at all), stop taking it.
· Since we don't know the consequences of long-term supplementation, it's probably a good idea to cycle on and off. In other words, take it for a few weeks or months and then take a break for a few weeks or months.
· Don’t worry about a skipped dose. It takes 4 weeks for muscular creatine levels to return to normal after supplementation stops.
DHEA & Androstendione (Andro)
What is it?
DHEA and Andro are precursors (prohormones) to testosterone and estrogen.
Both are derived from cholesterol and produced by the adrenal glands. Andro is also produced by the ovaries and testes. The theory is that if you take high amounts of these precursor hormones, you may raise testosterone levels and see the same anabolic effects.
Will taking Andro and DHEA increase testosterone levels?
There is no guarantee that taking more of these precursors will result in increased testosterone levels. Consider these possibilies…
· The body may not produce more of the enzyme needed for conversion of DHEA and andro to testosterone (if no true shortage of testosterone exists in the body).
· Excess may just be metabolized and excreted.
· Excess may be converted to different substances with undesirable side effects. For example, it could raise estrogen levels instead of testosterone levels. Elevated estrogen levels are associated with increased fat mass (especially in the thigh, gluts, and triceps) and gynecomastia (or breast development in men). Alternatively, it could raise levels of dihydrotestosterone, a potent androgen that causes growth of the prostate (not skeletal muscle) and increases acne and balding.
· A study by King et al (1999) found that 300 mg andro/day in untrained men with 8 weeks of resistance training had no effect on serum testosterone, muscle size/strength, or body composition. However, it did increase serum estrogen levels and decrease the HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.
No. If they do raise testosterone levels, they would be expected to have the same adverse effects as taking testosterone or other anabolic steroids. These adverse effects include increased aggressiveness (“roid rage”), acne, premature baldness, liver dysfunction, heart muscle damage, (in women) excessive facial and body hair growth and voice deepening, and (in men) gynecomastia or breast enlargement, reduced sperm production, and testicular shrinkage. Despite these similar risks, andro products are easily available over the counter (while testosterone continues to be classified and regulated as a schedule III controlled substance that is only available with a special doctor's prescription). If you decide to use prohormones like androstendione for personal physique and strength enhancement, be sure to consult with and be monitored by a physician who understands all aspects of anabolic, androgenic steroids.
Important Note to Athletes! All prohormone substances are banned by most athletic associations, including the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), the USOC (US Olympic Committee), IOC (International Olympic Committee), NFL (National Football League), ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and Major League Baseball. Therefore, taking andro, DHEA, and other prohormone products could result in disqualification from your sporting event.
Bottom line:
Taking andro or other prohormone supplements are not recommended. The research done to date with androstendione shows that it does not raise testosterone levels, but raises estrogen levels instead. If other andro products are developed that do raise testosterone levels, they will likely carry the same risks as taking anabolic steroids.
· The most important factor to build muscle is heavy resistance training. No amount of protein (or any supplement for that matter) will promote gains of anything but body fat without consistent work in the weight room!
· Make sure you consume adequate calories to build new muscle tissue. Increase your total calorie intake by 350-500 calories every day to gain about 1 pound per week. As long as you are working out, the extra calories consumed will go mostly towards building muscle, not body fat. Click here for more tips on boosting calories and gaining weight in a healthy way.
· Make sure you consume adequate carbohydrate to meet your energy needs for heavy resistance training (and to spare the protein you eat for its building functions). It's especially important to consume carbohydrate, along with protein, immediately after your work-outs to promote optimal recovery and building. A ratio of 3:1 carbohydrate to protein is thought to be best.
· Be sure to consume adequate (but not excessive) protein from a variety of lean animal and/or plant foods. Most students should aim for about 10-20% of their total calories from protein. To calculate your exact protein needs, click here.
· If you’re on the go and don’t have time to eat protein-rich foods, a high protein sports beverage or bar (with 20-30 g protein per serving) can come in quite handy. Just be sure that it is low in saturated fat and hydrogenated vegetable oils.
· Most supplements are more hype than they are worth. And, some can have undesirable and/or dangerous side effects. If you decide to supplement, be sensible! Take no more than the recommended dose, monitor your individual response, and always discuss what supplements you are taking with a qualified health professional.
· Keep in mind, once you reach your genetic size potential, you cannot get any bigger. There is an upper limit to how much pure muscle your body can acquire (naturally) without further gains in fat mass too.
Dietary supplements are a multi-billion dollar industry that feeds on people's false hopes and desperate efforts to achieve something that, for most people, is an unrealistic body ideal. The amount of muscle you can put on and the amount of body fat you can lose is restricted to a great extent by your genetics and your body type.
