With every tape measure shot hit in ballparks across the
country, the debate regarding the ethics of using ergogenic aids in
the sporting world has grown more heated. That sporting world
isn’t just confined to professional teams. Amateur athletes
as well are increasingly making decisions on whether to use
performance enhancing substances. Still, much division exists on
the issue. On one side, there are those who shun the use of
supplements. “I have a lot of concerns about a lot of the
supplements because they’re not being appropriately monitored
and tested,” said Felice Kurtzman, nutritionist for UCLA
athletics. Then, there are those who believe that there exist
supplements safe and effective for athletes. “I think they
can be very advantageous, especially for the elite athlete,”
said Jason Powell, the head trainer for the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Sometimes with the regular schedule, it’s good to have
supplement nutrition to make sure (athletes) get the adequate
amount of daily nutrition.” Although the widespread debate on
the supplement issue ““ regarding both legal and illicit
substances ““ has been a relatively recent trend, the
intertwining of sports and pharmacology is nothing new. But,
supplements have now trickled down into the realm of casual usage.
Amateur athletes are using two supplements in particular ““
creatine and androgen precursors ““ to provide more palpable
workout results. “Creatine and androgen precursors are the
top two (selling products on the market),” said Chris
Roberts, a lecturer in the physiological sciences department at
UCLA. “Creatine is beneficial but should be used as an
adjunct to intensive training and diet, not as a
substitute.”
Creatine: Creatine is converted into creatine
phosphate, a compound utilized by the muscles during high-intensity
exercise, which replenishes the stores of adenosine triphosphate, a
major fuel source for the muscles. But, as with all supplements,
excess is always a real problem that exists. Produced in the liver,
kidney and pancreas, creatine has been linked to long-term
physiological effects, although no studies exist to make definitive
claims. “One of my greatest concerns with some of our
athletes is them getting too much of a good thing,” Kurtzman
said. The body itself produces between one and two grams of the
protein-like compound per day. Most people who eat meat, poultry
and fish meet their five-gram daily requirement of creatine.
“They call it “˜powdered muscles’,” said
Junior Ayala, personal training director at Bally Total Fitness in
North Hollywood, about the allure of the substance.
Androgen Precursors: The second major
supplement group ““ androgen precursors ““ is used to
convert anabolic, or muscle-building compounds, in the body in
order to stimulate growth. “(They) contribute to increased
muscle mass and strength,” Roberts said. Former major league
first baseman Mark McGwire admitted to taking a form of androgen
precursor, androstenedione, during his 1998 season, when he hit a
then-record breaking 70 home runs. “Depending on their
structure, (androgen precursors) may be metabolized like
testosterone, and thus be converted into estrogen or
dihydrotestosterone, and may suppress the body’s own
production of testosterone,” Roberts said. In March, the Food
and Drug Administration cracked down on the sale of these
supplements. The FDA sent warning letters to 23 companies asking
them to cease distributing products that contain androstenedione.
With these warning signs and possible long-term effects for both
creatine and androgen precursors, Kurtzman stresses education on
the matter above all else. “At the beginning of the year,
every single (UCLA) team is given a list of NCAA banned substances
… and, for example, with football, I give (first-year players)
whole lectures “¦ about supplements.” Kurtzman believes
there are limitations on the performance of the human body. Some
athletes are simply more able than others to benefit from
supplements. “It’s all a matter of what suits the
athlete better,” Powell said. “And how you use the
product also determines if you’re going to benefit from
it.”