Ergogenic Aids

Ergogenic Aids

G. Douglas Andersen, DC, DACBSP, CCN

Ergogenic is defined as producing work. Ergogenic aids are marketed
to help athletes in a variety of ways. Some of which include:

1. Increased energy.
2. Promote recovery.
3. Stimulate weight gain (especially muscle).
4. Improve speed.
5. Increase strength.
6. Prolong endurance.
7. Deliver more nutrients to muscles.
8. Increase fat metabolism (i.e. burning).
9. Improve aerobic capacity.
10. Decrease body fat.
11. Reduce lactic acid.
12. Raise testosterone.
13. Raise growth hormone.

There is and always has been a controversy concerning ergogenic aids. Historically, most doctors and dietitians opposed their use and felt they were worthless or even harmful. On the other hand, most alternative care practitioners embraced and promoted their use, as did many athletes. Often trainers were caught in the middle. Like many controversies, the truth lies in the center.

New miracle substances constantly enter the market place. Top sellers do stimulate research. However, it takes a few years for studies to appear from neutral scientists and independent institutions. It is still not uncommon to see that the vast majority of highly marketed products and substances generally fall short of their hype.

The following chart is a brief description of the more common ergogenic aids. Please note that the opinions stated are from this author only. As mentioned above, ergogenic aids are quite controversial and many so-called experts have a built-in positive or negative bias. THIS AUTHOR’S ONLY CONCERN IS THE TRUTH—THAT IS, DOES THE PRODUCT WORK OR NOT?

