Sports Supplements that are Clinically Proven to Work

Athletes may ask about the value of certain supplements to enhance performance or gain muscle strength, but many supplements have more hype than science to support their use. While whey protein in shakes to replace protein loss during workouts is common, creatine, L-glutamine, ornithine and arginine also top the list of legitimate sports supplements. 

Creatine leads to an increase in muscle mass which is thought to occur from increased protein synthesis, this allows athletes to train harder as there is increased energy available for muscle contraction, promoting strength gain.  Creatine can also preserve strength as athletes age, keeping them functional longer. A loading dose of creatine monohydrate crystals is 20-25 grams per day for the first week, and than 10 grams per day for maintenance. 

 L-glutamine has been shown to decrease muscle breakdown during workouts and also reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infections by providing fuel for immune cells.  Optimal dosage of L-glutamine is 1,000 – 2,000 mg per day.

Ornithine and arginine are amino acids that have been shown to increase the release of growth hormone.  As we age, growth hormone declines, facilitating breakdown of lean muscle and bone mass.  Supplementing with arginine and ornithine may not only enhance muscle mass and strength gains, but as it elevates metabolism, it can help reduce body fat too.  Recommended dosage is 500 mg twice a day for five days a week.

So to maximize your athletic performance, consider using creatine monohydrate, L-glutamine, ornithine and arginine at these clinically proven dosages stirred into a glass of juice on an empty stomach.  Happy training!

Author:  James Meschino, DC, MS, ND; Dynamic Chiropractic

Laser Therapy for Shoulder Impingement

A 2011 study published in Clinical Rheumatology compared the traditional treatment of exercise for impingement syndrome of the shoulder to exercise with the addition of low level laser therapy.  Research has shown low level laser therapy to be beneficial in accelerating tissue repair by increasing fibroblast formation and circulation, while also decreasing inflammation and pain.

80 patients were divided into two groups; with neither the participant nor therapist knowing which patients were receiving laser therapy or sham laser.  Treatment consisted of 10 sessions over two weeks.  The intervention group showed significant improvement in both pain and increased range of motion than the exercise group alone.  The results were further strengthened as the same therapist performed all the treatment, eliminating practitioner bias. 

One weakness of the study was that the study did not differentiate only impingement syndrome, but rather lumped it with biceps tendonitis and other rotator cuff pathologies as they commonly occur together.   Strengths of the study were not only the large research group and “gold standard” of being double blinded and randomized, but that the low level laser improved the pain and range of motion, regardless of the underlying musculoskeletal condition.