I will be talking about different diet plans of three contrasting athletes, from this I will analyse the differences between them with relation to their needs in sport. I will be looking at diets pre - competition, during competition and post competition

Matt Arnold

Nutritional strategies

In this assignment I will be talking about different diet plans of three contrasting athletes, from this I will analyse the differences between them with relation to their needs in sport. I will be looking at diets pre – competition, during competition and post competition and comparing all. The second part I will be talking about fluid intake, supplementation, and ergogenic aids within the three contrasting athletes.

The first athlete I am going to talk about is an endurance runner. Definition of an endurance runner would be to withstand stress and hardship. Endurance running is seen to be classed as events such as marathon running, 3000m are a few. Athletes to get the most out of energy from foods should fuel their bodies 2 -3 hours before a training session or competing. Eating solid food before an endurance event doesn't sit well in an athlete's stomach therefore an athlete should eat a small meal 4 -5 hours before event, then eat a small snack a few hours before, for that energy late on. Foods like breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables, should be consumed 4- 5 hours before a workout so that it doesn’t sit in their stomach the reason for this is, that most of those foods are carbohydrates, which therefore means that they are high in glycogen. Glycogen as stated in previous assignments produces glucose when the cells need it for energy, such as exercise.

As well as having good sources of carbohydrates it is important to have good levels of protein in an endurance athlete’s diet. This is because many athletes take too much care about the carbohydrate intake, therefore this cause’s protein deficiency. Elite endurance athletes do need considerable amounts of protein, far above the normal adult RDA, because maintenance, repair, and growth of lean muscle mass all depend on it, as well as optimum immune system function. Low dietary protein lengthens recovery time, causes muscle weakness, and suppresses the immune system. (Born, S 2005). Even though protein is important athletes should fill 2/3 of their plates with high- carbohydrate options.

Endurance athletes should also pay close attention to the meal the night before the event and eat what works for them. This is a good time to load up on easy to digest carbohydrate sources like pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, fruits, and juices with the meal. Athletes should make sure to replace the sodium lost in sweat, this is because sodium contains salt levels, and losing salt causes muscle cramps, this is because when we exercise we sweat, if the exercise is strenuous, and in the sweat contains salt, cramps can be stopped if these levels reach normal again. Athletes can do this by regularly salting their food and eating some salty snacks like pretzels, crackers and soups. In general, endurance athletes should not adhere to a low-sodium diet. 2-3 hours before an event an athlete should eat, bars, gels and goo. These sorts of foods contain high levels of sugar, and will therefore give you that energy without filling up an athlete’s stomach.

(Figure 4.1)

(Kundrat, S, 2002)

From Figure 4.1 in the above table represents foods that should be consumed during exercise and after exercise. During exercise it recommends to consume 8 ounces of Gatorade® for every 10 '20 minutes during the workout. According to the official Gatorade web site there are four main ways in which Gatorade helps improve athletic performance and keeps our bodies functioning normally even under conditions of extreme physical exertion. First of all several of it ingredients stimulate rapid fluid absorption. This is important because during strenuous athletic activity in order to avoid dehydration. According to Gatorade, research has shown that the 6% carbohydrate level and presence of salt found in their beverage is optimal for rapid fluid absorption. They also claim that as the carbohydrate level gets higher than 7% absorption is slowed and therefore fruit juices and some sports drinks aren't recommended during exercise. Secondly it assures rapid rehydration which allows us to maintain physiological function and prevents dehydration. This rapid rehydration occurs for several reasons. First of all, according to Gatorade, the sodium in their drink helps maintain body fluids unlike other fluids such as water and caffinated beverages that can promote water loss through increased urination. As they state,’research has shown that rehydration following exercise is more complete with Gatorade than with beverages such as water or diet cola.’ Also, the sodium found in Gatorade as well as the taste of the beverage supposedly encourages continued consumption of liquids. (Caldwell, J, Date unknown)

