What supplements ?

bristolpete

I 'think' I have a reasonable nutrition regime in place though typically there is room for betterment. However, went to the shop to stock up on my supplements the other day and sometimes the choice and advice both instore and in various mags and books can leave one bamboozled, skint and unsure.

I take a good multivitamin, a secondary vit b complex, magnesium citrate and an Omega 3 tab. I was advised to take Celardin instore to enhance elasticity but remain unsure. Used to take glucosamine/chondroitin but sort of fallen off my radar over the last year.

What if anything are others taking ?

My main issue with my riding is in my employment I stand up for 37.5 hours a week which can leave the legs heavy and tired - I have sports massage and hot/cold treatment as well as compression, but alas, nothing can solve down right tiredness before you ride. Oddly, spinning up actually helps them in the long run.

Anyway, as before, what are other folk taking. I cant seem to find EPO anywhere

Pseudonym

I'm not taking any. To be honest, if your diet is good, then you shouldn't really need any 'supplements' as such. My mum sent me some mutivitamins a few months ago. I gave them a try - didn't feel any better for taking them and didn't feel any worse when I stopped.

bristolpete

Pseudonym wrote:

I'm not taking any. To be honest, if your diet is good, then you shouldn't really need any 'supplements' as such. My mum sent me some mutivitamins a few months ago. I gave them a try - didn't feel any better for taking them and didn't feel any worse when I stopped.

Yeah thats the thing. Do they really work, hence citing mags and books. The magnesium helps absorb the nutrients so I am told. :?:

Pseudonym

Try not taking any for a while - see what happens. Unless you are actually identifiably 'deficient' in some mineral or other, I would doubt if they are doing you any good, although they're probably not doing you any harm either...

bristolpete

Pseudonym wrote:

Try not taking any for a while - see what happens. Unless you are actually identifiably 'deficient' in some mineral or other, I would doubt if they are doing you any good, although they're probably not doing you any harm either...

Yes, good point. How does one find out? I had an MOT at the Quacks and all bloods came back good - can that id mineral issues ? My brother who is a distance runner came out quite upset as anemic and really, really low on iron and has high blood pressure - though he is a politician so little wonder ! Now on meds and getting better, he looks a lot better already.

Eyorerox

Taking excessive vitamins maybe harmful there are no scientific studies which suggest you should take them
just people who want to make money from you start with this:-
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/7706 ... ealth.html

Slack

I just take a daily shot of Yakult, and when I remember a Vit A,C,E tab (just to compensate for the days when I don't eat any fruit/veg). Other than that, the supplement stuff doesn't make any difference; other than reducing the bank balance.

keef66

Just eat a healthy, balanced diet and you'll get all the micronutrients your body needs. I have read on more than one occasion that vitamins taken in tablet form are nowhere near as well absorbed as those in foodstuffs.

Cleat Eastwood

being a veggie I take iron and zinc - can notice a real difference if I stop. My bro isnt a veggie and took some and didnt notice a change. For me they do supplement my diet, but if you eat well, I guess theres no need.

t.m.h.n.e.t

A supplement is just that,not a replacement for a bad diet.

simon_e

Pseudonym wrote:

To be honest, if your diet is good, then you shouldn't really need any 'supplements' as such.

Spot on, but it's not the answer people crave (the easy one) or what the supplement companies want you to believe. Read http://cafevelo.blog.com/2012/02/08/84/ and scroll down to the bit titled 'What sports bars/gels and drinks do you think are best ?'

Slack wrote:

I just take a daily shot of Yakult, and when I remember a Vit A,C,E tab (just to compensate for the days when I don't eat any fruit/veg).

Yakult = overpriced, foul-tasting crap. Don't buy it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/ ... s-unproven
You don't need a vitamin tablet either, just eat real food. The body doesn't go into some deficient state and shrivel up if you don't manage to eat your cabbage one day :roll:
(though a day without any fruit or veg sounds like a piss-poor diet to me)

bristolpete

Simon E wrote:

Pseudonym wrote:

To be honest, if your diet is good, then you shouldn't really need any 'supplements' as such.

Spot on, but it's not the answer people crave (the easy one) or what the supplement companies want you to believe. Read http://cafevelo.blog.com/2012/02/08/84/ and scroll down to the bit titled 'What sports bars/gels and drinks do you think are best ?'

Slack wrote:

I just take a daily shot of Yakult, and when I remember a Vit A,C,E tab (just to compensate for the days when I don't eat any fruit/veg).

Yakult = overpriced, foul-tasting crap. Don't buy it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/ ... s-unproven
You don't need a vitamin tablet either, just eat real food. The body doesn't go into some deficient state and shrivel up if you don't manage to eat your cabbage one day :roll:
(though a day without any fruit or veg sounds like a piss-poor diet to me)

Of course, as I said, I take them alongside my diet but your advice is sound. This was a not a my diet is crap thread, more about asking what has been asked an answered. Ta.

simon_e

bristolpete wrote:

Of course, as I said, I take them alongside my diet but your advice is sound. This was a not a my diet is crap thread, more about asking what has been asked an answered. Ta.

Sorry, I didn't realise there was a quota of responses or that I had exceeded it.

bristolpete

Simon E wrote:

bristolpete wrote:

Of course, as I said, I take them alongside my diet but your advice is sound. This was a not a my diet is crap thread, more about asking what has been asked an answered. Ta.

Sorry, I didn't realise there was a quota of responses or that I had exceeded it.

