How far will you go to achieve your goals? |
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With all the recent media hype around the ‘doping debate’ it’s hard to know where the athlete stops and the drugs begin. Do supplements make the athlete or are they just a way of optimising already peak performance? Armstrong being stripped of all his Tour de France titles is a cautionary tale, but what about all the years of intense training he carried out?
There’s so much pressure for athletes to be the best they can be, and so many perfectly legitimate sports supplements available to help drive optimum performance, it’s an increasingly fine line between what’s appropriate and what isn’t. In addition, many seemingly innocent sports supplements and cough and cold remedies are banned in the elite sports arena. It’s increasingly easy to get caught out.
So, let’s look at the differences between the doping drugs allegedly taken and those supplements available to us all, to see if it all becomes a little clearer.
Drugs alleged to have been taken to enhance sports performance
EPO
EPO or Erythropoietin is a protein which boosts production of red blood cells in order to improve endurance. It’s usually injected direct into the blood stream.
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is an anabolic agent used to improve athletic performance administered by injection.
Cortisone
Cortisone is a steroid hormone that reduces inflammation, pain and swelling. It can be injected or taken orally.
Actovegin®
Actovegin improves the oxygen intake into the muscles in order to improve physical performance and stamina. Actovegin is administered by injection.
Andriol®
Andriol is a form of the anabolic steroid testosterone. It is used to increase performance but is also key in enhancing muscle development. Andriol is usually administrated via skin patches.
Every-day Performance Supplements
In recent year’s protein shakes, creatine and energy drinks have become staples for many gym goers. It’s a multi-million pound industry driven by the desire to build fast muscle growth, have better endurance and recovery or simply sustain energy levels: in essence to help improve performance. So how do these work?
Protein
Protein products are designed to have numerous enhancing effects depending on brand and type. The two main types are whey protein, which is generally used before and after a workout to promote maximum muscle growth, and casein protein which is recommended to be taken before bed to enhance muscle generation whilst you sleep.
The difference between all the brands depends on the added extras they offer. Some simply contain extra vitamins, minerals and amino acids, whilst others have some of the additional additives described below. Most companies swear they have the magic formula containing the right balance of carbs, protein and ‘extras’ to provide the user with the best tools to boost their performance – but make sure you read the ingredients carefully – especially if you’re taking part in elite sports, as the addition of some ‘enhancers’ can sometimes tread the wrong side of the line.
Below is a list of additional performance boosting supplements that you’re likely to find on the shelf or mixed in to your shake:
Creatine
Sold as a separate product or as part of a protein product, creatine has been scientifically proven to aid production of lean muscle mass, improve energy and muscle strength.
Glutamine
Glutamine is a popular orally taken amino acid taken to replenish muscle glycogen stores and reduce recovery time.
Endurance enhancers
Glucose, maltodextrin and caffeine are used to boost energy levels during and post workout
Fat burners / Weight loss & Thermogenics
CLA (Conjugated Linolic Acid) is thought to reduce body fat and is used to provide muscle definition by increasing lean body mass. Thermogenics stimulate body temperature to increase basal metabolic rate and again are said to burn calories. Caffeine and ephedrine are the most commonly used types.
Summary
Legal or not, in the search for body improvement it appears many of us are willing to take supplement products to give us the edge. From an innocent cup of coffee, recovery shake or latest fat burning pill to doping drugs, the question you need to ask yourself is how far are you prepared to go to achieve your goals?
Tags: metabolism, Protein, protein shakes, slimming, weight loss, weight training, weightplan
There’s so much pressure for athletes to be the best they can be, and so many perfectly legitimate sports supplements available to help drive optimum performance, it’s an increasingly fine line between what’s appropriate and what isn’t. In addition, many seemingly innocent sports supplements and cough and cold remedies are banned in the elite sports arena. It’s increasingly easy to get caught out.
So, let’s look at the differences between the doping drugs allegedly taken and those supplements available to us all, to see if it all becomes a little clearer.
Drugs alleged to have been taken to enhance sports performance
EPO
EPO or Erythropoietin is a protein which boosts production of red blood cells in order to improve endurance. It’s usually injected direct into the blood stream.
Growth hormone
Growth hormone is an anabolic agent used to improve athletic performance administered by injection.
Cortisone
Cortisone is a steroid hormone that reduces inflammation, pain and swelling. It can be injected or taken orally.
Actovegin®
Actovegin improves the oxygen intake into the muscles in order to improve physical performance and stamina. Actovegin is administered by injection.
Andriol®
Andriol is a form of the anabolic steroid testosterone. It is used to increase performance but is also key in enhancing muscle development. Andriol is usually administrated via skin patches.
Every-day Performance Supplements
In recent year’s protein shakes, creatine and energy drinks have become staples for many gym goers. It’s a multi-million pound industry driven by the desire to build fast muscle growth, have better endurance and recovery or simply sustain energy levels: in essence to help improve performance. So how do these work?
Protein
Protein products are designed to have numerous enhancing effects depending on brand and type. The two main types are whey protein, which is generally used before and after a workout to promote maximum muscle growth, and casein protein which is recommended to be taken before bed to enhance muscle generation whilst you sleep.
The difference between all the brands depends on the added extras they offer. Some simply contain extra vitamins, minerals and amino acids, whilst others have some of the additional additives described below. Most companies swear they have the magic formula containing the right balance of carbs, protein and ‘extras’ to provide the user with the best tools to boost their performance – but make sure you read the ingredients carefully – especially if you’re taking part in elite sports, as the addition of some ‘enhancers’ can sometimes tread the wrong side of the line.
Below is a list of additional performance boosting supplements that you’re likely to find on the shelf or mixed in to your shake:
Creatine
Sold as a separate product or as part of a protein product, creatine has been scientifically proven to aid production of lean muscle mass, improve energy and muscle strength.
Glutamine
Glutamine is a popular orally taken amino acid taken to replenish muscle glycogen stores and reduce recovery time.
Endurance enhancers
Glucose, maltodextrin and caffeine are used to boost energy levels during and post workout
Fat burners / Weight loss & Thermogenics
CLA (Conjugated Linolic Acid) is thought to reduce body fat and is used to provide muscle definition by increasing lean body mass. Thermogenics stimulate body temperature to increase basal metabolic rate and again are said to burn calories. Caffeine and ephedrine are the most commonly used types.
Summary
Legal or not, in the search for body improvement it appears many of us are willing to take supplement products to give us the edge. From an innocent cup of coffee, recovery shake or latest fat burning pill to doping drugs, the question you need to ask yourself is how far are you prepared to go to achieve your goals?
Tags: metabolism, Protein, protein shakes, slimming, weight loss, weight training, weightplan