Ergogenic Supplements

Question 1

Normal daily requirement of creatine? What does creatine do? Does it have an affect on aerobic activity?

Answer 1

2g; enhances regeneration of ATP, increased capacity for high-intensity, short-duration power and endurance training; no impact on endurance exercise of VO2max

Question 2

In what way does creatine work for athletes?

Answer 2

improves athletes training by enhancing recovery and increasing training intensity, but does not improve particular performance

Question 3

Potential side effects of creatine?

Answer 3

GI cramping, muscle cramping, water retention, weight gain, muscle tears

Question 4

Are most people deficient in creatine?

Answer 4

NO! So, it’s kind of … useless.

Question 5

What is the most widely consumed drug in the world? What does it do?

Answer 5

caffeine; metabolizes fat and spares glycogen which maintains muscle metabolism

Question 6

Banned by FDA, sold as nutritional supplement.
May be converted to estrogen or testosterone.
Increased levels of IGF-1, GH secretion.
Increased muscle mass/well-being, decreased fat mass in sedentary middle- age subjects (if they exercise!).
Supplement levels (50-100 mg/d) overwhelmed by natural levels under age 30.

Answer 6

DHEA

Question 7

Metabolite of leucine (essential BCAA)
Decreased catabolism, regulates protein 	metabolism
Increased muscle mass
No evidence of improved 
	performance or strength
Aesthetic enhancement in 
	bodybuilding

Answer 7

Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB)

Question 8

Effective (increased muscle mass and strength, decreased body fat).
Available synthetically.
Dangerous (acromegaly, cardiomyopathy, diabetes).
Impossible to detect until recently

Answer 8

Human growth hormone

Question 9

Effective (stimulates red blood cell formation, increased oxygen carrying capacity).
Dangerous (stroke, myocardial infarction).
Difficult (but not impossible) to detect.
Inevitable (“better dead than second”)

Answer 9

erythropoietin (EPO)

Question 10

Effective (physical power, mental edge, loss of body fat).
Side effects (headaches, sleep
loss, anxiety).
Dangerous (myocardial infarction, hyperthermia).
Easy to detect.
Illegal in most sports and federations

Answer 10

amphetamines

Question 11

Why can EPO lead to stroke?

Answer 11

increased hematocrit causes a thickening of the blood

Question 12

What is blood doping?

Answer 12

Take out RBCs, and store them. Body regenerates RBCs, then inject stored RBCs to bump up hematocrit

Question 13

T/F: Nutritional supplements that are safe mostly don’t work.
Nutritional supplements that work are mostly dangerous and/or illegal.

Answer 13

true