Athletic Suppliments, yay or nay?

[theczar]

I've been considering using athletic suppliments (protien, creatine, vitamins, etc.) in my summer workouts. I want to try these over the summer and decide if I want to keep using them throughout the year, and to see what works and what doesn't.

Correct me if I'm wrong:

Protien-- Builds muscles more efficiently, but might be linked to muscle cramps, and excess protien is stored in fat

Creatine-- Helps build and recover muscles.

"B" Vitamins-- Research shows that B vitamins can boost metabolism and are essential in converting food into usable energy. Taking more B vitamins can increse your energy




these are the 3 suppliments I'm looking at, does anyone have any input on how this can effect me, and are there any other adverse effects?
Or is there any other suppliment that you use or that you know of that is good for training?

[vault3rb0y]

Ok first off, the only reason i think i have any knowledge in this subject is because my dad is a nutritionist and when i began researching these types of things, he and my doctor had a few things to tell me. This is what i learned about each of these "supplements".

The first and most important thing is that anything with a "supplement" label and not a "nutrition" label is no approved by the FDA, and therefore is not proven to do all the things they say, and the adverse effects of some supplements has not been researched. Thats what makes some supplements so dangerous.

But first, protien obviously is not going to be so dangerous, as long as nothing else is thrown in there. But what i have been told by my doctors and my father is that there really isnt a point to it. The most important part about protien is making sure it is circulating in your blood stream when your body needs it, ie. before and emmediately after a workout. My dad has always told me to try to have something high protien within 30 minutes after lifting, because apparently your muscles have the highest ability to rebuild within a few hours after lifting. But what is interesting, is how much my doctors and my dad have stressed carbs in a workout, even more than protien. They tell me that the protien may build muscles, but without the carbs absorbed into the bloodstream, your muscles will never have the energy to fully recover.

Creatine, i dont have much to say about, but what my dad told me about it, i will tell you. Its effects have not been widely documented or researched, both good and bad. Many people say it makes their muscles bigger and stronger by boosting their ATP count, giving them faster immediate recovery (most sets in less time). At the same time, your muscles retain a TON of water, and apparently it can make you fat as well, two things you dont want to have to deal with when you get off of creatine. Also, even when taken with plenty of water, it has been documented to cause kidney problems. Basically, my doctors and my dad told me that i can get the same, if not better, effects of creatine by simply eating a balanced diet and figuring out exactly what your body needs and when it needs it.

"B" Vitamins- My dad has told me that with vitamins and minerals, there has been no documented advantage of having more than the Recommending Daily Allowance. Also, B vitamins are just one type of vitamin, in literally hundreds of unresearched vitamins that we know must help in other ways. There was a study done on people taking JUST B vitamins and people who got their vitamins from fruits that we know contained B vitamins and many more vitamins. The people who ate the fruit lived longer, less illness prone lives. There are many variables in an experiment like that, so take it as you will. My dad just suggests eating your RDA of fruits and veggies everyday to get the known and unkown advantages, and dont waste money on vitamins that dont even taste good .


My dad asked me to say this, "The benefits from all these supplements can be achieved in a healthy way by making sure you are eating a healthy balanced diet every day."

[VaultMarq26]

That was pretty much a text book answer.....this is a perfect example of how this site can be such a great resource for vaulters of all ages.

[jumpbackin]

That was pretty much a text book answer.....this is a perfect example of how this site can be such a great resource for vaulters of all ages.

No it's not. Sorry Vault3rboy, you really missed it on the creatine.

Creatine is one of THE most studied supplements. Creatine does not make you fat. It does cause water retention in your muscles but that water weight will go a way after only a few weeks of discontinuing.

It makes people stronger by increasing the available ATP in muscles. This allows a lifter to do more reps with a given weight increasing time under tension. This leads to more adaptation. There is no qustion, for strength and hypertrophy, creatine works - really well.

No kidney damage has been linked directly to creatine. While creatine hasn't been linked to cramping in well hydrated athletes, I think it's a reasonable concern since the muscles are more "full". While running, the hamstrings stretch very rapidly. If the muscles are pumped up with creatine, that rapid stretching may be harder on the muscles and increase the likelyhood of cramping which can lead to a strain or a tear.

I don't think anyone should use creatine unless they are at leat 20 and have two years serious training under their belt. I also don't see any use of using it in season. You shouldn't be lifting hard in season and it probably wont help you get down the runway quicker. It will add weight. But, if an athlete needs to build more strength in an off season training program, creatine is safe and effective.

1/2 teaspoon dissolved in hot water, two times a day. Stay hydrated, maintain electrolyte balance.

[theczar]

The people who ate the fruit lived longer, less illness prone lives. There are many variables in an experiment like that, so take it as you will. My dad just suggests eating your RDA of fruits and veggies everyday to get the known and unkown advantages, and dont waste money on vitamins that dont even taste good .

is it bad that I eat twice the RDA of fruit? I eat at least 6 fresh pieces of fruit every day. pretty much munching on an apple, peach, or pear durring work. So, would that should be more than enough vitamins (like C and B) to be "supplimented"?