Thirdly the carbohydrates in Gatorade provide energy to working muscles. The carbohydrates found in Gatorade are in the form of two sugars sucrose and glucose-fructose. These sugars provide the energy that makes Gatorade consumption during exercise better then plain water consumption. Carbohydrate consumption allows us to work longer and harder and feel better than when we just drink water. Finally it encourages you to drink more fluid. All the assertions made by Gatorade make sense but the question still remains about the overall effectiveness of Gatorade and other sports drinks. The presence of sodium and glucose n the Gatorade is suppose to stimulate fluid consumption in the body. It can encourage people to drink until they are completely rehydrated. Thirst isn't a good measure of dehydration because by the time we're thirsty we are already dehydrated. ‘When we drink Gatorade the salt enhances flavour and balances with the citric acid to maintain a proper pH level, which induces more fluid intake. The small amount of sodium found in Gatorade encourages people to drink beyond the point at which mouth thirst is satisfied.’ (Caldwell, J, Date Unknown) Not only does the sodium play a factor in increased voluntary fluid intake but so does flavour and sweetness.

After a workout, the primary focus of your meal should be glycogen replacement. As we now it is essential fuel source for exercise especially in endurance events. Athletic performance is dependent on the amount of stored glycogen in the body. When your body runs low on muscle glycogen you reach a point where you can’t possibly continue exercising. In marathon running, this is called “hitting the wall.” Though an average person has approximately 1500 calories of stored glycogen, endurance training can lead to an enhanced ability for glycogen storage in muscles. This will allow you to train harder and longer. You can capitalize on this enhanced ability for glycogen storage by adding more carbohydrates to your post-workout meal.

These glycogen stores should be replaced 30minutes after exercise This is when your body is most efficient at getting using carbohydrates to produce glycogen for your muscles. Exercise physiologists have examined the importance of refuelling after exercise by taking trained athletes and having them cycle on two separate occasions ingesting a 25% carbohydrate solution either immediately after exercise or two hours later. Three muscle biopsies were performed. One was executed immediately after exercise. The second one was done two hours after exercise, and the third was performed four hours post-workout. They found that the rate of glycogen re-synthesis was 45% slower in the group that waited two hours to replenish their carbohydrate stores. If you lead an active lifestyle on a daily basis, immediate carbohydrate consumption after exercise can enhance performance. (Author, Date Unknown).

In general, most endurance athletes should eat a diet that is composed of 55 to 65 percent carbohydrates. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, energy bars and vegetables are excellent choices for your post workout meal. Potassium rich foods such as bananas and oranges will help replace lost electrolytes. This is important, because low electrolytes have been linked to muscle cramping. Consuming protein along with carbohydrates can stimulate glycogen replacement. Active individuals should consume 10 to 15 percent of their calories from protein. You can get protein from beans, Chicken, legumes and soy products.

The second athlete im going to ...

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The second athlete im going to do is an athlete that uses explosive power that will utilise the fast twitch muscle fibres, as previously stated in other assignments these are the rapid quick fire fibres that will contract very fast but will burn out, after a number of seconds. The slow twitch muscle are used by the endurance athletes these are the slow contracting muscles however unlike the fast twitch muscle fibres, they do not burn out nearly as fast. Examples of explosive events would include, 100m 200m shot put, Discuss etc. Like an endurance runner a sprint runner should fuel themselves, 2- 3 hours with a high-carbohydrate meal or snack, the closer an athlete gets to competition, the smaller the pre-competition meal or snack should be. Pre-competition meal would include something like high-energy foods like bagels, cereals, pasta, vegetables and fruits are a good idea 2 – 3 hours before hand. As seen in figure 4.2.

(Figure 4.2)

(Kundrat, S, 2002)

The reason, it doesn’t have to be 4-5 hours is that these explosive events can be over in a matter off moments therefore the meal will not sit in their stomach unlike an endurance race which can last for hours. Athletes should fill 2/3 of their plates with high-carbohydrate foods and the rest with lean protein like chicken or turkey. They should also take along snacks to eat between competitions. For example in a wrestling tournament, an athlete may compete throughout the day. Having quick, easy to digest foods available can help provide energy to the muscles and avoid hunger. It is also important to replace the sodium lost in sweat especially for heavy crampers, therefore it is important for both endurance athletes and sprinters to have sodium in their diet, however the endurance athletes are going to sweat more therefore they will require a higher level of sodium in their diet.. Athletes can do this by regularly salting their food and eating some salty snacks like pretzels, crackers and soups. (Kundrat, S, 2002).

