Nutritional Ergogenic Agents

Ergogenic Agents

Claims and Risks of Ergogenic Agents

Name	Claims	Benefit / Risk / Side Effects
Inosine	Increases endurance and strength, facilitates post- exercise recovery, increases oxygen release to tissues.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause an increase in free radical production.
Coenzyme Q10 (COQ10)	Raises heart enzyme levels to increase aerobic energy production.	No benefits in normal, healthy people.
Desiccated Liver	Increase energy and performance by supplying extra vitamins and minerals.	No benefits demonstrated.
Bee Pollen	Improves performance and post-exercise recovery because it is a natural food with numerous nutrients.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause allergic reactions.
L-Carnitine	Delays fatigue by increasing the use of fats for energy.	No benefits demonstrated; diet meets needs; not depleted with exercise; may cause nausea, vomiting and cramps.
Gamma Oryzanol, Ferulic Acid	Increases testosterone and lean body mass.	No benefits demonstrated; the plant sterols are readily absorbed by the body.
Hydroxy-Methyl-Butyrate (HMB)	Slows muscle breakdown during intense training, increases strength.	Research is inconclusive.
Chromium Picolinate	Increases muscle mass, burns fat by enhancing the function of insulin.	Benefits are questionable; may cause stomach upset, anemia, or DNA damage.

Claims and Risks of Ergogenic Agents

Name	Claims	Benefit / Risk / Side Effects
Arginine, Lysine, Ornithine	Stimulates GH release.	Some benefits for Arginine and Lysine, but not Ornithine; may cause gastrointestinal (GI) upset, potential amino acid imbalances, and decreases in GH.
Branched chain Amino acids (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine)	Stimulate GH, enhance muscle strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity by providing fuel to muscle and sparing muscle protein.	Some benefits demonstrated; may cause diarrhea and cramping.
Free Amino Acids	More readily absorbed in gut.	Little benefit demonstrated.
Dibencozide, Cobamamide	Promotes growth.	No benefits demonstrated on performance.
40-30-30, high fat/protein diets	Increase endurance by promoting fat metabolism.	Some benefits; potential long-term risks are increased blood cholesterol and heart disease. Diet change 24-48 hr before event leads to decrease in performance.
Medium Chain Triglycerides	Increase energy and decrease body fat because they are easier to absorb and use as fuel than triglycerides.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause GI problems.
Ginseng	Reduces fatigue by maintaining blood glucose levels.	No benefit demonstrated; may cause allergic reaction or excitability; may contain alcohol.
Lactate	Delays fatigue by maintaining blood glucose levels.	Some benefits demonstrated.
Caffeine	Delays fatigue, burns fat, increases performance by elevating fatty acid levels in blood.	Some benefits; may cause irritability, GI pain, tremors, loss of concentration, and interfere with iron absorption. No increase in anaerobic or maximal aerobic capacity. Fewer benefits seen in habitual users.
Choline	Delays fatigue, reduces fat, improves physical and mental performance.	Benefits questionable; may cause nausea, diarrhea, and “fishy” body odor.

Claims and Risks of Ergogenic Agents

Name	Claims	Benefit / Risk / Side Effects
Phosphate Salts	Delay fatigue and increase oxygen transport to muscle.	Results questionable; may cause GI upset.
Aspartate Salts (Magnesuim/ Potassium)	Increase aerobic capacity, delay fatigue by neutralizing ammonia produced during exercise.	Results are inconclusive.
Citrate	Increases endurance and delays onset of fatigue by buffering hydrogen ions produced during metabolism.	Some benefits demonstrated; may cause GI upset, diarrhea, nausea. Avoid large doses.
Sodium Bicarbonate	Delays fatigue during short, high intensity exercise by buffering lactic acid.	Some benefits demonstrated; may cause cramps or diarrhea.
Glandulars (grounded organs)	Ingesting animal organs high in testosterone leads to greater lean muscle mass.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause your own production of testosterone to decline.
Sapogenins (Smilax, Diascorea, Trillium, Yucca, Sarsaparilla)	Ingesting testosterone precursors leads to greater testosterone concentrations and muscle mass.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause lightheadedness or aggression.
Yohimbine	Aphrodisiac and purported to cure male impotence. Increases muscle mass and decreases body fat.	No demonstrated increase in testosterone levels; conflicting results with regard to impotence; may cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, or depression.
Boron	Increases production of testosterone.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause rashes, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy.
Androstenedione, Androstenediol, Norandrostenediol, Andro	Increases energy, strength, muscle mass, and possibly greater sexual arousal and sense of well-being. Termed “prohormones”.	Considered a steroid; banned by many organizations; long-term risks are not well known. Risk of failing drug tests. “Natural does not mean “safe”!
DHEA	Slows aging, builds muscle, burns fat, boosts libido by increasing testosterone in body.	Little or no benefits demonstrated with respect to performance; side effects include acne, nausea, virilization. May increase risk of some cancers.

Claims and Risks of Ergogenic Agents

Name	Claims	Benefit / Risk / Side Effects
Octacosanol (Wheat Germ Oil)	Improves aerobic capacity by enhancing central nervous system function.	Some benefits demonstrated in reaction times but not aerobic capacity; may cause allergic reactions.
Glycerol	Improves endurance by increasing blood volumes and decreasing core temperatures.	No benefits demonstrated; may cause cellular dehydration, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids	Improve aerobic capacity.	No ergogenic effects have been demonstrated.
Creatine	Increases stores of Creatine phosphate in muscle used for ATP-PC anaerobic energy system.	Some benefits demonstrated during short-term, high intensity exercise, but negated if ingested with caffeine. Gastrointestinal side effects and dehydration may also occur.
Tyrosine	Maintains cognitive performance during cold, stressful, or distracting conditions.	Benefits demonstrated.
Glutamine	Promotes muscle growth, prevents fatigue, overtraining, and immune deficiency.	No performance benefits demonstrated.
Glucosamine Sulfate with Chondroitin Sulphate	Component of connective tissue; has anti-inflammatory properties which increase recovery from musculoskeletal or overuse injuries.	Has potential for preventing and treating injuries, however, is not yet endorsed by doctors because of the lack of research.
Melatonin	Increases mental and physical performance by enhancing quality of sleep.	Benefits demonstrated; may cause sleepiness and fatigue at time of administration, but not upon awakening.
Steroids and Steroid Alternatives	Increase muscle mass.	Risks include aggressiveness, acne, changes in behavior/emotions, injury to connective tissue, impaired immune function, tumors, shrinking of testicles, decrease sperm and testosterone production, and masculinization in women. Use banned by the military.
Ephedra	Increase your energy level and your metabolism.	A stimulant with side effects including increased blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, nervousness, seisures, and even death.