[rainbowgirl28]

The people who ate the fruit lived longer, less illness prone lives. There are many variables in an experiment like that, so take it as you will. My dad just suggests eating your RDA of fruits and veggies everyday to get the known and unkown advantages, and dont waste money on vitamins that dont even taste good .

is it bad that I eat twice the RDA of fruit? I eat at least 6 fresh pieces of fruit every day. pretty much munching on an apple, peach, or pear durring work. So, would that should be more than enough vitamins (like C and B) to be "supplimented"?

It is not bad to eat more than the RDA of fruit. Just make sure you wash it off with some soap and water before you eat it. Unless it is organic or whatever, there could be a little bit of pesticides leftover. Fruit is high in sugar, but hopefully you are balancing that out with other parts of your diet, and not eating a bunch of candy in addition to the fruit.

Make sure you get some veggies too. Maybe you could snack on some baby carrots and sugar snap peas at work as well. Almonds would make a good snack addition too.

[theczar]

Fruit is high in sugar, but hopefully you are balancing that out with other parts of your diet, and not eating a bunch of candy in addition to the fruit.

Make sure you get some veggies too. Maybe you could snack on some baby carrots and sugar snap peas at work as well. Almonds would make a good snack addition too.

I've been "dieting" (by that I mean just plain eating better, not really trying to drop weight) and have had only one cookie in the past month. And I've also been snacking on unsalted peanuts as well as dry shreded wheat cereal, so I think I'm balancing...or somewhat at least

[vault3rb0y]

I did some online research of my own
http://www.nutrasense.com/creatmonres.html
http://www.nucare.com/prodres.html

The research and results are right there for you all to make your own conclusions, but heres what i found-

You are right, jumpbackin, it is extremely researched, and proven to increase muscle strength and make for a quicker recovery. But if used incorrectly, which is easy to do when the labels suggest ultra-doses, it will cause cramping and other problems. This is probably all too common in high school athletes, so i think your 20+ age is definitely a good idea.

You can make your own conclusion, but personally, im going to stay a firm believer of my doctor and a nutritionist, that a healthy balanced diet, fit to your needs, is best. I believe if my body needed more creatine to perform better, it would create it. Adding more creatine, to me, is throwing off the natural balance in our bodies. You might get stronger and faster in the short term, but i prefer to keep my nutrition based on actual foods and keep supplements out. Call me a radical, but thats how i feel.

[vault3rb0y]

To you czar, my dad told me that twice the RDA of fruit is probably ok considering you are on athlete. the RDA's are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, and the average athlete probably needs 4,000+ on a high-end workout, so you are doing ok.

theres two other things to think about-
Fruit might hold sugar, but my dad asked me to use this phrase-
"the sugar is as good as the company it keeps". basically, the fruit in sugar is ok, considering everything else you are getting from the fruit; vitamins etc.. If you eat a candy bar you might get more sugar, and then none of the healthy benefits from fruit, just a ton of crap to go along with it. You shouldnt worry about your sugar intake if it is all balance though, its not the "evil" substance of its reputation if taken with the right things.

Also, you said you are eating unsalted peanuts, which is good. You need a little fat in the diet for your joints, but you also need plenty of salt, depending on where you live. I live in Arkansas, and the heat is ok as long as you stay hydrated, but as an athlete we shouldnt be afraid of a little sodium in our diets for water retention. If we cut out sodium, we wont sweat as much, which is a big problem. I think salted peanuts and a few other salty snacks a few times a week might actually benefit a high-sweating athlete.

[jumpbackin]

I did some online research of my own
http://www.nutrasense.com/creatmonres.html
http://www.nucare.com/prodres.html

The research and results are right there for you all to make your own conclusions, but heres what i found-

You are right, jumpbackin, it is extremely researched, and proven to increase muscle strength and make for a quicker recovery. But if used incorrectly, which is easy to do when the labels suggest ultra-doses, it will cause cramping and other problems. This is probably all too common in high school athletes, so i think your 20+ age is definitely a good idea.

You can make your own conclusion, but personally, im going to stay a firm believer of my doctor and a nutritionist, that a healthy balanced diet, fit to your needs, is best. I believe if my body needed more creatine to perform better, it would create it. Adding more creatine, to me, is throwing off the natural balance in our bodies. You might get stronger and faster in the short term, but i prefer to keep my nutrition based on actual foods and keep supplements out. Call me a radical, but thats how i feel.

I wouldn't argue with this post or yourlast post. I do have a philisophical difference in that I take supplements. I take a multi and alot of fish oil. I don't take creatine, but I have in the past.

[achtungpv]

It is not bad to eat more than the RDA of fruit. Just make sure you wash it off with some soap and water before you eat it. Unless it is organic or whatever, there could be a little bit of pesticides leftover.

Unfortunately, pesticides leach into the flesh of the fruit or vegetable. All you can really wash off is dirt. Buy and eat organic. You'll go broke doing it but hey at least your kids will have much less of a chance being born with 3 arms.

[vault3rb0y]

Unfortunately a lot of what we eat it treated with things we dont even know of. This is a main area of study my dad does at Cornell University. Hes a professor of Nutrition policy, and what is labelled and what isn't. A lot of the things on the shelves are genetically engineered or treated with pesticides and we dont know it. He isn't saying genetically engineered foods are bad, but simply that the research hasnt been done to determine long term effects, and until then there should be labels if it has been genetically engineered. It raises some interesting questions.