In explosive events such as a wrestling tournament or an athletics event in either 100m or 200m, there are many gaps for the next round in sprinting or for the next fight therefore athletes must plan ahead to build and maintain energy (glycogen) stores.

(Figure 4.2)

(Kundrat, S, 2002)

In figure 4.2 we can see a how day planned out with competition in between, we have already mentioned about the post work out meal, during competition however there are only, snacks in between, these events, the idea for these is like the post workout meal, to replenish any stores lost like glycogen stores, but also for the protein to repair muscle tissue damage but mainly to keep hydrated, to maintain blood glucose levels and to feel comfortable, avoiding hunger but not risking the discomfort of a full stomach.

Post exercise meal is not as important as a marathon runner, because there is not as much stress put under the body, however explosive athletes still need a good meal after the long day off competing, like marathon runners, sprinters still require meals that include high levels of carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores, and also need levels of protein to repair damaged muscle and tissue. The quantities and of an endurance runner and very different because, they will not have much calories during the race other than sports drink, therefore they need to reach there RDI, for that day.

The last person I am going to look at is a body builder, as a body builder you train your body to bigger and stronger; therefore they need to fuel their bodies with the right foods and fluids. Before a workout, Athletes should go into a workout well nourished and well hydrated. Without proper energy available in the bloodstream and muscles, it's difficult to hit goals that are set in the weight room. It is important to Plan a pre-workout snack or meal. They should choose foods that are easy to digest, because otherwise the food will sit too heavy on the stomach it should include high-energy foods, as well as lean sources of protein, that will build muscle and repair it. However the diet should still be two-thirds high-carbohydrate options for quick energy to lift the weights and get the best out of the body. Below in figure 4.3 shows what should be eaten at breakfast (pre – exercise)

(Figure 4.3)

(Kundrat, S, 2002)

From figure 4.3 we can see the pre and post exercise meals. There is no meal during the exercise because, there is no need to eat because of the nutrition intake should have been achieved during the pre – exercise meal, only fluid intake and maybe the occasional sports bar or protein shake, would be consumed during exercise. The post meal workout however is very important; this is because, like all three athletes, they burn up muscle energy stores during a workout. Their bodies' muscles lose the energy that's been stored for exercise. It’s very important for weight lifters to get energy back to the muscles within 30 minutes and again within 2 hours to help rebuild muscle energy stores for the next workout. Have snacks like a carbohydrate/protein energy bar, chocolate milk, yogurt mixed with nuts, or a turkey or peanut butter sandwich handy to refuel fast. Below in figure 4.4 we can see a table that shows different foods with there amount of protein value.

(Figure 4.4)

(Kundrat, S, 2002)

From figure 4.4 a weightlifter could use this to see what foods have a higher intake of protein, and see the portion size and make a diet plan from it. The difference between this diet plan and a marathon runners diet is, that this diet requires more protein in, to see why you need to look at the aims of each athlete, for a weightlifter they want to gain muscle mass, in comparison to a marathon runner they want to run longer and faster over a long distance. Therefore for each athlete their diet as well as their training needs to be different, a weightlifter requires a lot greater portion sizes especially protein portion size, this is because a weight lifter as we know wants to build muscle mass, and get bigger, therefore to achieve this they require large protein sizes to build the muscle mass.

In the off season many athletes put on weight because they are not doing exercise, therefore when it comes to the start of the season, they have to loose weight in order to compete, therefore they are different ways in doing so, Losing weight by skipping a meal or not eating at all. Losing weight by fluid loss either not drinking liquids or sweating it out by wearing extra cloths (garbage bag, plastic suit, etc.).is defiantly not the way to loose weight. Rapid weight loss cause problems like, loss of strength, loss of muscle mass, loss of vitamins and minerals, and loss of energy. Lack of water in the muscles causes cramping. How are you supposed to run at your peak when you have weakened your body trying to lose weight. Therefore is ideal for all three athletes talked about, the sprinter, endurance runner and body builder, they will not want to loose energy like this because they will not have enough energy in order for them to compete in there sports, practically if it is the start of the season they will want to improve fitness levels for endurance runner explosive energy for the sprinter and improve muscle mass and strength for the body builder, without the energy to do this they will not work there muscles in order for their muscles to adapt and improve.

