Nutrition and ergogenic aids :

1
Nutrition and ergogenic aids Preventing
infection and enhancing performance Dr Gary
Brickley Masters Swimming Event May 2006
2
Accredited Exercise physiologist Ph.D. in muscle
metabolism, MSc. in cardiology Lecturer in
physiology and sports nutrition Coaching
consultant GB Paralympic cycling team Consultant
to triathlon
3
Overview Nutrition for health Energy demands of
swimming Exercise and infection Ergogenic aids
for training Ergogenic aids for performance
4
Nutrition for Health v Nutrition for Performance
5
Energy demands for sprint swimming Explosive
power Large lean body mass High levels of
resistance training Protein for recovery High
phosphocreatine requirement Ability to buffer
lactic acid
6
Energy demands for (ultra) endurance
swimming Efficient fat burning Need to use
carbohydrates efficiently and refuel Consideratio
ns during event hydration , palatability Blood
pressure during ultra performance
7
Nutrition of the ultimate swimming
performer Ability to match the demands of
training Ability to recover from high intensity
exercise Perfect tapering of diet and
training Excellent immune function Focussed
nervous energy
8
Questions To Ask?

• Who needs to supplement?
• When do you recommend a supplement?
• How much do I need?
• What do you recommend?
• Can you get too much?

9
Review of ergogenic aids used by GB cycling team
10
Creatine
11
Overview of Cr metabolism

• Daily requirement of Cr is 2 g/day
• Cr is excreted in urine as creatinine
• 1 g/day from diet
• 1 g/day from endogenous production
• - liver, pancreas, kidneys
• 95 of Cr stores are found in muscle
• 35 as Cr, 65 as CrP
• Total Cr stores Cr CrP

12
Side effects

• Anecdotal evidence of muscle cramps and strains
• gastrointestinal disturbances if Cr is ingested
  un-dissolved
• ingestion of poor quality Cr may be toxic
• increase body weight (1-2 kg)?
• - may be an advantage if it is an increased
  muscle mass (power to weight ratio)

13
Sodium Bicarbonate
(Baking soda)
14
Proposed ergogenic benefit

• Increased release of lactate and H from muscle
• Delayed onset of fatigue
• Improved high intensity exercise performance

15
Benefits for swimmers

• Need to load 0.3g/kg 60-90 min before exercise
  mixed with 1-2 litres of water
• Evidence of benefits from 1 min to 3 min events
• Facilitates blood in coping with changes in
  acidity

16
Hazards

• Flatulence
• Bloating
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting

17
Caffeine is no longer a banned substance in
competitive sports
With habitual caffeine users there may be a
reduced ergogenic effect.
Side-effects, particularly with large doses in
non-habituated caffeine individuals, can
includes headaches, insomnia, restlessness etc.
18
Carbohydrate
19
Making CHO drinks

• A 6-8 solution appears to be the most effective
  for hydration and supply of CHO.
• To make a 500mL bottle of 6 CHO.
• 6/100 x 500mL 30mL or 30g CHO is needed
• Must use a no calorie drink as placebo

20
Protein supplementation

• Assists in recovery
• Ideally taken soon after exercise
• New evidence of improved sleep patterns emerging
• Check the amino acid content

21
Prolonged (gt 90 minutes) hard bouts of exercise
depress immune function
? Blood glucose ? Muscle glycogen ?
Interleukin-6 ? Stress hormones ? Free radicals
Depression of immune cell functions
22
Depressed immunity may increase risk of picking
up colds and flu
Increased risk of infection
Depression of immune cell functions
23
Immune system supplements
24
Carbohydrate feeding during exercise prevents the
development of hypoglycaemia and reduces IL-6,
adrenaline and cortisol responses and thus helps
to prevent exercise-induced immune function
depression
25
Vitamin C supplementation and post-race incidence
of URTI
of participants reporting symptoms of URTI
within 14 days of an ultramarathon race
68
33
Peters et al 1993 Am J Clin Nutr 57
170-174
26
Summary Anti-oxidants, exercise and immune
function

• Chronic supplementation with Vitamin C (but not
  other anti-oxidants) is associated with a lower
  incidence of URTI following an ultramarathon
• Acute supplementation with Vitamin C increases
  plasma antioxidant capacity but does not
  influence cortisol response to exercise
• Chronic supplementation with Vitamin C increases
  plasma antioxidant capacity and attenuates the
  cortisol response to exercise
• Possible beneficial effects of more potent
  antioxidants? (e.g. polyphenols in grape juice,
  dark chocolate)

27
Other dietary immunostimulants

• Glutamine or BCAA
• Zinc
• Echinacea
• ?-6 fatty acids
• Prebiotics
• Probiotics
• Bovine colostrum

Evidence that any of these supplements can limit
or prevent exercise-induced immunodepression is
weak or lacking
28
Practical strategies for preventing infection in
athletes (1)

• Minimise the potential for transmission of
  infectious agents-
• Avoid sick people
• Good personal hygiene (wash hands and brush teeth
  regularly)
• Never share drink bottles etc
• Avoid getting a dry mouth
• Awareness of vulnerability after training or
  competition

29
Practical strategies for preventing infection in
athletes (2)

• Minimise the chances of developing depressing
  the immune system-
• Avoid very prolonged training sessions (gt 2
  hours)
• Monitor mood, fatigue and soreness
• Get adequate sleep (at least 6 h)
• Eat a well balanced diet with sufficient
  carbohydrate, protein and micronutrients (and
  increase antioxidants)
• Consume 6 carbohydrate drinks during and after
  prolonged workouts (2.5 ml/kg every 20 minutes)
• Consider vaccination against influenza
• Control rate of progression of training (lt 20
  per week)
• Vary training avoid monotony include recovery
  days

30
Practical strategies for preventing infection in
athletes (3)

• Training and infection-
• Exercise tolerance will be reduced during
  infection
• Exercising with an infection may increase the
  severity or duration of the illness
• Do not train with a fever or with symptoms below
  the neck (swollen glands, muscle/joint aches,
  cough)
• Do not resume training at the same level
• Isolate infected team members from others

31
Thanks for your attention. Any questions?
32
Case Studies

• How may you alter someones nutrition who
• Is consistently underperforming
• Has a history of overtraining
• Who fades near the end of their 400m event
• Never matches race performance to training