Should endurance athletes use antioxidants supplements?
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Oxygen-based free radicals are normally produced in aerobic energy metabolism. During aerobic activities even more free radicals are created as energy expenditure increases several fold. In response, muscle produces and maintains greater levels of antioxidants. In addition, antioxidants from foods can incorporate into muscle and help keep free radicals at bay. This includes carotenoids, polyphenolics, vitamin C and E, lipoic acid and coenzyme Q. However, supplementing excessively large levels of these nutrients is not recommended. |
Can endurance performance be improved with Coenzyme Q?
Coenzyme Q, also known as CoQ10 and ubiquinone, can be found in the cells as a key component of the electron-transport chain. It also functions as an antioxidant as it has been used as a supplement by individuals who are taking statin drugs. Some of the earlier studies regarding the effects of supplemental CoQ10 on athletic performance were positive; however, more recent and better designed studies have failed to show a significant performance benefit of CoQ10 supplementation. However, CoQ10 might be a desirable supplement for antioxidant protection for athletes.
Can alpha lipoic acid enhance performance?
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring substance in cells and is a key factor in the metabolism of energy nutrients. In addition, lipoic acid also functions as a muscle antioxidant. At this time researchers have not found that lipoic acid supplements provide performance benefits to athletes. However, lipoic acid might be a desirable supplement for antioxidant protection for athletes.
Can Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) increase performance?
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MCTs contain fatty acids, which are both saturated and are only six to twelve carbons in length. The shortness of these fatty acids gives them unique properties, including the ability to (1) be absorbed from the digestive tract into the blood (portal vein) and not generally incorporated in chylomicrons; (2) provide a rapid energy source for the liver and muscle; and (3) possibly increase fat mobilization from fat cells. These properties make MCTs a possible candidate for supplementation during endurance events. Theoretically, MCTs can slow glycogen breakdown and decrease some muscle protein breakdown during endurance exercise by providing a readily available energy source for liver and muscle. Researchers have indeed found that supplemented MCTs are used during endurance exercise however they seem to substitute for other fat and do not slow the rate of glycogen breakdown nor do they improve athletic performance. |
Should choline be supplemented to enhance performance?
Choline is a component of acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter of great importance to skeletal muscle activity. First, nerve cells reaching skeletal muscle fibers release acetylcholine, which then stimulates them to contract. Also, choline is a component of phosphotidylcholine which is a structural component of muscle cell membranes. Choline, along with betaine (trimethylglycine [TMG]), dimethylglycine, sarcosine (N-methylglycine), methionine, and S-adenylsyl methionine, is involved in some of the processes that build several molecules which may be important for muscle performance, such as creatine and nucleic acids. Choline supplementation for the purposes of enhancing athletic performance (with and without other substances) requires further study.
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