The best way to lose weight is to alternate between normal eating and dieting, this way you will be able to keep the weight off. As an athlete they have to remember to eat less when they are out of season compare to when you’re in season because they will not burn claries because of the exercise. They should try to lose weight during the off season so it will not affect you performance as much. An athlete should give themselves plenty of time to lose the desired weight; some people will usually take 3 to 4 months to lose 10 lbs (4.54 kg.) The key is to retain or increase your present strength, so if an athlete finds themselves losing strength they are dieting wrong or not training regularly.

Gaining weight however needs to be split into the sprinters and body builders, in one category and the endurance runner in the other, the reason for this is because of the different body types they require, both the body builders and the sprinters require a lot more muscle mass than the marathon runners therefore they have to put weight on differently. The reason they may need to put on weight may be through out the season they have been training a lot therefore they may loose weight without realising, therefore they need to put it back on, to require that certain weight limit and energy levels. Its not simply eating more, to gain weight, because, this may cause some one to put on fat instead of muscle. To get the most muscle out of your weight gain, avoid the junk food and focus on eating whole foods. A good weight gain diet should be composed of 30-50% protein, 20-50% carbohydrates and 20-40% fat (the majority of which should be essential fatty acids). Different ratios within these ranges will work differently for different people. This only part of gaining weight training is also essential part of gaining weight in particular muscle mass.

A workout routine should concentrate on compound weight lifting exercises (those that involve multiple muscle groups like the squat or bench press) with weights that allow you to do 6 to 12 reps per set. Higher rep ranges will tone your muscles but may not sufficiently signal the body into muscle growth. Try to either increase the amount of weight lifted or the reps completed with each workout.

To gain weight for an endurance would be very rare because of the leanness they need to be, in order for them to gain weight they just need to exceed energy expenditure with energy coming in, however it is not a good idea for them, to put much weight on, because it will affect performance however some fat is required to battle illness etc.

For endurance runners it is very important to hydrate properly, athletes that train in hot humid conditions are at risk at dehydration, the risk becomes greater the longer an athlete is working, or when athletes train or compete more than once in a day. If exercisers lose too much fluid in sweat without replacing what they've lost in both fluids and electrolytes (like sodium and potassium), they risk becoming dehydrated. Endurance athletes can use sports drinks, like Gatorade, to help ward off dehydration and muscle cramps by replacing fluid or electrolytes. Dehydration can diminish energy and impair performance. Even a 2 percent loss of body weight through sweat (i.e., 3 pounds for a 150 pound runner) can put athletes at a disadvantage. When the difference between top finishers in an endurance event is only a few seconds or less, athletes can't afford to lose time due to dehydration. (Kundrat, S, 2002)

Because endurance puts strenuous amounts on the body, endurance athletes also run a higher risk of over hydrating, so hydration plans for these athletes should be considered carefully. Remember fluids throughout the day. It's important for endurance athletes to come to workouts and competitions hydrated. To do this, athletes can walk around with a Bootle of water and keep taking sips. They should look at hydrating 2 to 3 hours before training and competitions. Aim for at least 16 ounces (2 cups) of fluid at this time and an additional 8 ounces (1 cup) 10 to 20 minutes prior to getting on the field. (Kundrat, S, 2002) as an athlete they should not over drink. Endurance athletes, especially inexperienced marathoners who tend to run slowly and stop for more fluid breaks, risk over hydrating, which can lead to a dangerous condition called "hyponatremia". Hyponatremia occurs when an athlete takes in too much fluid and the sodium level in blood drops too low.

