Supplement Users Beware!

All college athletes, and some non-athlete students, have the drive to become bigger, better, and stronger. Many people will do anything to have bulging muscles and leaner bodies. Supplements are a broad category, with many types and forms. They are taken to build stronger and bigger muscles, as well as to burn fat to lose weight. Supplements have one definite thing in common – all are drugs. The supplement industry seemingly provides a simple solution to the common stress of becoming better: take a pill or add a scoop of powder to your drink. However, this “easy” answer is not so safe.

Many supplements across the board are not approved by the NCAA due to their ingredients and potential safety.  Athletes nationwide can lose scholarships and the ability to play because of unknowingly consuming a substance that happened to be in a supplement. Not only are some supplements detrimental to one’s athletic career, but also to overall health. Medications are sent to the liver when consumed in the human body. Taking supplements puts more stress on the liver, and can cause serious liver damage. Other side effects are possible, which can be as serious as death. Consider who formulates and markets these products. Some of the people who create supplements have had multiple criminal lawsuits and charges against them because of unsafe products and results/side effects from taking these medications. One designer of popular supplements (discussed in this video) had to lie about his profession (he said he was a construction worker) in order to purchase compounds he wanted to use for his product. If this isn’t a red flag, nothing is.

Sometimes, supplements may be recommended for certain situations. However, it is important to ensure that they are safe, effective, and NCAA approved. If you are an athlete or even a typical student, consult your sports dietitian, athletic trainer, or local RD to figure out what is safe and best for you.

USA Today Supplement Video

Blog post submitted by Penn State Dietetic Senior: Lauren Marucci

Failing NCAA Drug Tests: Who's To Blame

Being in the business of evaluating an evergrowing volume of nutritional supplements, it is important to understand many of the implications that surround the use of these performance enhancing drugs. The NCAA has a general list of the types of supplements and classes of drugs that are considered banned substances, but the problem is that the market is just flooded with thousands of banned supplement ingredients that can hide behind chemical names. Recent examples of this are the use of products like Jacked3D and Pure Power that make claims of increased endurance and improved recovery without the disclosure of it's NCAA banned substance DMAA. This makes it hard for even the qualified individual to know what athletes might be taking. In this article found in The Sports Digest, you will read about collegiate athletes that have fallen victim to the ever confusing world of nutritional supplementation and how the NCAA governs its use.
Click here to read more...

Busted in the NFL: Stimulant Medications

A recent article in Yahoo Sports uncovered the personal and financial cost of NFL Cinncinati Bengal's cornerback Joe Haden's apparent inappropriate use of Adderall. Stimulant medications are considered performance enhancing drugs and therefore fall under the guidelines of the NFL's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy. These same rules apply to collegiate student-athletes that play under the guidelines of the NCAA. To read more about the financial toll of this decision on Hayden's paycheck click here.

NCAA 2012-2013 Banned Substance List

Ever year the NCAA furnishes its member institutions with the most current list of banned substances. This list is meant to educate the student-athlete on the classes of drugs and some of their compounds that are deemed illegal in the collegiate sports arena. Some of these drugs or medications are considered to be performance enhancing while others are simply illicit drugs that can be a danger to one's health and well being.

Please click here for the NCAA's 2012-2013 Banned Subsance List.

Synthetic Marijuana

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama - Like countless other col­lege basketball players, Lamar Jack couldn't wait for the 2012 season to begin.The redshirt freshman forward was working out with his Anderson (S.C.) University teammates last September, going through preseason conditioning drills, when something went terribly wrong.
After complaining of cramps and blurred vision, Jack collapsed. He was rushed to the emergency room, where his body tem­perature was extremely el­evated.
Four days later, he died at the age of 19.
After an autopsy, Ander­son County coroner Greg Shore told the Anderson In­dependent Mail that Jack's death was the result of "acute drug toxicity (that) led to multiple organ failure."
Toxicology tests revealed that Jack had ingested the chemical JWH-018, which is used to make synthetic marijuana.

For more on this story by Kevin Scarbinsky of the Birmingham News, click here.

DEA Extends Emergency Regulation On Spice And K2 Ingredients

The five main chemicals (JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-200, CP-47,497 and cannabicyclohexanol) that are used to make synthetic marijuana products, have been put under extended emergency scheduling authority, to prohibit possession or selling of both the chemicals and the products that contain them. The additional authority will last for another six months and has been enacted by the DEA (United States Drug Enforcement Administration) as a follow up to emergency action taken a year ago, when an imminent risk to public health and safety was identified.

Read more from this article published in Medical News Today by clicking here.

Supplement 411: a Great Resource for Information on Dietary Supplementation

Take some time, perhaps as much time as you would spend shopping aimlessly for your dietary supplements, and navigate to a website called Supplement 411 . USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) has created this website to help guide athletes in their never ending search for the magic supplement...the pill or powder that will elevate their game to the next level. The site is designed to do the following:

• Designed to give facts about the supplement industry,
• Suggests what is the best thing to take,
• Explains why athletes often choose to take dietary supplements,
• Discusses the serious health and safety risks that athletes are exposed to when using dietary supplements,
• Warns the consumer about the possibility of ingredient mislabeling and/or product contamination of banned substantces, and
• Helps to identify risks and red flags when purchasing these supplements.

Click on the Supplement 411 link above or simply cut and paste this link into your browser and start educating yourself of the hidden dangers of dietary supplement use and abuse.
http://www.usada.org/supplement411

New App: NSF for Sport

I wanted to make you aware of a new App that is available for your iPhone or Android devices. It is from NSF Certified for Sport. To meet the growing demands of athletes, coaches and all those concerned about banned substances in sports supplements, NSF International created the new NSF Certified for Sport® Program. This new NSF program is a focused solution designed to minimize the risk that a dietary supplement or sports nutrition product contains banned substances.

The program objective is to certify that participating manufacturers of sports supplements have met NSF's stringent independent certification process guidelines, which were developed through a consensus process involving regulatory, industry and consumer groups. A key component of this program will be a specially designed NSF Mark on each product label to show athletes, coaches and consumers that a sports supplement has met NSF's comprehensive program guidelines.This program, which focuses primarily on the sports supplement manufacturing and sourcing process, provides key preventive measures to:

1. Protect against adulteration of products
2. Verify label claims with product contents
3. Identify athletic banned substances in the finished product or ingredients
   
Use this App in addition to talking with the medical staff and dietician to determine if the supplement that you want to use will best help you reach your peak performance as well as keep you compliant with the NCAA rules and regulations regarding banned substances

Buyer Beware: DMAA in Your Supplements

A widely used ingredient that is found in commonly purchased nutritional supplements to aid in "leaning or cutting" as well as enhancing muscle development is considered a banned substance by many governing bodies that govern intercollegiate athletics as well as professional and international athletics. This product has a number of names that are used to disguise itself on an ingredient label. The most commonly seen names is 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA), also referred to as methylhexanamine, Geranamine, and geranium oil, extract, or stems and leaves from its stores. In addition to its ban as a performance enhancing supplement ingredient it has also been increasingly associated with serious adverse events.

Here is a list of products to avoid as they contain this banned substance. This list is NOT ALL INCLUSIVE. Meaning that DMAA and its alias' are found in a great number of supplements. Some of these products are sold at stores such as Walmart and GNC...

USPlabs Jack3d (Tropical Fruit and Lemon Lime)
USPlabs OxyELITE Pro
Nutrex Research Lipo-6 Black (his and hers)
Nutrex Research Lipo-6 Black Ultra Concentrate (his and hers)
Nutrex Research Hemo-Rage Black Powder, Punch, Berry
iSatori PWR
Muscletech NeuroCore
Muscletech HydroxyStim
Fahrenheit Nutrition Lean EFX
Muscle Warfare Napalm
SNI Nitric Blast
BIORhythm SSIN Juice
MuscleMeds Code Red
SEI MethylHex 4,2
Gaspari Nutrition Spirodex

Supplement Contamination = Positive Drug Test

Athletes must be very cautious with any type of dietary supplement. Even though the ingredient label may not list any known banned substances, contamination with banned ingredients is still possible. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements, which means the supplements’ manufacturers are the ones responsible for ensuring the ingredient list is correct, not the government. This has led to many problems with athletes and positive drug tests.

In the following NUTRAingredients.com article: CLICK HERE for the full article

2 athletes were tested positive for the substance DMAA, also known as: 1,3-dimethlyamylamine, dimethlyamylamine, dimethlypentylamine, forthan, forthane, floradrene, geranamine, geranium oil, and geranium flower extract. These athletes argued that the product they took was contaminated and the DMAA was not listed on the ingredient list.

