Bovine Colostrum
Not banned. Bovine colostrum (the early milk-like product of new cow
mothers) is an expensive and c
ontroversial supplement used by
Australian Institute of Sport cyclists, among others.
One study found that supplementation did not increase human
growth hormone or insulin-like growth factor.
It may increase some immune markers in blood. Whether this translates to improved human performance is
uncertain.
Not recommended, unless you are a newborn calf.
Branched Chain Amino Acids
Not banned. See discussion under protein, at
hletic considerations, on page
63
.
Not recommended.
Caffeine
May be banned over certain limits. Caffeine is generally accepted as ergogenic. Many, but not all
studies have shown it improves performance in quantities up to the equivalent of several cups of coffee.
How it works is not certain. Reports have suggested it helps
glycogen use, improves fat utilization, dilates coronary arteries, or improves the function of the central nervous system. It helps get some people going and reduces perceived exertion.
Coffee-drinking athletes sometimes stay away from caffeine for
several days before competition, hoping for an improved ergogenic effect with ingestion at the time of competition. Withdrawal side effects can be a problem. A study of the length of time needed to produce an ergogenic effect in habitual coffee drinkers found 12 hours as effective as 4 days.
Side Effects
Coffee is potentially ergolytic—it may worsen performance.
Read more on page
125
.
Caffeine is a stimulant. It is a diuretic (promotes dehydration) and causes gastrointestinal
distress—bowel cramps and diarrhea.
Caffeine and ephedrine supplementation significantly raised
heart rate, blood pressure, and
resting energy expenditure.
Caffeine resulted in what turned out to be a poor pacing strategy
in a 100-kilometer cycling test of anaerobic and aerobic performance. Riders began too qu
ickly; they later faded.
In some sports it is banned over
certain amounts, for example, at
levels over 12 micrograms per millilit
er of urine—equivalent to
about 8 cups of coffee.
Consider.
Calcium Pyruvate
Not banned. No evidence of ergogenic effect. Not recommended.
Calories
Not banned. They are vital for events lasting more than a couple of hours. Inadequate caloric intake while exercising commonly limits
performance.
Read more about solids and solutions for athletes throughout
Part 2, Calories
, beginning on page
34
, and in
Workout & Event
Nutrition
on page
11
.
Endorsed
.
Nutrition for Sports, Essentials of 114