The human brain is composed of 95% water; blood is 82% water; the lungs are nearly 90% water. As one can imagine water is also the single most critical nutrient for health, growth, and development. It is not only the most important nutrient in the body, but also the most abundant. Water is critical to the balance of all the body's systems, including the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and muscles. For a sprinter there is not as much important for them to hydrate properly because there event is over in ten seconds, however because it is such a short time, everything needs to be right therefore fluid intake is still important. As above dehydration is very important, and can lose in warm weather or a hot gym, some athletes can lose more than a gallon of sweat during training or competition. For peak performance, athletes need to replace what they lose in sweat, both fluid and electrolytes like sodium and potassium. As mentioned previous about sodium, potassium is a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally. Having too much potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia and having too little in the blood is known as hypokalemia. Proper balance of potassium in the body depends on sodium. Therefore, excessive use of sodium may deplete the body's stores of potassium.

Athletes in explosive sports rely on their bodies to perform in intense bursts; dehydration is often an overlooked problem. Athletes don't realize dehydration can take a serious toll on the energy and mental focus that are key to success, therefore it should be taken very seriously, like the marathon runner a sprinter should keep hydrated them selves 2 -3 hours before training or a competition. Drink during workouts or competition. Sports drinks, like Gatorade, can help ward off dehydration and muscle cramps because they help replenish both fluid and electrolytes (i.e., sodium and potassium) lost in sweat. Drink enough fluid during a workout to minimize weight loss, without over drinking.

For a body builder they also need to hydrate themselves before during and after exercise, this is because, Water flushes out toxins and other metabolic waste products from the body. Water is especially important when following a "high protein" diet, as it helps remove excess nitrogen, urea (a toxic substance), and ketones. If you're eating big to gain weight, then you need even more water to help your kidneys do their work. Without enough water, the kidneys can't function properly. When this happens, some of the load is transferred to the liver. The liver metabolizes stored fat for energy. If the liver is doing some of the kidneys' work, it burns less fat. In addition, water can actually reduce feelings of hunger, causing body builders to loose weight and not put on muscle mass. When water is in short supply, the body, thinking there's a shortage, begins hoarding it. This water is stored in extra cellular spaces. In other words, your skin starts looking soft and puffy. Therefore this reduces water retention. Too little water and your body steals it from organs such as the colon. When this happens, you experience constipation. Plus, water allows you to digest your meals efficiently. This is especially true when you're consuming over 4,000 calories a day, and for a body builder consuming calories like this it is very important. (Author Unknown, Date Unknown)

A substance used by an athlete to improve performance is called an ergogenic aid. Athletes have used ergogenic aids since ancient times. Ancient Greek Olympians ate mushrooms to increase their chances to win the laurel wreath and Aztec athletes ate human hearts. Nowadays the ergogenic aid industry is massive, and almost all sporting magazines contain advertisements for new "revolutionary" ergogenic aids. The world of sports is a competitive business. Athletes fear that others are taking something that will give them an advantage. This means that many athletes will try out new substances on the off chance that it will give them the edge over other competitors. Forgotten in the push to excel are the unknown dangers of unproven substances and the temptations for misuse and abuse. Supplements can be harmful as well as useful.

Vitamins and minerals are of great interest in the sports world due to the belief that they will enhance health and improve physical performance. There is no doubt that an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals is necessary for good health, but whether exercise increases our requirement is another matter. The fact is that exercise does not particularly increase the need for vitamins and minerals. However for a top athlete you will be eating good health diet any way therefore they should be getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals in their diet. In previous assignments we have talked about different vitamins and minerals and their role within sport, however there is not much evidence to support the fact that they improve sporting performance.

There are different types of bars all contain varying levels of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and sugar, depending on their intended goal for an athlete. Energy bars are generally designed to give a boost of energy to endurance athletes, such as marathoners. Therefore, their main ingredient is carbohydrates, which provide the fuel necessary to make it through a competition. Meal replacement bars are essentially diet bars; they contain the least amount of calories and more carbohydrates than protein. They are meant to replace a meal for dieters, or as a healthy, low-calorie pre- or post-workout snack. Finally, protein bars are designed with weightlifters in mind. With high levels of protein, they are meant to help you build muscle and lose fat when you're training. Nutritionally, energy bars are appropriate for exercise. Typical bars are around 70% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 10% or less of fat by calories. The big advantage to taking along a bar on a long ride is convenience and digestibility. Of course, those two factors really depend on personal taste. What tastes good to one person might make another person want to puke, especially on a really tough ride on a hot, humid day. And convenience is really up to personal preferences. This is why they were made for endurance athletes.