It is extremely important to remember that not all supplement products are safe, even if they are sold over-the-counter and have an ingredient list that seems okay. Before buying or trying any supplement, be sure to check FIRST with Sr. Associate Athletic Trainer, Shelly Mullenix, Head Strength Coach, Tommy Moffitt, and/or Sports Dietitian, Jamie Mascari. Being SAFE is always better than being SORRY.

Death of Teen: Synthetic Marijuana Takes Another Life

A recent story on msnbc.com shared the story of a 13-year old boy who tragically died after needing a lung transplant brought on by use of synthetic marijuana. it is just another example of the dangers we face when using these types of drugs. We know this is a man-made drug that is labeled not for human consumption for a reason. It's side effects are very random from person to person and use to use. Reports of psychosis, loss of appetite, very rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure as well as heat intolerance are just a few of the symptoms that have been noted after even single use. Click the link below to read the story of this teenager whose life was cut short by the use of synthetic marijuana.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45062477

Synthetic Marijuana: Serious Consequences

Use of synthetic marijuana has been discussed within the LSU Athletic Department for some time now. Early warnings regarding the legality and dangers of smoking synthetic marijuana have been clearly outlined within LSU's ADAP Substance Abuse Policy. It is clear that this man-made product is very dangerous, having very negative consequences on one's ability to perform in the classroom and perform at high levels athletically. While we have heard cases of random deaths from the use of synthetic marijuana, it hit fairly close to home with the death of a Division I Men's Basketball player from Anderson University in South Carolina. Click the link below to read the details of this tradegy.

http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/15706199/coroner-synthetic-pot-killed-anderson-university-basketball-player

MLB and the concern with Energy Drinks

Energy drinks have gained much popularity over the past few years. Many people, including athletes, use and rely on them as an energy booster fail to consider the negative and sometimes harmful effects from these beverages. Some MLB teams have noticed the dangers energy drinks can have on the body and have banned them from the players’ clubhouses.  (See link below)

Here’s a brief run-through of the composition of energy drinks:

SUGAR: Energy drinks are often loaded with sugar, which causes your blood sugar (energy levels) to come crashing down once the sugar leaves the blood. Yes, you may feel very energetic for a short while after drinking an energy drink, and this is because the high sugar content quickly stimulates your nervous system, giving you that feel-good feeling and buzz of energy. Keep in mind that the fast spike in blood sugar/energy will lead to an equal drop in blood sugar/energy. Some people may actually feel more fatigued than they were to begin with.

CAFFEINE: Caffeine is also found in large quantities in energy drinks. Caffeine in these amounts (and for those individuals who are sensitive to caffeine) increases your heart rate and body temperature, potentially leading to an irregular heartbeat, excess sweating, shakes, and anxious feelings. Also, caffeine generally produces both laxative and diuretic effects, leading to excess urination and the risk of becoming dehydrated. As an athlete, all of these effects can hamper performance tremendously.

OTHER INGREDIENTS: Some of the other common ingredients found in energy drinks are: Taurine, Guarana, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, B-Vitamins, and many more. In addition, many energy drinks contain a special “energy blend” … sometimes not listing what actually makes up that blend. As a consumer, it is very important to realize that many of these extra ingredients don’t even contribute to increased energy levels. In addition, some ingredients, whether listed or not, may be a banned substance and can possibly show up positive on an athlete’s drug test.

BOTTOM LINE: Use a lot of caution if considering consuming an energy drink. If your energy levels are low, take a look at your diet and hydration… a few tweaks there can make a huge and positive difference!

Click here to read: "MLB teams limiting energy drink consumption, cite negative effects to players’ health"

Supplement Caution

Red Flag Supplement Words


Athletes are presented with a multitude of information about supplements, from many different sources. These may include the supplement's manufacturer, online stores, health stores, gyms, or friends and family.


Here are some RED FLAG indicators to watch out for if you are considering a supplement. 
**Please know that this is NOT a complete list and should only be used for reference.


Make sure to filter all potential supplements and any questions in regards to a particular product first with Shelly Mullenix- Athletic Trainer, Director of Wellness BEFORE you take it. 
Tommy Moffitt- Head Strength Coach and Jamie Mascari- Registered Dietitian can also answer your questions.

You should avoid any product that list or makes reference to any of the following:

All natural	Not for human consumption	Testosterone booster	Aromaste inhibitor Anti aromatase
Natural testosterone booster	Estrogen suppressor	Natural HGH/IGF-1 booster	Reformulated
Stimulant free version	Only FDA approved pro-hormone	Ephedrine free	Get our product before it is banned

Red Flag Supplement Ingredients

If any one of these ingredients or something similar is present in the supplement, we suggest not purchasing or using. You could have short-term or long-term negative health risks and/or fail a drug test.

