The Nutrition Corner - Victoria C. Mikhail, RD
Sports Nutrition for Males & Dietary Supplements
How Safe Are They?

How much teens grow (height) has more to do with their genes than with their diet. What teens eat makes a difference in how quickly or whether they reach their optimum height. Teens need specific foods to grow. Canada’s Food Guide outlines the various foods and the minimum amounts in order to meet individual nutrient needs.

Energy comes from the calories in food. Vitamins and minerals do not have calories. Taking vitamin and mineral pills may be dangerous, especially if taken in large amounts.

Eating extra protein will not increase the size of our muscles. The key to bigger muscles is a good exercise program and plenty of carbohydrates to fuel longer workouts. When one exercises, protein enters the muscles and makes them larger, over time. If one stops working out, the muscles will gradually shrink.

Powdered or liquid protein supplements are not necessary and can even be dangerous. Protein intake is used partly used for energy. If one eats more food (calories) than needed, then the extra protein is broken down in the kidneys (overworking the kidneys) and stored as fat.

If one does not eat enough food (calories), the body will burn some of the muscle protein to use for energy. Cutting down on food (eating less calories than the body needs) to make weight can make one weaker and the muscles smaller, no matter how much protein is eaten.

Athletes need only slightly more nutrients than non-athletes but they need more calories and water than non-athletes. Supplements have been on the market for many years with no apparent life-threatening effects when used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. However, in the last few years there has been an explosion of supplements offered to the public and concern has been raised about some of these products. Caution should be taken in using any of the following supplements:

• The FDA has received many reports of serious side effects and even deaths strongly associated with the use of products that contain ephedrine, which is found in herbs such as Ma Huang. It is especially dangerous when taken in larger than recommended doses and when combined with caffeine and aspirin.
• Kava depresses brain function and is claimed to improve relaxation and reduce anxiety. Kava has been associated with hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver failure, sometime leading to the need for a liver transplant.
• Androstenedione and other “prohormone” supplements used in hopes of promoting muscle growth can decrease the blood levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and raise the LDL (bad cholesterol) and estrogen, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Yohimbine, extracted from yohimbe bark, supposedly increases blood testosterone (thereby increasing muscle mass), decreases body fat, and serves as an aphrodisiac. Among the reported side effects are high blood pressure, elevated heart rate, heart palpitations, and hallucinations.
• There are even more dangerous supplements on the market, like those that contain gamma butyrolactone (GBL), gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and 1,4 butandediol (BD). Such supplements are illegally marketed, unapproved drugs and have been associated with serious illnesses and deaths.
• Supplements may contain potentially dangerous ingredients such as ephedrine, without listing them on the package label.
• Supplements may contain non-listed substances, such as anabolic steroids, that are banned by sports governing bodies and have resulted in failed doping tests.

Information about the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements can be found at: www.supplementwatch.com and www.consumerlab.com.

There is only one way to improve sports performance: train hard and eat properly.