A closer look at the effects of dietary supplements

People take them all of the time. There are thousands of commercials describing them, telling which product is the best. Yes, dietary supplements are everywhere today.
The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act defines dietary supplements as a product (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, mineral, amino acid, herb or other botanical; or a dietary substance for use to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any ingredient described above; and intended for ingestion in the form of a capsule, powder, softgel or gelcap, and not represented as a conventional food or as a sole item of a meal or diet.
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, dietary supplements are widely available through many commercial sources including health food stores, grocery stores, pharmacies and by mail. They can be provided in many forms including tablets, capsules, powders, geltabs, extracts, liquids, etc.
“People want to look good and the supplements can help,” Jennifer Michaels, GNC manager of a South Carolina store said. “Each box or container, whichever the supplement is in, has directions on them about how to take it, if you follow the directions, why not try something.”
Historically in the United States, the most prevalent type of dietary supplement is a multivitamin/mineral tablet or capsule that is available in pharmacies by prescription or “over the counter.” Supplements containing strictly herbal preparations were less widely available. Currently in the United States, a wide array of supplement products are available which include vitamins, minerals, other nutrients and botanical supplements as well as ingredients and extracts of animal and plant origin, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
“It’s a proven fact that supplements can increase your metabolism and help you lose added weight,” Michaels said. “If people want to change the way they look, then we can help them get the way they want to look.”
Michaels said athletes are always on the lookout for ways to improve their performance, even if only marginally, so it’s no surprise that dietary supplements designed to complement fitness training are numerous. Bodybuilding supplements are especially popular and used by millions to enhance athletic ability.
“There is no problem in taking supplements that help you build strength and endurance,” Michaels said. “At one time people were saying that Ephedra was bad and it took the life of an MLB player, but the supplements are made differently now.”
As with other types of dietary supplements, sports performance or bodybuilding supplements are meant to complement a balanced diet and fitness training, not as quick-fix replacements.
Endurance athletes such as marathon runners place great strains on their bodies during competition. This affects their immune systems, often leading to colds and infections after a competition. While Vitamin C and its ability to treat colds has been a topic of debate for years, it has been proven that regular doses of Vitamin C can help keep endurance athletes healthy after competition.
Micronutrients are substances that are needed by the body in very small amounts because they cannot be synthesized in the body. This means that they must be provided by the diet. These micronutrients are essential for the body to maintain its normal functions. Without them, the body cannot function optimally and different health problems occur. Micronutrients, including minerals and vitamins, are needed for energy production. Exercise both uses micronutrients and increases the body’s need for them. In especially intense exercise, the need for micronutrients can double. Dietary supplements can help fill this need.
“Supplements can help people in more ways than one,” Michaels said.
While taking such dietary supplements as the ones listed previously can improve health and endurance, some make individuals increase weight, while trying to bulk up. “There is no reason to take supplements,” Allison Everett, GC&SU physical education instructor said.
Creatine (usually in the form of creatine monohydrate) is a supplement taken to enhance anaerobic performance. Creatine Monohydrate is a white, odorless crystalline powder, clear and colorless in solution. Creatine occurs naturally in the body and is converted into energy stored in the muscles. The evidence that creatine can improve fitness training is ambiguous, although creatine does appear to aid in some specific types of training, and is a common ingredient in bodybuilding supplements. It appears to increase performance during bursts of intense exercise. Creatine can also increase the body’s isometric exercise capacity, allowing weightlifters to perform more reps.
“There have been several problems with creatine, so why put your body at risk?” Everett said.
Claims that creatine increases lean muscle and bone mass remain unsubstantiated. In combination with regular weight training this claim may have some validity, but only because creatine increases isometric exercise capabilities. Creatine will not increase strength or long-term endurance.
“I don’t believe in dietary supplements,” Everett said. “Taking supplements is wrong for so many different reasons. I believe that you can lose weight or put weight on by exercise. Supplements do not solve any problem. Hard work is just as important to losing weight.”
“The results with supplements are normally only temporary. What’s the point of having results that don’t last forever,” she said. “I really think the best way is to work out and get fit.”
Ginseng has been reported to improve sports performance, but most claims are anecdotal and research has failed to prove or disprove the claim conclusively. It has been proven, however, that ginseng prompts a sense of well-being, which may account for claims that it improves physical performance.
Ephedra (or an ephedrine alkaloid) is found in many products marketed for weight loss, enhanced sports performance or energy boosts. Often labeled as “natural” or “herbal” because they come from plant material such as Ma Huang or Sida cordifolia, these products often combine ephedrine with caffeine to enhance their effects.
The Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that more than 3 billion doses of ephedrine are sold annually in the U.S. to the tune of about $7 billion.
According to Ronald A. Stine’s website, “Taking anything containing ephedra has immediate, measurable effects on the cardiovascular system,” said Stine, MD, chief of the Department of Cardiac Services at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. “Effects include sharply elevated blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms, which can lead to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, heart attack and stroke. Some effects can be permanent.”
A recent study by the RAND Corporation concluded that ephedra has minimal if any proven benefit for enhanced sports performance, and the stimulating effects may mask signs of fatigue, causing even the most well conditioned athletes to push beyond their physical limits. Thus, ephedra’s risks are potentially much more serious for competitive athletes than for the general population. A noteworthy example is the death of Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Steve Bechler, who collapsed after taking three ephedra tablets before a practice in February 2003.
Currently, the National Football League, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the U.S. Olympic Committee and the MLB have already banned ephedra use. Ephedra sales are also banned on U.S. military bases.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 26 2004. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry