Busting Sports Supplement myths

I am constantly asked about superfoods and performance enhancing products.  And I believe they are all sales pitch rather than science. These supplements may be beneficial in their respective traditional ways like enhancing memory or increasing metabolism etc but as per sports nutrition these supplements fail to show any benefits.

1. Ginkgo

Leaves of this plant are extracted in teas to aid memory or improve circulation. Studies have shown that with or without Ginkgo there is no difference in exercise performance. It's extract has been beneficial in mountain sickness, hence not unless I am un acclimatised mountaineer, I am not using this product. 

2. Ginseng

You must have seen this as a superfood for sports nutrition in supplement or health stores or in a can of energy drink or tablet. This supplement is mostly combined with an ergogenic aid like caffeine and other methylxanthines. In athletic context this supplement has failed to conclude any benefit alone. 

3. Green Tea

 Green tea has catechins, whether it's extracted from green, white or black tea leaves it has shown benefits in cardiovascular health. The influence of green tea extract on metabolism is less clear specially in sports nutrition context. I rather enjoy a cuppa then spend $ on buying the supplements. 

The products above have provided very little evidence to support as an ergogenic aid. 

Article- Senchina D.S et al, 2011Nutritional  supplement review. 

Swati Bathwal

Accredited Sports Dietitian 

Is losing weight difficult?

With my years of experience as a clinical dietitian, I often get asked by people if weight loss was easy. All it takes is to say" Eat less, Exercise more". The question is "how much less food and how much more exercise"? If one can understand the concept of energy balance, it becomes easier to understand weight loss process.  It is about starving those fat cells!

Eating food is like fuelling up a car- the amount of fuel required is different from different car sizes to different car models. Likewise, is the concept of weight loss. I often explain clients " There is no one size fits all". Calorie is energy which we get from food. This depends on several factors like age, sex, height, body weight, physical activity levels and body's stress level to hormones etc. This in total accounts for our total metabolic rate. If we eat food at our metabolic rate, we will maintain our body weight- If you are struggling to lose that fat and unable to do so, it clearly states you are eating at your metabolic rate. Hence, in order to lose weight you have to reduce your calorie intake. Irrespective of exercise if you reduce 200 calories/day from your metabolic rate, one can expect to lose 1kg-1.2 kgs/month. If the calorie deficit is 500 calories/day, there is an estimated weight loss of 0.5kgs-0.75 kg/week. On an average woman require between 1000 calories - 1200 calories per day to lose weight and men need between 1500-1700 calories per day. 

In next blog- How to check your metabolic rate