The basic approach I use to adding anything to a diet, is not using it before I know what it does. There are indications and contraindications, side effects, safe limits involved.
These supplements came from a text that is A-Z, The Athlete’s Guide To Sports Supplements, Mueller/Hingst. Plus a few others involved. It is not every last one of them. Studies indicate some work and then other works say they don’t work.
I am only saying these are the debated topics, on the ones that present as maybe more useful.
I do not receive any compensation for this. Only to improve the health of society, and assist athletes with their training.
These are assumed as part of a balanced diet.
-Russ
X will indicate an injury mechanism.
SUPPLEMENTS AND INTENDED EFFECT:
ACAI
Anthocyanin, antioxidant.
ACETYL L
Improve the phospholipid bilayer cell membrane. Decrease Alzheimer’s, peripheral neuropathy. Increase neurotransmitter ACh.
ALPHA LIPOIC ACID
Change in fat metabolism, protects cells.
ARGININE
Decrease neuromuscular fatigue. Precursor to Nitric Oxide, found in soy in chicken.
ASPARTATES
Increase ammonia to urea conversion. Increase glycogen synthesis. Found in asparagus.
ASTRALAGUS
Antioxidant.
AVOCADO SOY UNSAPONIFIABLES
Stims cartilage to grow. Decreases cytokines on chondrocytes & synovial. Inhibits TGF-B.
BEETROOT
Antioxidant, anthocyanin. X: 3 mg nitrates per 100g. GI cancer in infants.
BETA CAROTENE
Improve cell membrane, precursor to Vit A. The body will not convert excess to A, so it is safeguarded as a fat soluble Vit, these build up to toxicity ( Vit’s- D,E,A,K, Co Q-10).
BETA GLUCAN
Mushroom for worked it is reported, not oat. Improved immune, wound healing.
BETAINE
Increased; TMG (decreases homocysteine (from caffeine) damage), circulation, fat metabolism. X: increased cholesterol.
BORON
Improved cognitive, (inflammation decrease), immune.
X: Increased antigen induced arthritis.
BOSWELLIA SERRATA
Anti inflammatory.
BCAA-BRANCHED CHAIN AMINO ACID
Aminos available as energy, oxidized in muscle. Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine. Prevents muscle breakdown.
BROMELAIN
Found in FRESH pineapple, and banana.
Effects of Bromelain on Cardiovascular and Circulation. Bromelain prevents or minimizes the severity of angina pectoris and transient ischemic attack (TIA). It is useful in the prevention and treatment of thrombophlebitis. It may also break down cholesterol plaques and exerts a potent fibrinolytic activity.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3529416/
My reading in CEU discussed it reducing adhesions (scars).
This in addition:
Deeper, lower extremity burns were debrided with a new bromelain-based debriding agent, resulting in scar-free healing. … Bromelain has demonstrated an anti-angiogenic effect in various cancer cell lines and it has been shown to regulate a variety of pro-angiogenic (process by which new blood vessels form) factors.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6033487/
Decreases; edema (swelling), Cox 2, bruising, bradykinin, osteoarthritis efx, sinusitis.
With Papin and fungal, regulates White Blood Cell.
CALCIUM
Increase lipid oxidation. Decrease fat absorption.
CAPSICUM
Decrease nerve pain on capsaicin receptors, 49% at 3 weeks, muscle, joint pain.
CASEIN
Mike protein, rated as slow.
CAT’S CLAW
Decrease NF-KB, anti inflammatory.
CHIA
Omega 3, antioxidant.
CHITOSAN
Decrease cholesterol, X: on allergy to shellfish.
CHOLINE
Improved Homocysteine metabolism, decreased at 26 miles.
CHROMIUM PICOLINATE
Increased insulin function.
CHRYSIN
In honey, anti estrogen, flavone- vasodilatory.
CINNAMON
Anti; inflammatory, microbial. Polyphehol (decreases brown spots in skin), decreased Cox 2. 3-6 grams common use.
CITRULLINE MALATE
Decreased ammonia in body, found in apples.
CITRUS BIOFLAVONOID
Is an anti platelet clot preventer. X Polyphenol increases homocysteine however and damages blood vessels.
COCOA- FLAVONALS
Copper, potassium, calcium, polyphenol, increased cardiovascular protect. Decreased BP, cholesterol.
COCONUT
Anti bacterial, viral, fungal. X: watch the saturated fat bomb here.
CO-Q10
Fat soluble vitamin. Decreased lipid peroxidation, CK( creatine kinase- marker for muscle damage, which willl shut down kidneys in excess).
COLOSTRUM
Increase immune/IgA, decreased gut permeability, 3-4 x protein of normal milk.
CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (OMEGA 6)
Decreased fat uptake. Increased Beta-oxidation. Leads to insulin resistance?
COPPER
Needed for ATP production. Athletes take creatine for ATP increase. Antioxidant. Involved at the heart.
CORDYCEPS SINENSIS
May increase T helper cells.
CREATINE
Increased muscle energy. Synthesis in liver, 95% in muscle.
CURCUMIN
Polyphenol, anti; inflammatory, oxidant. Decrease- COX 2, NF-kB.
DEVIL’S CLAW
Chondro(cartilage) protective. Best anti inflammatory? 1-3 grams common.
ECHINACEA
Increased; immunoglobins, antibody, macrophage. X: on allergy to ragweed.
EDTA
Removes calcium from the heart valves and aorta. If you use this, it removes metals from the body, not just calcium. Afterwards it is a consideration to use magnesium, EDTA may have unseated MG from the heart. Without magnesium, calcium makes the heart more reactive. It is a stroke risk in older athletes. Another chelating substance exists for radioactive removal.
ELDERBERRY
Flavonoids, anthocyanin, increased; immune, flu recovery. XXX Toxic build up like Cyanide.
FENUGREEK
Flavonoid, polyphenol. Decrease glucose in diabetes?
FIBER
Increased insulin sensitivity.
Soluble decreases cholesterol, insoluble is roughage.
5 HYDROXYTRYPTOPHAN (5 HTP)
Increase Serotonin (decreased depression) .
FLAXSEED
Increased; fat metabolism, prostaglandin.
FOLIC ACID B9
Decrease Homocysteine, increased; vascular function, RBC.
GABA
Neurotransmitter, increased alpha brain waves, decreased cortisol.
GAMMA LINOLENIC- OMEGA 6
Anti inflammatory.
GARLIC
Anti; inflammatory, bacterial, viral. Reverses cholesterol plaques/heart disease.
GINGER
With 50 antioxidants, alternative to NSAID.
GINKO BILOBA
$249 million per year/USA.
Neural protective.
X: One reading reports this to cause hemorrhage in the brain with Vit E and Omega 3 use. Triple stack of blood thinners. Decrease radicals, increase insulin sensitivity.
Decrease BP, cortisol.
GINSENG
Combined with green tea prevents homocysteine in the blood. Do all three types work like this?
3 kinds; American (increased adrenal), Korean (panax) w/ flavonoid, Siberian( increased mental acuity).
Also helps liver against different types of damage, alcohol and others.
GLUTAMINE
Most abundant amino, increased protein synth, spares CP (creatine).
GLUTATHIONE- GSH
Antioxidant, synth in liver from L-Cysteine.
OPC’S -OLIGOMERIC PROANTHOCYANIDIN COMPLEXES
- Strong antioxidant- 20-50X potency. Crosses BBB blood brain barrier.
- Decrease; swelling, prostaglandin.
GRAPE SEED EXTRACT
X Polyphenol raises chlorogenic acid, which incites homocysteine, damaging blood vessels. Green tea, with ginseng makes a shield that defeats caffeine induced homocysteine.
SUPER ANTIOXIDANT, numbers vary but lists as 20X stronger than either Vit C or VIT E. The discrepancy is it is 50X stronger than one of those vitamins alone, while the other vitamin is outdone 20X by GSE .
GREEN TEA
Blocks caffeine damage at blood vessels when combined with the right ginseng. Antioxidant EGCG, half the caffeine of normal tea.
GYMNEMA SYLVESTRA
Improved insulin efx, decreased triglyceride and body fat.
HOODIA GORDONII
Hypothalamus efx.
Increased ATP (energy) production.
HMB
An mTor pathway regulation-protein synth.
Decreased LDL.
Metabolite of Leucine.
HYDROXYCITIRC ACID
Increased serotonin. Decreased ATP-ase( enzyme).
INOSINE
Increased O2?
X: uric acid, kidney stone.
IRON
Increased ATP.
ISOMALTULOSE
Decreased glycemic, increased fat oxidation.
LEUCINE
BCAA, mTor pathway.
LUTEIN
_____________________
KNOCKING OUT HOMOCYSTEINE
LDL OXIDATION
_____________________
To lower LDL oxidation. Supplement Lutein is what you want? On the effects of homocysteine damaging blood vessels.
4 mechanisms damage vessels- proliferation of vascular smooth cells, endothelial dysfunction, lipid peroxidation, oxidation of LDL. A decrease in Nitric Oxide as endothelial dysfunction.
What to do?
Lutein may decrease LDL oxidation, found in kale, spinach, yellow carrots.
Green Tea lowering LDL oxidation. With Ginseng, it also lowers homocysteine, it looks like to zero?
