When Nutritional Supplements Make The Critical Difference In Athletic Performance

Curumin is orange-yellow antioxidant extracted from turmeric root. Curcumin has gained something of a reputation of a reputation as a cure-all. It's so useful, and so well researched (over 8200 studies to date) that I have written entire books about curcumin in cancer care and curcumim for brain health.

The benefits of curcumin also extend to athletic performance. Curcumin's traditional use (in the form of turmeric i Ayurvedic herbal formulas) was as an anti-inflammatory. For people who are in generally good condition and who do not have chronic joint or back pain, curcumin takes the edge off day to day aches and pains. One study found that taking a 400 mg (or larger) capsule of curcumin per day offered the same degree of pain relief as taking 2,000 mg of acetaminophen (Tylenol). 

 

For aging athletes, taking curcumin can take the edge off osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) pain. A clinical research experiment found that osteoarthritis sufferers who took 400 mg of curcumim per day reported about half the intensity of pain as arthritis sufferers who did not. A study of osteoarthritis patients in Italy found that those who took glucosamine and curcumin healed faster and suffered fewer setbacks than those who took the more common combination of glucosamine and chondroitin, with results from curcumin and glucosamine together measurable in just 30 days.

 

Most of the studies of curcumin for joint and back pain use a specific brand of curcumin called Meriva. Other brands of curcumin will also work, but different formulations (and different brand-name products) have different  optimal applications.

 

Spirulina is a mixture of different species of blue-green algae. At one time, these algae were collected in the wild. Nowadays, the best brands of spirulina (and all the brands you will find on product shelves or Internet stores in North America and the EU) are grown under sterile conditions in tanks indoors. Spirulina is a rare plant food that provides complete protein (all the amino acids needed by the human body), healthy fat, and nearly all the vitamins and essential minerals. However, spirulina does not just add a boost to good nutrition.

 

In one study, taking a spirulina supplement was found to increase muscle power 20 to 30 percent. The effect on training was greater in untrained than in athletically trained individuals; that is, spirulina is better for helping people who are out of shape get into shape than it is for helping people who are already in shape get stronger. Exactly why spirulina would do this is not known, but the effect, at least in one study, was very strong.

Over 1300 other studies have shown that spirulina lowers blood pressure, reduces fat storage in the liver, lowers triglycerides, and upregulates the immune system. Spirulina appears to inhibit NADPH oxidase, a pro-oxidation compound. This means that it counteracts the effects of free radicals, such as those that trigger inflammatory reactions. The only downside to using spirulina is that it has to be pure. Take 1 to 3 grams of spirulina products manufactured in North America or Europe in preference to other sources.

 

The next supplement on our list is derived from herbs used in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Native American Medicine.

Berberine is an anti-bacterial compound found in Oregon grape root, barberry (not to be confused with bayberry), and an Asian medicinal plant known as coptis. Like curcumin, it has an orange-yellow color. Unlike curcumin, it is a potent bacterial infection fighter. The most important application of berberine, however, is for type 2 diabetics who exercise.

One of the paradoxes of diabetes management is that working out usually raises blood sugar levels rather than lowering them. Berberine can help hard-working diabetics avoid this problem. This unpleasantly bitter plant compound desensitizes the liver to some of the effects of stress, so it is less likely to release stored glucose during a workout. It increases insulin sensitivity in muscle, not only ensuring that exercise does more to help lower blood sugar levels, but also ensuring that muscles take up amino acids, glucose, and water more readily to rebuild themselves after resistance exercise. A series of three clinical trials, using 1 gram of berberine daily for one to three months in people with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes showed that their fasting blood glucose decreased by 17-26%, and their HbA1C levels decreased  by 12-18%. (HbA1C is a measure of blood glucose control over a ninety-day period.) The are almost no medications, other than insulin itself, that can produce results of this magnitude.

Rhodiola (also known as rhodiola rosea) is, like ginseng and eleuthero, an adaptogenic herb, an herb that helps the body adapt to stress. Rhodiola grows in cold mountain climates, from the higher peaks in North Carolina to the Canadian arctic in North America, and in Scandinavia, Russia, and the Central Asian republics in Europe and Asia. It in is available around the world in tinctures, tablets, and capsules.

 

Like ginseng and eleuthero, rhodiola helps athletes avoid coming down with infections. The immune system is particularly vulnerable after a game or competition, so it is a good "after the game" supplement. However, rhodiola is also something that is useful for athletes to take on a daily basis, as it increases concentration, fights depression, and decreases inattention, all important attributes of competitive success.

 

Most experts agree that rhodiola rosea should be taken in the form of an extract containing 3 percent rosavins and 1 percent salidrosides. Daily dosage usually ranges from 250 to 750 mg.

Betaine, as you might imagine, is a compound found in sugar beets (and, oddly enough, because of the inclusion of sugar beet juice, Coca Cola). It is also found in quinoa and spinach and table beets. Betaine functions in metabolic processes as a "methyl donor." It sustains nearly every metabolic pathway in the body, and it also protects cells against dehydration.

Multiple research studies have found that taking 2.5 grams of betaine daily helps athletes increase the number of reps they can perform in the weight room. Taking betaine leads to increases in average and peak power output. There are studies that find that betaine increases bench throw power, isometric bench press force, and vertical jump power. It also increases endurance at maximum energy output. It won't help with long-distance events, but it will help athletes exert maximum effort for longer, although still just minutes-long, periods in which the muscles begin to "burn."

 

Betaine users may also find it easier to build muscle and lose fat.

 

With betaine, dosage makes a difference. Less than 2.5 grams a day won't do any good, and more than 6 grams a day will not provide any additional benefit.