Protein Supplements for Enhancing Sports Performance - Essay Example

?(Insert of Protein Supplements for Enhancing Sports Performance Athletes and sports personalities arealways on a quest to better their performance in the field or track every time they are in action. This performance is not only enhanced by the vast amount of time that they spend training, but more so by the food that they choose to eat - their diet (Karinch 31). Although diet takes up a small percentage of the determinants of an athlete’s success, it cannot be overlooked. Diet does not enhance the sporting capabilities of a sportsman. It just helps the athlete to achieve their full potential by reducing chronic fatigue, injuries and illnesses that can deteriorate the sporting potential of an individual (Maughan, Depiesse & Geyer). Supplements in the sports industry come in because athletes and sportsmen do not believe fully that an ordinary diet can match up to their energy requirements. Other than compensating for an inadequate diet, sportsmen take supplements so that they can keep up with their opponents while others take them due to pressure from their trainers. Supplements have been stereotyped as direct energy injections although research has proved so, too. Nutritionists and other health practitioners do not recommend supplements to be used to substitute food diets. The main reason is the fact that if ingested in excess or improperly, the supplements will have side effects on the user (Maughan, King & Lea 96). However, some of the supplements have been tested, and the results have shown that they are efficient to enhance the performance of the athlete. The supplements which have shown benefits to athletes include: Protein and amino acids Caffeine Creatine Alkalinizing agents CNS-acting compounds Glucosamine If taken in the right amounts, these supplements can help enhance the performance of athletes. However, this paper will narrow down to protein and amino acid supplements and their benefits. Many athletes use protein and amino acids supplements for the intended purpose of muscle growth, repair, and recovery of energy. They believe that a substantial intake of protein supplements will increase their muscle mass. However, the research has not provided evidence for this assumption. According to Millward’s metabolic demand model, the body adjusts slowly to changes in high level or low level intake of protein supplements. This model therefore partially dismisses the notion that high intake of protein supplements increases muscle mass. Athletes can achieve the desired high protein intakes if they choose appropriate foods. The only problem that is associated with high protein foods is the fact that they are fatty. This means that if an athlete consumes food that will boost their protein levels, they will subsequently be increasing the level of fat in their body. For this reason, they will opt for protein supplements because unlike protein foods, the supplements will only boost and help the athletes gain the desired protein levels without increasing fat in their bodies. Athletes can also take protein appropriately and in a convenient form by ingesting whey protein and colostrum. Whey protein is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese. It is extracted from the whey liquid that is produced when cheese is being manufactured. Colostrum is the first milk that is secreted by cows. These two can be used to make supplements in the form of milk powder. A milk-based protein shake is made from them and is beneficial to an athlete since it is rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals (Maughan et al. 41). Some amino acids are believed to individually increase and enhance muscle growth in athletes. Though there is not enough research work to show the full extent of the efficacy of amino acid supplements, they are still used as supplements. The amino acids which are believed to promote muscle growth and enhance performance when used as supplements include branched-chain amino acids, leucine, glutamine, ornithine, arginine and lysine. Branched chain amino acids is an effective ergogenic because it reduces mental fatigue during prolonged exercises. When used as a supplement, it delays fatigue in the central nervous system; the time taken for the body to register fatigue lengthens and athletes are able to participate in a sporting activity for longer period before they get fatigued (Millward). A good example of a branched chain amino acid is leucine. It is an essential amino acid, and this means that it must be ingested since the human body cannot synthesize it. When leucine metabolizes, it produces Hydroxy-methylbutyrate (HMB) as one of its metabolite. Though its actual effect has not been known, the metabolite, when used as a supplement, is said to improve cell integration and reduce muscle proteolysis (Maughan et al. 97). During prolonged and intense exercise, some cells of the immune system, for example macrophage, are likely to reduce. This cell reduction puts the athletes in danger of contracting illnesses that can be detrimental to their performance. However, the cells can be fueled using glutamine because it stimulates the synthesis of muscle glycogen. Ornithine, arginine, and lysine are used as supplements to help increase the lean body mass in athletes. The supplements do so by increasing the human growth hormone. High doses of the supplements have been found inefficient in increasing the lean muscle mass in athletes although they increase the circulation of the growth hormone. The above are the most common amino acids which are used as protein supplements to enhance sports performance. However, there are other amino acids which are used as supplements too but have not been mentioned. One such amino acid is tryptophan. This particular supplement helps in the formation of serotonin, a neurotransmitter of the brain that suppresses pain. Serotonin forms in the brain programming it to ignore pain. By using this as a supplement, athletes are able to endure pain for longer periods (Millward). The use of protein supplements to enhance sporting activities is a historical phenomenon that dates back to ancient Greece in the Olympics (Maughan et al. 27). Since athletes are always in pursuit of succeeding in their respective sports, they are required to train harder and more intensively, and for this reason, protein levels in their bodies need to be high. It is key to note that experts do not recommend the use of protein supplements as substitutes to protein diets. The optimum efficiency of the supplements is attained when the supplements are used alongside a healthy diet that is well balanced. Athletes should also consider the risks that a certain protein supplement may inflict on them. In any case, the athlete should ensure that the benefit of a supplement on their performance outweigh the risks of the supplement on their health and performance (Maughan et al. 31). Works Cited Karinch, Maryann. Diets Designed for Athletes. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2001. Print. Maughan, Ron J., Doug S. King, and Trevor Lea. "Dietary Supplements." Journal Of Sports Sciences 22.1 (2004): 95-113. SPORTDiscus with Full Text.Web. 1 Nov. 2012 Maughan, Ronald J., Frederic Depiesse, and Hans Geyer. "The Use Of Dietary Supplements By Athletes." Journal Of Sports Sciences 25.(2007): 103-113. SPORT Discus with Full Text. Web. 1 Nov. 2012 Millward, D. Joe. "Protein And Amino Acid Requirements Of Adults: Current Controversies." Canadian Journal Of Applied Physiology 26 (2001): S130-S140. SPORTDiscus with Full Text.Web. 1 Nov. 2012 Read More