Your muscles normally store only small amounts of glycogen. Usually, this isn't a problem. But if you start exercising at high intensity, such as when running a marathon which continues for more than 60 to 90 minutes, your muscles run out of glycogen. As a result, your stamina and performance decrease. Therefore some athletes use a method called carbohydrate loading. This works by forcing your body to store more glycogen. You holt the amount of exercise you're doing before a high-endurance event to conserve your body's stores of glycogen. At the same time, you eat significantly more carbohydrates. As a result, glycogen stores in your muscles increase, which boosts your endurance because there is more readily available energy. Carbohydrate loading works best when you've been on a carbohydrate-rich diet throughout your training, because during that time your body learns to more effectively use carbohydrates. Researchers are studying the best way to increase stores of glycogen in the muscles of endurance athletes. For example, a recent study suggests that one day of carbohydrate loading may be just as effective as three days of carbohydrate loading when no exercise was done that day. Foods should include whole-grain pastas and breads, and should make up 60% to 70% of the calories you eat. Cut back on foods higher in fat to compensate for the extra carbohydrate-rich foods. That means fats should make up about 15 percent to 20 percent of your diet, and 10 percent to 15 percent of your daily calories should come from protein.

However carbohydrate loading does have its drawbacks. Including weight gain. It's easy to gain weight when you're carbohydrate loading because carbohydrates help your body store extra water. Normally you will gain 2 to 4 pounds if you do it properly. Digestive discomfort is also another drawback, the athlete may have to avoid or limit some high-fibre foods one or two days before your event, depending on your individual tolerance. Beans, bran and broccoli can cause gassy cramps, bloating and loose stools when you're loading up on carbohydrates. Blood sugar changes when carbohydrate loading, it affects your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. Because of this athletes who have diabetes, should consult there doctor before doing so.

With the three athletes, carbohydrate loading is very important for endurance runners because, it will give them that extra energy to run longer and harder, however for a sprinter carbohydrate loading is not needed because they do not require that extra energy because their event is only a few seconds to 30seconds long. Therefore their glycogen levels will not deplete, however it is important to re-fuel themselves through out the day because some competitions will last all day, and not re-furling themselves may cause glycogen depletion. A body builder does not need to carbohydrate load, before they exercise either, however as previous stated they do require more carbohydrates than sprinters because they can spend a long time in a gym lifting weights therefore they will use up more carbohydrates than sprinters, however they do not use up more carbohydrates than endurance runners, which is way they do not need to carbohydrate load before exercising.

Creatine is a nutrient that is found in many foods. It is most highly concentrated in lean red meat. A half-pound of red meat contains about two grams of creatine. Every human body also produces creatine in very small amounts, though some people produce more than others. Creatine is necessary for proper cell functions and cell reproduction; it is also a primary storage for energy in muscles. When athletes are exercising their muscles demand energy. The energy that the muscle
gets is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). As the muscles keep contracting, the ATP is turned into adenosine diphosphate (ADP). ADP causes your muscles to fatigue. Creatine Phosphate helps to convert ADP into ATP when the ATP is gone. In doing this, athletes have better endurance during their workout or event. Creatine producers and users claim it to have many advantages, such as increased endurance,
increased overall work potential, increased speed of muscular action, and the potential to further increase muscle mass. Therefore from this creatine helps improve sprinters and body builder’s significantly, however it also proposes to improve endurance runners as well, by producing more ADP.

