Ergogenic substances

What are ergogenic substances

Ergogenic aids are substances and techniques that are used by athletes in order to help them improve performance and recovery

What are nutritional aids

Legal performance enhancing supplements
These dietary supplements are marketed to boost athletic performance.

They are considered to be safe ergogenic aids that have been approved by Health Canada. Although, consuming them in excess can sometimes have toxic effects on the body.

What are 3 types of Nutrional aids

protein and amino acid supplements

caffeine

sports foods and drinks

what are three protein and amino acid supplements

protein poweders

carnitine

creatine

what is protein powder

The main goal of this supplement is to increase muscle mass, either by increasing muscle protein synthesis or decreasing muscle protein breakdown.

However, it can be easy to over consume protein when taking protein powder.
Your body can only use about 30g of protein to synthesize muscle in a single sitting.

what is carnitine

L-carnitine is a chemical that is made in the human brain, liver, and kidneys. It helps the body turn fat into energy.

L-carnitine is important for heart and brain function, muscle movement, and many other body processes.
This supplement is said to be a “fat burner”. In the body, carnitine is used as a shuttle to bring fatty acids into the mitochondria in order to be oxidized for energy production.

Carnitine claims to decrease lactate production, increase VO2max, delay fatigue, spare glycogen and induce fat loss. 

What is creatine

Used by athletes who compete in sports involving high-intensity, short-term exercise. It helps facilitate the restoration of ATP in the muscles.

May not be beneficial for all athletes as certain athletes already produce enough creatine and the saturation point is quickly reached.

Creatine is a chemical found naturally in the body. It's also in red meat and seafood. It is often used to improve exercise performance and muscle mass.

Creatine is involved in making energy for muscles. About 95% of it is found in skeletal muscle. The majority of sports supplements in the US contain creatine.

People commonly use creatine for improving exercise performance and increasing muscle mass. It is also used for muscle cramps, fatigue, multiple sclerosis (MS), depression, and many other conditions,

What is Caffeine

It stimulates the nervous system, therefore decreasing the perceived effort of an athlete while exercising.

It may increase glycogen breakdown and have a direct effect on calcium transport. Caffeine can also increases the availability of fatty acids to fuel muscles. 

However, caffeine has a diuretic effect which can lead to dehydration.

What are sports drinks and food

These include sports drinks, sports gels and bars.

They are high in sugar allowing athletes to replenish their glucose storages during long bouts of exercise. This can help lower their perceived exertion.

Yet, the high concentration of sugar in these can cause gastrointestinal problems.