BJSM reviews: A-Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance Part 5.

Br J Sports Med. 2010 Jan;44(1):77-8.
 BUFFERS: SODIUM BICARBONATE AND SODIUM CITRATE; b-ALANINE AND CARNOSINE
The biochemistry of exercise-induced metabolic acidosis has been of considerable interest for many years. We now accept that the fatigue associated with high rates of anaerobic glycolysis is caused not by the accumulation of lactate but by the imbalance between the rate of proton release and the rate of proton buffering and removal. It is 70 years since formal investigations into acid–base balance and exercise began. Some carefully controlled studies in the 1980s suggested that ingestion of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) could be effective in enhancing the performance of events such as an 800 m track run, via an improved capacity to buffer metabolic acidosis which then reduced or delayed the onset of the accompanying fatigue This topic remains of considerable interest with regular additions to the literature. The authors of the following brief reviews have a long history of involvement in investigating the ergogenic effects of buffers on athletes.

A–Z of nutritional supplements: Part 4

Br J Sports Med. 2009 Dec;43(14):1088-90.
In Part 4, the review takes us from aspartame, a sweetening ingredient found in many foods and drinks, to BCAA, the three branched chain essential amino acids; then onto bee pollen, marketed as a ‘‘superfood,’’  followed by the ultra trace element boron, known more for its association with bone health, and finally to L-carnitine, a supplement which is widely used in the sporting arena and seems to be gaining in popularity.

BJSM reviews: A–Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and Ergogenic aids for health and performance Part 3

British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:890-892

Until recently we have considered free oxygen radical production in the body to be a solely "negative" occurrence that might be countered by supplementation with antioxidant nutrients. The supposed benefits included improved health and mortality, and for athletes, the extra advantages of enhanced performance through a reduction in exercise-induced damage. In fact, as discussed below, The Cochrane Review¹ found little or no difference in the normal population between antioxidant administration and those taking a placebo. Mortality was, in fact, slightly higher in the antioxidant group. The review focuses on antioxidant supplementation in athletes and includes the possibility that some oxidative species play a positive role in the adaptation to exercis

A–Z of supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance Part 2

British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:807-810
The subject of supplements is of crucial importance and there is a vital need for reliable, balanced and unbiased information for athletes and their support staff. The use and potential for abuse of supplements by athletes have been of concern to all those involved in supporting athletes for many years. Of primary concern is the health of the athlete. Performance issues are secondary and performance will only be helped if optimum health is  maintained. The ergogenic effects of many supplements are controversial and good evidence for efficacy is rare.
This 2. part covers:
AMINO ACIDS, ANDROSTENEDIONE, ARGININE,ASPARAGINE AND ASPARTATE

A–Z of supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance Part 1

British Journal of Sports Medicine 2009;43:728-729

All the above terms (and more) have been used to entice the unwary (and wary!) athlete to spend money on dietary products that claim to enhance their health and sports performance.

The Oxford English Dictionary definition of suppplement is: "Something added to supply a deficiency". Yet many supplements, or their individual ingredients, are nutrients or food chemicals for which the body does not have an estimated or theoretical requirement. Thus there are clearly other factors that underpin their use by athletes.

There are many reviews on supplementation in athletes, some of which are very good. Our aim is not to replicate these, but to give a series of very brief overviews, some of which will be by experts in the field. Our main aim is simply to demystify some of the many supplements on the market in order to provide a useful
resource for athletes, sport and exercise enthusiasts, along with allied professionals such as nutritionists, coaches, physiotherapists and doctors.