Creatine also accelerates protein synthesis. If all this were true, it would be easy to see why athletes are turning to Creatine for an edge on their competition. But are these claims real? Is their scientific proof of what Creatine does? Since creatine came onto the supplement market it has been tested extensively. Research in human sports science indicates that supplementing a normal diet with creatine will increase the creatine content in the muscles. Since studies on creatine loading have only
been going on for less than a decade, it is still unknown what long-term effects will have. Several small short-term side effects include dehydration, diarrhea and muscle cramping. Also, Creatine might not be able to help a person in their sport. For example, creatine does not always benefit athletes who participate in an aerobic sport such as swimming, and long distance running. From a long distance runner's point of view, creatine would be negative to take. Creatine causes an athlete to retain water, causing them to gain weight. The athletes that will receive the most benefit from creatine are athletes in power and performance sports such as rugby, wrestling basketball and tennis. Even though creatine can be dangerous in wrestling and tennis because of the weight-gaining factor, it would be more effective to be used during the off-season. For such sports as rugby, creatine can be very useful in gaining strength and size, while maintaining or increasing speed and endurance. Bodybuilders can
also use Creatine as a legal and effective way to enhance muscle growth.

Creatine Monohydrate has been proven to significantly enhance athletic
performance in the areas of power, strength, and muscle mass. Also, since creatine is found naturally in the body and in foods, it is likely that it will not be removed from sports. The creatine that is bought in stores duplicates the natural creatine that is naturally produced by the body. Creatine use can best summed up pretty easy,
athletes can take all the Creatine they want, but if the proper biological, physiological, and nutritional factors aren't in place, it won't be of even the slightest benefit. Creatine is a true athlete’s supplement. It allows an athlete to work out harder and more
frequently. The side effects are very minimal so far and the cause of this, many scientists believe, is because the user doesn't drink enough water while working out, and with creatine the athlete can dehydrate much quicker because water gets absorbed
into the muscles faster. Just shoving Creatine into your body without proper exercise will result only in creation of fat and waste. Creatine is not going to make someone a better athlete, they have to go out and do it for themselves. If anything creatine requires one to increase their workouts and effort, because the body's tolerance to
exhaustion is higher.

Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants. It's also produced artificially and added to certain foods. Its part of the same group of drugs sometimes used to treat asthma. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased heart rate and alertness. Most people who are sensitive to caffeine experience a temporary increase in energy and elevation in mood. It can be found in, tea leaves, coffee beans, chocolate, many soft drinks, pain relievers, and other over-the-counter pills. Caffeine has many specific benefits for different types of athletes. Though much of the research on caffeine in athletics is inconclusive, there are many athletes that believe the substance can enhance their physical as well as mental performance. It is supposed that caffeine can improve the athlete’s endurance in sports where long-term stamina is needed. These sports include cycling, running, and even soccer. In an experiment to study the effects of caffeine as an ergogenic aid, 6 regular caffeine users were monitored while they exercised until exhaustion. During this double blind, placebo test, the athletes were given pills an hour before the exercise trial. The results were that those who received caffeine before the exercise performed more efficiently than those who received the placebo. (Graham, 1998) This shows the importance of caffeine in endurance sports such as cycling, running, and soccer which require a great deal of physical stamina in order to compete successfully. Studies also show that caffeine has very little affect on athletes requiring quick burst of energy such as sprinters and swimmers. Also caffeine has been known to decrease fatigue in athletes, which plays a physical as well as psychological role in the performance of an athlete.

Caffeine’s mental appeal is just as trendy as its physical purpose. Caffeine has been proven to stimulate the central nervous system. Caffeine stimulates the Central Nervous System at high levels, like the medulla and cortex, and even has the ability to reach the spinal cord in larger doses. The effect of caffeine in the cortex is a clearer thought process and also can rid the body of fatigue. This gives people a greater ability of concentration for 1-3 hours. For athletes competing in sports where quick thinking and rapid reactions are necessary, caffeine can provide a huge edge. However, these results are much more inconsistent than the experiments done on caffeine in endurance sports.

In athletics three theories have been presented that support caffeine’s use in athletics. The first theory focuses on caffeine’s ability to cause the body to burn more fat and fewer carbohydrates. Glycogen is the principle fuel for muscles, but fat is the most abundant resource that the body uses for energy. Caffeine enters the body and forces the working muscles to utilize as much fat as possible. This delays the immediate depletion of glycogen. Studies show that in the first fifteen minutes of exercise caffeine has the potential to reduce the loss of glycogen by fifty percent. When this happens, the saved glycogen can be used for the remainder of the workout where normally it would be entirely depleted, therefore meaning that there is no more energy for the workout or competition.