ERGOGENIC AIDS

SUPPLEMENT	ADVERTISED CLAIMS	RESEARCH SUMMARY AND AUTHOR’S OPINION
Androstenedione *and related compounds(including “nor” and “diol” families)	Increases testosterone	May help older men with lower testosterone levels. Prescription topical gels have lower rates of estrogen conversion and can elevate test. Good studies on young athletes show estrogen increases with oral supplementation. Most companies tout other forms as superior to "regular andro," based on small in-house studies. Can also cause positive drug tests for steroids.
Arginine and Ornithine	Elevates growth hormone	A few small positive studies.Larger studies have been negative.
Arginine	Raises nitric oxide	Increases are seen in the lab. Most men with erectile dysfunction will be much happier with Rx medication.
ATP	Increases Energy	Published data unimpressive.
Bee Pollen	Increases energy	No valid studies on athletes.
Beta alanine	Improves endurance Acid buffer Enhances creatine	Increases carnosine production which improves buffering capacity. One study showed an 8 second increase in isometric contraction. Affect on improving creatine response is unimpressive.
Betaine	Increases energy	Mixed with sports drinks. Results of small studies have been positive and negative.
Boron	Elevates testosterone	Does work in women over 70 years old. Studies on young men are negative. Helps calcium uptake in bones.
Branched Chain Amino Acids	Increases protein synthesis Reduces protein breakdown(i.e. improves recovery)	Adequate dietary protein intake prevents need for supplements. Studies on athletes mostly unremarkable.
Buffers Sodium Bicarbonate Phosphate salts	Acid buffer improves anaerobic performance, reduces fatigue	Some valid studies on athletes. Very high rate of gastrointestinal side effects, especially diarrhea. Sodium bicarbonate appears to work best.
Caffeine	Weight loss/fat burner Improves endurance Improves reaction time Improves alertness	In most people, will increase time to exhaustion in both endurance and higher intensity exercise. Can also improve concentration and speed reaction time. Regular use can build tolerance. Some people can get side effects, especially with high doses—insomnia, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, and headache. Safe when taken alone. Some report better results after 2-day abstention.
Carnitine	Improves energy by helping to transport fat inside the cell to be burned	Most positive studies are seen with people who have diseases. Most athletes don’t feel much of a difference. May lower triglycerides. Unexpected finding of a new study showed it increased carb, not fat utilization.
Chrysin	Blocks testosterone and androstenedione conversion to estrogens	Recent human studies refute initial positive lab data.
Ciwujia	Increases endurance	In-house studies were positive.Neutral groups results negative.
Citrulline-malate	Increases aerobic capacity. Increases endurance. Increases arginine and nitrous oxide production. Increases ATP production. Improves recovery. Improves creatine effect.	Most of the effects regarding endurance, aerobic endurance, aerobic capacity, ATP and recovery are based on one study that showed there was improvement in muscles that flexed the fingers. Citrulline alone may harm performance. Does not appear to enhance creatine.
Chromium Picolinate	Reduces body fat Increase lean mass	Good for blood sugar control. Initial studies that showed increased strength and decreased body fat have not been replicated by new research.
Coenzyme Q-10	Increases energy Antioxidant Improves aerobic capacity	May help people with heart disease. Studies on athletes are unimpressive.
Colostrum	Elevates growth hormone	IGF-1 elevations are an indicator of increased GH.Studies conflict (only some show elevations).May strengthen immune system.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)	Lowers body fat Increases lean mass	4.5 grams a day for 1 year caused a 4-pound fat loss and 1.5 pound muscle gain.
Cordyceps sinensis	Increases exercise capacity. Improves endurance. Increases muscle oxygen levels.	Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that is harvested growing from the caterpillar it killed. Research has been unimpressive.
Creatine	Improves strength Improves power Improves speed Gain weight	Works on most people (80%). Preliminary research shows it is safe. Reports of cramping are not seen in research, but are regularly reported by 10-20% of users. Not recommended for endurance athletes. Strength gains in swimmers may not be enough to offset the associated weight gain, which may result in slower times.
Deer Antler Velvet	Improves protein synthesis and strength, enhances endurance, stimulates immune system, anti-inflammatory	Positive findings in uncontrolled trials and rodent studies have not been duplicated in double-blind human format. New research continues to be negative.
DHEA *	Improves energy Elevates mood Raise testosterone Lowers body fat	May help those who are deficient. Deficiencies are VERY RARE in young people. Do not use unless saliva tests or a blood test show low levels. Recent studies show it did not elevate testosterone, improve strength, or increase endurance. 100 mg for 4 weeks did raise post exercise blood glucose.
Ecdysone	Promotes muscle growth Retains nitrogen Raises testosterone	So called "landmark human studies" cited by marketers of this insect steroid are not referenced.
Ephedrine *(Ma Huang) (Ephedra)OTC sales were banned in April 2004	Improves energy Burns fat Decreases conversion of carbs to fat Reduces appetite	When taken as directed it can burn fat, improve speed, strength and suppress appetite. Commonly stacked with caffeine. Hot weather improves absorption. Should not be used by people under age 18. High rate of side effects—headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, hot flashes, nausea.Can cause heart attacks and strokes. THE ONLY ERGOGENIC AID THAT HAS RESULTED IN ACCIDENTAL DEATH.
Ginseng	Increases energyImprove recovery	All well-done recent trials on athletes have been negative. May have application for non-athletic uses.
Glandulars	Glandulars ingested stimulates the associated organ or gland	Whole or partial proteins may be digested intact but there is no good evidence these supplements work.
Glutamine	Combats over training Improves recovery Raises growth hormone	Positive studies on severely injured people (burn victims).Studies on athletes continue to be unimpressive. Body will make what it needs if dietary protein levels are adequate.
Glycerol	Prevents dehydration	May be worth a try if you have dehydration problems. A recent study showed 3 of 5 qualified studies yielded mild improvements in fluid retention and endurance performance.
Green Tea	Weight loss Fat burner	Small studies show it may increase fat burning (independent of caffeine) by a powerful antioxidant it contains, EGCG. Protects against many types of cancer.
Guarana	Improves endurance Burns fat	Active ingredient is caffeine.450 mg of guarana contains 100 mg caffeine.
HMB(Beta-hydroxy BetaMethylbutyrate)	Improves recovery Increases strength Reduces body fat	Positive studies tend to be on the inexperienced. Real-life effects for regular exercisers are subtle at best. May be worth a try for beginners for the first 2 months if excessive soreness / slow recover is an issue.
Inosine	Increases energy Increases blood O2 capacity	Studies show inosine will HARM performance by increasing free radical formation.
Methoxyisoflavone	Gain muscle, reduces body fat	Has worked well for livestock. Quite strange that human studies cited in ads are not referenced.
Medium Chain TriglyceridesMTC	Weight loss Fat burner	Studies are mixed. Effects for most are subtle at best.
Octacosanol	Improves endurance	No valid studies on athletes.
Omega-3 fatty acids	Increases growth hormone Improves strength Reduces inflammation Reduces bad cholesterol	Great for a healthy heart. Natural anti-inflammatory. No ergogenic effects. Can lower insulin.
Phosphatidylserine	Lowers cortisol levels to improve recovery	May be good for memory. New research showed it did not lower cortisol or improve recovery. An increase in time to exhaustion was an unexpected finding.
Protein powders and meal replacement drinks	Improve strength Stimulate growth Help recovery Mandatory for injury repair	No evidence that supplements is better than whole food. Protein powders are a good, easy, healthy way to get extra protein, which is critical for hard training athletes.
Pyruvate	Lowers body fat Improve energy	All well-done recent trials on athletes have been negative.
Ribose	Improves energy Increases work output	A few positive studies with high doses. Needs more research.
Rhodiola rosea	Increased strength Increases mental function. Increases endurance.	There is no difference between daily dosing versus dosing only before and event or exercise. One study showed a 25-second improvement in time to exhaustion. No evidence of improvemed mental function.
Smilax	Increases testosterone	No valid studies.
Tribulus Terrestris	Increases testosterone byelevating Lutenizing hormone.	New data shows no increase in testosterone or LH. May blunt postexercise cortisol elevation.
Tyrosine	Increases alertness Precursor to dopamine	Found in many brain and energy drinks. Research with doses much larger than energy drinks showed no effect.
Velvet Bean (Mucuna Puriens)	Increases growth hormone by increasing dopamine	Waiting for quality human trials.
Zinc	Increases testosterone Wound healing Immune function	Will not elevate testosterone unless deficient. But, deficiencies are not uncommon in heavy training athletes. Increased requirements during wound healing and immune system stress.

* Considered a banned substance in many sports.

The study of ergogenic aids is dynamic. New studies are regularly being published. Keep in mind that opinions on substances in this chart could change based on new data.

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