TruBlog

By Mike Parnes

Myth #6 — Athletes needs loads of supplements because they work out so hard

Athletes do need nutrients, but most of them can be obtained from food if the diet is adequate in calories and high in nutrient density. For example, a highly active person needs to eat more than a less active or sedentary person. If they eat more healthy foods, they will also be getting more micronutrients to support physical performance and prevent disease. It is believed that athletes may have higher antioxidant needs, principally because endurance exercise can increase oxygen utilization from 10 to 20 times over the resting state (1). This greatly increases the generation of free radicals, prompting concern about enhanced damage to muscles and other tissues. This concern does not suggest that athletes need to load up on supplements. In fact, antioxidants supplements were once thought to be harmless but increasingly scientists are becoming aware of interactions and potential toxicities. It is interesting to note that, in the normal concentrations found in the body, vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants, but at higher concentrations they are pro-oxidants and thus, harmful. In other words, if some is good, more is not necessarily better. However, it is extremely important that athletes eat a minimally processed, highly nutrient dense diet with high levels of naturally occurring vitamins C, E, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids (2).

Myth #7 — Fat makes you fat

Fat has the distinction of providing 9kcal/grams compared to protein and carbohydrate which both have 4kcal/gram. So if fat is “fattening,” it is only because it is two times more calorie dense than protein and carbohydrate. In practice, it is easy to accumulate a lot of calories of fat. But fat itself, kcal for kcal, is no more fattening than the other two macronutrients. For example, 200 kcal of egg whites and 200 kcal of butter are both 200 calories. But, 200 kcal is equal to 12 egg whites and only two tablespoons of butter.

Summary

As a san diego personal trainer, I have to compete with all sorts of mythology coming from all directions regarding nutrition and health: the internet, the media, and marketing dollars from food, supplement, and beverage companies. However, the best (most truthful) recommendations with the lowest affliction of conflicts of interest and various biases are going to come out of scientific research from universities. Another way to put this last sentiment is, scrutinize your sources!

1. Witt EH, et al. Exercise, Oxidative Damage and Effects of Antioxidant Manipulation (review). J Nutr Mar 1992;122(3 Suppl):766-73.

2. Watson, TA, Antioxidant restriction and oxidative stress in short-duration exhaustive exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc Jan 2005;37(1):63-71.

Tags: Healthy Weight Loss, Metabolic Nutrition, Optimum Health, San Diego Personal Trainer

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 at 11:46 am and is filed under Healthy Weight Loss, Metabolic Nutrition, Nutrition, Optimal Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.