Further, to maximize what you CAN achieve (given the constraints of your genes) takes a lot of work! It’s not as simple as just taking a supplement. To achieve your personal best requires a balanced eating plan and a consistent physical activity program. It takes time, patience, and effort to develop and implement these two things.
The models you see in fitness magazine ads didn’t get there by just taking the supplements they are promoting. They got there with a combination of 1) genetic endowment, 2) a very rigid eating plan (often unhealthfully rigid), 3) hours of hard training every day (they probably are not students at UCLA if they have that much free time), and in many cases 4) illegal anabolic steroids and/or surgical procedures like liposuction and breast enhancement.
Consider this male model who is HUGE, weighing in at 250 lb, but is completely shredded with only 3% body fat!
With this very low level of body fat, this much muscle mass is not possible to obtain naturally without the help of illegal, dangerous anabolic steroids. There is a physiological limit to how much lean muscle mass a man’s frame can hold, given a certain percentage of body fat. In order for him to gain more lean muscle mass, he would have to also gain more fat mass. Most men simply cannot be that BIG and be that LEAN naturally.
Consider this female model, who is super lean, with only 12% body fat, but has HUGE breasts. With this very low level of body fat, this much breast tissue is not possible. After all breasts are made of fat!
The supplement industry is making lots of money; while consumers are getting more and more obsessed about their weights, diets, and exercise regimens and more and more frustrated, depressed, and angry because they are not able to achieve the stunning results displayed in the ads. Worse yet, hundreds of thousands of consumers are putting themselves at risk, conducting a large-scale experiment on themselves with supplements that have questionable long-term safety.
In the last 20 years, there
has been an explosion of diet pills and diet products promising to melt fat away
with minimal effort. Yet over the past 20 years, obesity rates have
sky-rocketed 60%. Makes you wonder if there really is a magical pill that can
rev up your metabolism and melt pounds away without effort. Is there such a
wonder pill? No! The key to losing body fat
is reducing calorie intake and engaging in regular
aerobic activity. The key to revving up your metabolism is to eat at
frequent intervals (not starve yourself) throughout the day and to do
resistance training to build muscle. Muscle
burns many calories at rest, thus boosting your metabolic rate significantly. Most fat burner supplements
are bogus. For instance, research has shown over and over that chromium
picolinate and l-carnitine (two common ingredients in popular fat burner
formulas) have no effect on weight or body fat loss. The few supplements that
have been found to help with fat loss play only a very minor role in the overall
process. Without appropriate eating and exercise modifications, along with the
supplements, they are sure to fail. Unfortunately, advertisements suggest
otherwise… "Simply take this revolutionary product and watch the pounds melt
away without exercise and without dieting!” Sound too good to be true? It is! Read on to learn…
·
Whether the active ingredients in
Metabolife and other fat burner products are effective and safe.
·
The facts about over-the-counter
appetite suppressants.
·
What are the keys to losing body
fat and keeping it off for good?
·
Is there a genetic limit to how
lean and shredded you can get? Ephedrine, Caffeine, &
Aspirin (“ECA stack”) What are they? Caffeine
is also a powerful stimulant--one that most students are very familiar with! It
is found in coffee, tea, many soft drinks, chocolate, coffee-flavored ice cream,
yogurt, and candy, some over-the-counter medications, and many dietary
supplements marketed for increased energy and fat loss. It is often disguised
in herbal products under the names “gotu kola, kola nut, guarana seed, or green
tea extract.” All of these herbs contain caffeine. Aspirin
(or acetylsalicylic acid), is not a stimulant. But, it is often added to fat
burner products because it appears to reduce urinary excretion of ephedrine—thus
keeping it in the blood longer and prolonging ephedrine’s stimulating effects.
Salicin (which is chemically similar to aspirin) can be derived from willow bark
and is often added to herbal preparations.
Consider putting your time,
energy, and money in better places. Attend a free
nutrition workshop through the Ashe Center, invest in a fitness pass or a
couple of sessions with a personal trainer through the
Wooden Center, buy a new outfit that highlights your best features.
You’ll feel better and look better too!
Fat Burners
Ephedrine
is a powerful stimulant that is chemically related to amphetamine (“speed”). It
occurs naturally in several plants, such as ephedra (Ma huang) and the
heartleaf plant (Sida cordifolia); and it can be found in many popular
“energy” drinks, fat burner pills, herbal preparations, and a variety of
“natural” weight loss products. See side bar for list of products containing
ephedrine.
How do they affect your body?