7-Keto (DHEA)	Synephrine
Diuretic	Etioallocholen
Colostrum (bovine)	Superdrol (2a-17a-dimethyl-5a-androst-3-one)
Pro-hormone	Trione or Dione
19-nor	19-norandrosta
Androstene	Halodrol (4 chloro-17a methyl-androst-1-4 diene-3-17b-diol)
1, 3-dimethylamylamine (Most common)	Geranium oil extract
Geranium extract	DMAA
Geranamine (trademarked by Proviant Technologies)	Forthan
Ephedrine	MaHaung
Etiocholan	Estra
6 OXO (4-etioallocholen-3,6,17-trione)	Dianabol
17beta-hydroxy	17a-methyl
4,9-estradiene-3-one-17b-ol	Andro
Epistane (2a 3a epithio-17a-methyl-5a-androstan-17b-ol)	5a-androstano 2 3-c furazan-17b-tetrahydropyranol
Geranuim oil	Methylhexanamine
4-methyl-2-hexanamine	Pentylamine, 1, 3-dimethyl-
2-amino-4-methylhexane	2-Hexanamine, 5-methyl-

Source:

DrugFreeSport.com

REC (Resource Exchange Center)

Nutritional Supplement Ingredient Warning: Geranium

American tennis player Robert Kendrick tests positive...

Health experts and anti-drug enforcers are scrambling to warn athletes and the general public about a potentially dangerous supplement ingredient with a harmless name: Geranium. In this article, you can read about the banned supplement ingredient that is commonly found in energy drinks and energy capsules that has resulted in competition suspension for a number of athletes.

There is additional concerns about the use of Geranium. Research has shown Geranium to have similar or potentially stronger effects than ephedrine, a nutritional substance that had been banned by most agencies overseeing collegiate, professional and international athletics. Geranium, coupled with the effects of the extreme heat of the South, makes for a lethal mix.

Click the link below for the full article:

http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201108/geranium-products-might-pose-serious-risk-athletes

NCAA 2011-2012 Banned Drug List

The NCAA has released it's 2011-2012 Banned Substance List. Please take some time to read over the entire list so that you are familiar with the medications and some of the ingredients found in nutritional supplements that are banned. Remember that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the dietary supplement industry; therefore purity and safety of nutritional supplements can not be guaranteed. Student-athletes take nutritional supplements at their own risk. The only supplements that LSU student-athletes can safely consume are those supplied by the Strength and Conditioning Center. Click the link below to see this years Banned Substance List from the NCAA.

http://www.lsusports.net/fls/5200/assets/docs/ad/pdf/2011-12_Banned_Drugs_Educational.pdf

Please Note: Synthetic THC Cannabinoids (eg: Spice, K-2, JWH 018, JWH 073) have been added to the NCAA Banned Substance List. Testing positive on a NCAA test for this substance or any other substance on their list will result in a one-year suspension from competition.

Energy Drinks: More Than Just a Drug Testing Issue

For years, the Athletic Training Department and it's Team Physicians have been warning about the use of energy drinks. During drug education meetings, supplements and energy drinks are thoroughly discussed because they are often the source of NCAA banned performance enhancing drugs: guarana, caffeine, and citrus aurantium to name a few. The use of these energy drinks becomes even more troublesome when combined with stimulant medications that are commonly used for the treatment of ADD/ADHD.

Consuming even one of these energy drinks could result in some negative side effects such as: increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, irregular heart beats, and sleep distrubances. With the hazards of heat illness and dehydration in the southern region of the United States, consumption of energy drinks could spell disaster.

The New York Times and MSNBC have interesting articles regarding the dangers of consuming energy drinks. To read these articles in their entirety, just click below:

New York Times: Scientists See Dangers in Energy Drinks...

MSNBC: Energy drinks can be dangerous for teens, report says...

Supplement Watch: What Not To Buy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently issued a public health advisory warning consumers of nutritional and body building supplements from American Cellular Laboratories Inc. This company has been marketing and distributing body building products containing synthetic steroid substances. However, they are being marketed as dietary supplements.


