Ergogenic Aids

The term ergogenic aid refers to a substance that can increase the capacity for bodily or mental labor, especially by eliminating fatigue symptoms. Nutritional ergogenic aids refer to substances that enhance performance and are either nutrients, metabolic by-products of nutrients, food (plant) extracts, or substances commonly found in foods (e.g., caffeine and creatine) that are provided in amounts more concentrated than commonly found in the natural food supply. The non-nutritional ergogenic aids, including anabolic steroids and their analogues, continue to be used by athletes, but because they are nearly universally banned by sports organizing bodies (NCAA, IOC, USOC, and so on), they are not the focus of this chapter. Instead, this chapter focuses on the legal nutritional ergogenic aids, for which there is an increasing body of scientific information.

Companies selling ergogenic aids often target different athlete populations, with some focusing on strength and power sports while others focus on improving aerobic endurance. This chapter provides critical information on the theory behind each aid, its efficacy, and its safety (although long-term safety studies have rarely, if ever, been performed). In addition, where there may be some potential for performance enhancement by consuming an ergogenic aid, this chapter includes the best strategy for its use. Before reading this chapter, it is important that you consider this fact: The vast majority of substances advertised as having ergogenic properties do not, and those that do work would lose their ergogenic properties if the athlete consumed a regular energy and nutrient intake that satisfied need. Most important, the ergogenesis derived from a properly balanced diet is not only legal but also far less expensive and much more likely to be safe than that provided in bottles and pills.

In short, ergogenic aids claim to enhance performance. The nutritional ergogenic aids are so defined because they work by entering a well-established nutritional metabolic pathway or because they consist of one or more known nutrients. For instance, taking extra carbohydrate to improve performance makes the carbohydrate, by definition, a nutritional ergogenic aid. Also, taking creatine monohydrate to improve sprint performance makes creatine a nutritional ergogenic aid because creatine is a normal constituent of food, and its consumption causes creatine to enter a known metabolic pathway. Non-nutritional ergogenic aids represent products (often of unknown origin because producers don't clearly specify what they consist of) that are neither nutrients nor other substances with nutritional properties. The best known non-nutritional ergogenic aids are anabolic steroids.

In most cases, the performance-enhancement claims attributed to ergogenic aids exceed reality. Since many of the products are considered foods, nutrients, or nutrient-based products, there are few controls for government agencies to police these claims. The only truly credible sources of information come from published scientific works and the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health. Where improvements are seen, it is often due to a placebo effect: People believe it will help, so it actually helps even though there is no biological basis for the improvement. In other cases, improvements occur because the product is providing a chemical missing from the foods that an athlete commonly consumes. For instance, bodybuilders often take protein powders or amino acid powders to aid in the enlargement of muscle mass. However, studies clearly indicate that the rate of protein usage by the body is well below the level consumed by those who take these protein powders. The body's limit for using protein to build muscle and maintain tissues is much lower than the amount of protein commonly consumed through food and protein supplements. The upper limit for protein usage is below 2 grams per kilogram of body weight, and those who take protein supplements often take more than 3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. The excess protein is burned as a fuel or stored as fat, but it can't be used to build more muscle. It is also known that bodybuilders frequently consume an inadequate level of energy. This energy inadequacy makes it difficult for them to support their larger muscle mass. The reason the extra protein appears to be ergogenic is more likely to be because of the calories provided than because of its potential tissue-building effect.

Numerous ergogenic aids are available, ranging from known nutrients to supposed nutrients (such as vitamin B _15, which has no official definition, varies in content by manufacturer because of no standardization of active ingredient(s), and is not a recognized vitamin) to herbs with no known chemical content or known active ingredients. There is so much misinformation in the marketplace and in the locker room about these products that the buyer should beware. In general, athletes would do better to avoid the focus on a magic bullet to improve performance and should take a more realistic approach by consuming a balanced intake of foods that provide sufficient energy and nutrients to support growth, activity, and tissue maintenance.

A Brief History of Ergogenic Aids

Categories of Ergogenic Aids

Carbohydrate As Ergogenic Aid

Creatine Monohydrate

Glycerol

Bicarbonate (Sodium Bicarbonate or Bicarbonate of Soda)

Proteins and Amino Acids

Caffeine

Carnitine (Typically L-Carnitine)

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Medium-Chain Triglycerides

Ginseng

Ergogenic Choices