Ephedrine and caffeine stimulate the sympathetic nervous system by increasing levels of certain brain chemicals (or neurotransmitters) such as norepinephrine. Norepinephrine (or noradrenaline) triggers the body’s stress response, causing a wide array of stimulant effects that prepare the body to “fight or flight” from a physical or emotional stressor. These stimulant effects include: increased heart rate, increased blood pressure (by constricting blood vessels), expanded airways, increased mobilization of fatty acids, and slightly increased resting metabolic rate (RMR)--all efforts to boost oxygen and energy supply to muscles so that they can “fight or flight” a stressor. Norepinephrine also acts on a region of the brain called the hypothalamus that helps to regulate appetite.
Because of these powerful effects, herbal ephedra (or Ma huang) has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 5000 years as a decongestant; and synthetic ephedrine is approved by the FDA for use in many over-the-counter medications for relieving asthma, hayfever, and nasal congestion. In fact, ephedrine is very effective for these purposes because it helps to open up airways. Some research also indicates that ephedrine may help promote fat and weight loss because it increases BMR slightly and curbs appetite. Further, when caffeine is taken with ephedrine, the thermogenic (or metabolic-boosting) effect is doubled!
What about caffeine taken alone? Caffeine, when taken alone, has a slight thermogenic effect and a slight appetite-suppressing effect. But, it does NOT appear to have any significant effect on weight or fat loss when it’s taken without ephedrine. However, taking caffeine one hour before exercise, does seem to enhance endurance. Thus, it may allow you to train longer and harder so you can burn more body fat that way. As many students already know, caffeine is a well-known (and well-studied) physical and mental invigorator. It improves alertness, reduces fatigue, helps improve memory and reasoning, and enhances subjective feelings of vigor and energy. In fact, caffeine is superior to ephedrine in this regard. However, caffeine taken alone will do nothing to increase fat or weight loss.
Are there any risks to taking them, either alone or in combination?
In fact, the FDA has linked 34 deaths to ephedrine (including one case of a healthy college student who died from necrosis of the heart muscle after 6 months of taking a daily sports drink containing 25-50 mg ephedrine). Since 1993, the FDA has also received more than 1100 reports of adverse events linked to ephedrine.
Clearly, the risks of ephedrine far outweigh its potential benefits, so the Ashe Center strongly discourages its use. However, if you decide to take it, keep these important safety tips in mind:
· Be sure to let your healthcare provider know so that he/she can supervise your use.
· Choose a product with no more than 20 mg per pill of ephedrine (or other ephedrine alkaloids like pseudoephedrine or synephrine), and take no more than 90 mg total per day.
· If the label does not list the precise quantities of all ingredients and/or does not carry an extensive warning label, don’t buy it.
· Choose a caffeine-free product, especially if you already consume caffeine through your usual food and beverage intake and are not willing to give these up.
· Avoid products containing yohimbe, any herbal laxatives (like senna and cascara), herbal diuretics (such as nettle leaf and sarsaparilla), and possibly willow (salicin) or aspirin.
· Do not use if you have heart disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression or other psychiatric condition, glaucoma, difficulty urinating, prostate enlargement, or seizer disorder; or if you are using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAO) or any other prescription drug; or if you are using any other over-the-counter products containing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine (ingredients found in certain allergy, asthma, cough/cold, and weight control products).
· Discontinue use and call a health professional immediately if you experience rapid heartbeat, dizziness, severe headache, shortness of breath, or other similar symptoms.
Note to College Athletes: It’s especially important that you avoid ephedrine-containing products because ephedrine is banned by several athletic associations, including the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association). Use of these products may result in disqualification from your event.
High caffeine consumption can also have negative side effects, including nausea from increased stomach acid secretion, muscle tremors, heart palpitations, insomnia, anxiety, and headache. However, these side effects are mostly a concern for people who are not used to consuming caffeine on a regular basis or for people who exceed their usual dose. Also, caffeine is a diuretic, so it will stimulate greater fluid loss through your urine and increase your trips to the bathroom. While this is not too convenient when your sitting in lectures and labs all day, it certainly won't hurt you as long as you consume extra water throughout the day too. Probably the biggest risk with caffeine is that it exacerbates ephedrine’s side effects. So, it’s best to avoid combining the two stimulants together.
When consumed sensibly, caffeine offers a beneficial boost in energy and may have a positive impact on mental and physical performance. If you choose to consume caffeinated products, keep these helpful tips in mind:
● Know your personl limit. Caffeine tolerance is a very individual thing. Some people experience adverse effects with very small doses, while others feel fine even at very high doses.
● Regardless of your tolerance level, keep your daily intake under 300 mg (see side bar for caffeine content of common products). If you have built up a tolerance to higher amounts, it's time to cut back. People who need that much caffeine to get through the day may be masking an underlying medical problem that causes extreme fatigue or depriving their bodies of its most basic needs for food, rest, and/or play.
● Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent dehydration.
● Make sure you consume adequate calcium on a daily basis. Caffeine slightly increases urinary calcium loss. While this is not very significant for people who consume plenty of calcium in their daily diets, it is significant for people who do not.