Many of these products would certainly fall under the NCAA's Banned Substance list. Click on the link below to read the full story:

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm173739.htm

Top Ten Nutritional Tips For Athletes: Part 2

Below is Part 2 of my top 10 nutritional guidelines for athletes. As you recall, my top five emphasized:

1. Nutrition is your Secret Weapon
2. Develop a habit of Eating Frequently
3. Breakfast is for Champions
4. Time Nutrients for Best Muscle Gains and Recovery
5. Skip or Minimize the Alcohol

To round out the Top 10, here are some additional guidelines to help you on a path to developing a lifestyle of healthy eating in addition to becoming a healthier and more productive athlete.

6. Be smart about Nutrition Supplementation – Learn how proper supplementation and timing can greatly impact your performance

a. 90% of Supplements do not work and will make your wallet smaller. In addition, many supplement companies do not practice Good Manufacturing Standards (GMP), therefore, making the supplement industry a “Buyer Beware” market. Informed Choice testing 58 products for banned substances and 25% contained Steroids. Bottom Line: You can’t trust the local GNC sales staff on what to buy.

b. On the other hand, proper supplementation with high quality products can be extremely beneficial for your strength, performance, and recovery goals. Supplements do not replace the intake of food as most supplements designed to improve strength, power, or recovery do not contain calories, therefore, will not give you an immediate boost of energy unless it contains a wide variety of stimulants + caffeine, which is not on my “RECOMMENDED” list for collegiate athletes.

Here’s a list of the top 5 supplements I recommend that have been scientifically proven by the top nutrition researchers in the country to enhance strength, performance and muscle recovery.

1. Creatine
2. Beta Alanine
3. Chocolate Milk
4. Whey and Casein Protein
5. Glutamine

To ensure you are taking products that are free of banned substances, please visit www.informed-choice.org for a list of tested supplements. Informed Choice performs the highest quality of testing of dietary supplements.

7. Have a plan in place to achieve success with good nutrition

Athletes who eat well have a plan in place to achieve their goals. Planning involves:
• Having healthy food in your house/apartment
• Bringing nutritious snacks to class for between meals
• Having healthy snacks when traveling to road games
• Knowing your eating schedule (times) for the day
• If trying to lose weight, those who have the most success keep a food diary

Having a plan and being organized is one of the most important principles when sticking to a smart eating plan.

8. Be Smart when dining out, particularly Fast Food

Whoever told you that you can have a cheat day doesn’t know very much about practicing good nutrition. It’s ok to have a cheat meal once or twice a week but eating whatever you want for an entire day can disrupt six days of quality eating. I realize Fast Food is a favorite in the majority of diets of college athletes but if your goal is to maximize performance and improve overall quality of life, I don’t recommend you eat fast food too often, if ever. I’m a realist and realize you’re going to eat it so if you do, BE SMART.

Instead of eating a Value Meal, choose these options:

• 2 Small or Jr. Hamburgers (hold mayo and cheese), substitute a salad with light dressing instead of Fries with a Water
• Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a side salad or fresh fruit
• Single Hamburger with a small or large chili (i.e. Wendy’s)
• Egg Mcmuffin or 2 Breakfast Burritos with low fat milk or juice
• 2 Chicken or Steak Soft Tacos with a Bean Burrito
  

9. Stay Hydrated

a. Especially with the humidity Louisiana during the summer, hydration is critical for the management of many elements.

b. Body temperature, electrolyte balance, and absorption of key vitamins and minerals are altered depending on your hydration status. It is important to go into any active event (practice, lifting, game) hydrated. Dehydration can significantly impact your performance as well as contribute to muscle cramps, especially if you’re only drinking water during long events or training sessions. Drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces of fluid + any losses with sweat.

c. CLEAR URINE = hydration (excluding caffeine and alcohol)

d. DARK YELLOW URINE – Dehydration (unless taking a B-Vitamin)

10. Don’t Underestimate The Importance of Snacking

What I mean by snacking are the meals in between breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A snack could consist of a protein shake, peanut butter sandwich, fresh fruit and a sandwich. Remember how beneficial it is to eat every 3-4 hours. A quality snack will help you achieve this. CAR ANALOGY: You cannot expect your gas tank to remain full for 6-8 hours so refill it every 4 hours with a small meal or snack.

If you have any questions regarding this BLOG or general nutrition questions, feel free to email me at tpiattoly@gmail.com

Tavis Piattoly, MS, LDN, RD
Team Dietitian, New Orleans Saints
Team Dietitian, St. Amant High School
Nutrition Consultant, New Orleans Hornets