Nitric Oxide may dilate vessels but is also a radical.
A combination of vitamins C and E (ascorbic acid, tocopherol) or solitary supplementation with vitamin A (retinoic acid) prevented lipid–peroxidation.
X: What effect with blood thinners?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15838641
MAGNESIUM
Peak O2 uptake, cardio protective.
MARAL ROOT
Flavonoid, anthocyanin, improved immune.
MEDICAL MUSHROOM
Anti; bacterial, inflamm, viral, polyphenol. Some types improve T cells, fat use, ATP.
MCT’S- MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDE
Fat not needing normal digestion, more available for energy.
MELATONIN
From tryptophan amino, induces sleep.
X: Don’t use on blood thinners.
METHYLSUFONYLMETHANE (MSM)
Increase cortisol efx.
Use in chronic joint pain.
CITRUS BIOFLAVONOID
Anti platelet, decreases clotting.
Changes drug metabolism at liver.
OMEGA 3 FATTY ACID
Protectins and Resolvins.
Improves cell membranes, wanting a 1:1 ratio with Omega 3: Omega 6.
Decrease EIB.
Flax needs 3-5 higher dose with conversion less efficient than fish oil. X: too much blood thinner is a hazard.
ORNITHINE
Proline in collagen.
PHOSPHATE SALTS
Buffer, increase in O2. Saw use in WW II.
PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE
Cell membrane.
Decrease Nitric Oxide.
PIPERINE
Black pepper, decrease triglycerides, cholesterol.
Changes Gene PPARy, decrease adipogenesis.
Increase curcumin, resveratrol absorb.
POTASSIUM
Increase protein synth?
PROBIOTIC
25% of bacteria in body.
PREBIOTIC
Intestine is 70% of the immune fight.
PYCNOGENOL
(OPC’S-) Potent anti oxidant. Decrease enzyme in bronchitis.
QUERCITIN
Red grape, apple skin. Flavonoid, increase mitochondria( cell power house?)
RESVERATROL
Strong antioxidant, decrease; COX 2, DNA damage.
Changes gene for fat burning?
RHODIOLA ROSEA
Increase ATP.
RIBOFLAVIN B2
Deficient stunts growth.
RIBOSE
+P runs right to ATP or DNA.
RUTAECARPINE
Anti inflamm, increase N.O. Vanilloids, decrease fat uptake.
SAMe
From methionine, may increase proteoglycans which is part of cartilage. Collagen the other component of cart… Alternate to NSAID,
SEA BUCKTHORN
C,E, Beta Carotene, lycopene, flavonoids, GSH antioxidant.
Decrease; CK, R.O.S (radical). Increase antioxidant enzyme.
SELENIUM
Antioxidant, mineral.
SIERRA SIL
Minerals found in a dig site, and marketed.
CA, K, AL, P, MN, FE, SI, MG, BA, CU, CO, ZN
Decrease interleukin 1-B, cartilage degrade.
SOY PROTEIN
Isoflavones, slower than whey protein.
SUPER OXIDE DIMUTASE
Antioxidant, decrease homocysteine damage.
Broccoli.
Long duration antioxidant in high dose.
SYNEPHRINE/BITTER ORANGE
Adrenal receptor efx.
TART CHERRY
Alternate to NSAID, increased prostaglandin.
THIAMINE B1
Deficiency efx: nervous system, heart, brain.
Tannins in tea, make this hard to convert to usable form.
TRIMETHYLGLYCINE -TMG/BETAINE
Decrease homocysteine damage.
TURMERIC
Will remove brain opioid plaque.
UNDENATURED TYPE II COLLAGEN
Down regulates the autoimmune system.
VALERIAN
Decrease anxiety, WW II use.
VANADIUM
Mimics insulin, mushroom, black pepper.
B12
Protect mylein (nerve insulation).
VIT C
Collagen, decrease lipid; peroxidation, DNA damage.
Coenzyme to carnitine.
X: decrease super oxide dimutase.
VIT D
Regs 50 genes, more needed with age.
VIT E
Alpha tocopherol the only usable form in blood than maintains.
Recommended to be taken with C.
Blood thinner, not seen recommended above 400 IU/ day.
WHEY PROTEIN
Signal initiator.
Fast protein.
Isolate form is lower in saturated fat.
WILLOW BARK
Polyphenol.
Flavonoid.
Contraindicated to blood thinner, aspirin allergy.
WITHANIA SOMNIFERA
Anti inflamm, increase S.O.D. enzyme.
ZINC
Antioxidant.
In 300 enzymes.
Increase protein synth.
Regs Testosterone.
In sweat.
Immune, and tissue repair.