● Avoid caffeine after 3 pm if it is interfering with the quality of your sleep.
● Do not take it with ephedrine.
Note to College Athletes: In the athletic world, caffeine is considered a “controlled or restricted drug.” In other words, caffeine is not banned, but there are strict limits on how much an athlete is allowed to consume before an event. The legal limit set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is a urinary caffeine level up to 12 mcg/mL following competitions. However, athletes can consume a very large amount of caffeine before reaching this limit (i.e. 4-5 mg/lb. of body weight, or approximately 600-750 mg taken an hour before exercise!).
What are they?
Dexatrim, Acutrim, and other over-the-counter appetite suppressants contain an amphetemine-like compound called phenylpropanolamine (PPA). Like ephedrine, this compound increases levels of the brain chemical norepinephrine and has slight stimulant effects. In addition, it acts on the hypothalamus of the brain to suppress appetite. Prescription weight loss drugs, like Meridia, Redux,* and Phen Fen* suppress appetite by also increasing levels of another brain chemical called serotonin.
* NOTE: Redux and the “Fen” part of Phen Fen were banned in 1997 after discovering that they increased the risk of serious heart valve defects. The original studies done to “prove” these drugs’ safety and earn them approval by the FDA were not of sufficient duration to detect these long-term side effects. Meridia is a newer drug, so we don’t know the long term effects of this one yet.
**NOTE: Phentermine (the “Phen” part of Phen Fen), is still available by prescription, and has similar actions as PPA.
Do they work?
Over the counter appetite suppressants, as well as the prescription drug phentermine, may be moderately effective (especially in the first four weeks of use), but then tolerance develops to their effects. As a result, the additional weight loss achieved with these pills is very, very small and is rarely maintained.
Are there any risks?
Since PPA has stimulant properties similar to ephedrine and caffeine, appetite suppressants containing PPA seem to have the same negative side effects. An additional concern (recently raised by a research team from Yale University School of Medicine) is that PPA seems to be associated with hemorrhagic stroke in women between the ages of 18 and 49. Since this research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in November 2000, the FDA has publically asked firms that market prescription and over the counter products containing PPA to voluntarily stop selling them. Since that time, several popular over-the-counter appetite suppressants (including Dexatrim) have been reformulated without PPA.
· The only way to lose body fat is to create a calorie deficit, either by eating a bit less and/or exercising a bit more. But, be sensible! Very restrictive diets, as well as excessive amounts of exercise or overtraining, can backfire and contribute to poor physical and emotional health, as well as increased risk of weight re-gain!
· The key to revving up your metabolism is resistance training and increased muscle mass. The metabolic boost that comes from having more muscle mass on your body is far greater than the small, temporary rise that comes from stimulants in fat burner products.
· Learn how to control your appetite naturally and without risk. Eat every 3-5 hours to avoid getting overly hungry. Include a good protein source with meals and snacks to boost your satiety, or fullness after eating. Choose high fiber carbohydrates, which supply extra bulk without extra calories. Drink plenty of water. Discover your non-hunger triggers to eat, and begin satisfying your emotional needs without food.
· If you are at least 30 lbs. overweight and your health is at risk due to your excessive body fat, then prescription medications (like Meridia or Xenical) may be considered as an adjunct to a sound eating and physical activity program. In these cases, the risks of having excessive body fat may outweigh the risks of the medication. And, because they are available by prescription only, a physician will always be carefully monitoring you—which is not the case with over-the-counter weight loss pills and dietary supplements. Ideally, you will also have the opportunity to work with a dietitian, trainer, and/or therapist to improve your lifestyle habits. Otherwise, the weight will be rapidly regained after the medication stops.
· If you are not overweight (i.e. just looking to shed 5 or 10 pounds), there is NO evidence that any weight loss supplement or prescription drug is going to have a significant effect. All the research that has been done with these products has been done with people who are significantly overweight. Further, in this case, the risks of taking the supplements seem to far outweigh any potential benefits.
Energy Drinks & Bars (Under Construction)
Nutrition Bars
Nutrition bars have a lot of benefits. First (and most important to many students), they are very convenient! They're pre-portioned, individually-wrapped, non-perishable, ready-to-eat meals or snacks that can easily slip into a backpack, gym bag, purse, office drawer, or car glove department. Second, most are heavily fortified with vitamins and minerals (just like a bowl of breakfast cereal), many offer as much calcium as a glass of milk, some provide as much protein as a small chicken breast, and a few offer a good dose of fiber. Without a doubt, they are a much more nutritious choice than a candy bar, box of cookies, or bag of chips from a vending machine for a quick, on-the-go meal or snack. And, many nutrition bars taste REALLY good!
Read on to learn…