No problem. Sorted. Just ate a banana, before that a pear. Happy days.

Slack

Phew, I just managed to eat one grape, so my diet is no longer 'piss-poor'

simon_e

Slack wrote:

Phew, I just managed to eat one grape, so my diet is no longer 'piss-poor'

Well done, keep it up... better still, have two tomorrow. Because you're worth it

I may have been a little blunt earlier. Didn't mean to offend anyone, just feel quite strongly that there's too much marketing BS around nutrition and that people are easily taken in by it (the marketing people are 'pressing the right buttons', so to speak and too few provide an alternative point of view).

Eyorerox

+1.

Pokerface

With a heavy training load and lots of racing, I take a wide variety of supplements - many on advice of the team doctor.

They each address specific deficiencies and/or aid in recovery/performance. I can notice a difference if I don't take them.

A healthy diet is great and everything - but I don't always have that luxury and need to rely on 'supplementary' help to get everything I need.

I just read an article that (I think) said a Tour de France rider takes something like 70+ pills a day to help them through the race. And they have their own chefs to prepare their meals every day!

bristolpete

Pokerface wrote:

With a heavy training load and lots of racing, I take a wide variety of supplements - many on advice of the team doctor.

They each address specific deficiencies and/or aid in recovery/performance. I can notice a difference if I don't take them.

A healthy diet is great and everything - but I don't always have that luxury and need to rely on 'supplementary' help to get everything I need.

I just read an article that (I think) said a Tour de France rider takes something like 70+ pills a day to help them through the race. And they have their own chefs to prepare their meals every day!

Cheers Colin. Was hoping to hear this from someone. The stuff I take is at the behest of my nutritionist too and I am far from doint Le Tour, just good stuff. I will chat to him though and see what we can change. Hope your training is going well.

Herbsman

If you can afford supplements then you can afford to eat properly. Only take supplements if you actually need them. This should be a decision made by a medical professional (and backed up by a second and possibly third opinion), not by 'health shop' staff who are paid to sell you supplements.

Pokerface wrote:

They each address specific deficiencies and/or aid in recovery/performance. I can notice a difference if I don't take them.

I'm sure you can, and I'm sure your team doctor is sound. I'm not trying to dismiss what you're saying - I'm just a low-ranking amateur racer and I'm certainly not a doctor. However, people 'notice a difference' when they take placebo pills. Is there an actual measureable effect as a result of you taking supplemets? If not, how can you be sure that they actually work?

Pokerface wrote:

I just read an article that (I think) said a Tour de France rider takes something like 70+ pills a day to help them through the race. And they have their own chefs to prepare their meals every day!

Can you link to that article please? Or perhaps break copyright laws and scan it and upload it somewhere? I've always been interested in pro cyclists' diets so would be intrigued.

Pokerface

I've search high and low for the article but so far can't find it. Probably because it was in a different language. (Use Google Translate to read it). But I'm certain of what I read.

I get all my supplements for free, so cost isn't the issue. Sometimes, to get the necessary amount of a certain vitamin, you'd have to eat a LOT of a food rich in that vitamin. If you start adding up all the different vitamins you want to get extra of - the amount of food you have to eat becomes prohibitive.

It's actually when I STOP taking something that I'll notice a drop off, not so much the boost I get when I start taking it.

End of day- if the docs and sports science people that watch over me recommend something, I have faith that there's a reason for it. I go on the the idea that 'it can't hurt and can only help'. The more of my competition that don't buy into supplements - the better as far as I'm concerned. I'll take any edge I can.

At our next training camp in a few weeks we're having a mini-seminar on supplements. Will be interesting to see what they say.

Lastly - the guys that provide many of my supplements prioritised what I should take. Telling me which was good to take and which I could skip 'if I was paying for it myself'. If free - they are all worth taking. If I had to pay, the benefit from some is so small as to not make them worth paying for.

Some interesting honesty from a supplement seller!

If I can track down the article on TOur riders I'll post the link. It was from my Twitter feed so am trying to find it there.

Herbsman

How can average Joe/Jane determine whether he or she would benefit from supplementation or not? Ask for a blood test at their GP?

Pokerface

Herbsman wrote:

How can average Joe/Jane determine whether he or she would benefit from supplementation or not? Ask for a blood test at their GP?

That's an excellent question. If you suspect any deficiencies - a blood test is the best place to start. (For instance, my blood work showed poor iron and low vit D). After that you can do a little bit of research and find out which supplements provide the best bang for the buck. I suppose it depends on what your goals are (improve endurance, VO2, recovery, etc).

The tricky bit will always be conflicting 'studies' that show various supplements either work or don't work! :oops:

Herbsman

I suspect low vitamin D myself as I work in an office in which the people in charge put their computer screens facing the only window. The only way to stop themselves being blinded by the reflection of the sun is to close the blinds, making us work in dim artificial light for 9 hours a day.

Might go for another blood test soon but want to register with a different doctor first - mine told me to give up cycling when I went to him about my back.

trickydisco

Check out what shane perkins takes




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8H6fU9VNgQ

simon_e

trickydisco wrote:

Check out what shane perkins takes

That may be entirely appropriate for the world keirin champ during intense training when he requires 5,000 calories per day, but that doesn't mean all that stuff is required for yer average MAMIL or someone trying to crack 25mins for a club '10'.

Ditto comments by the forum's own champion. What Colin needs when training is not the same is what I need for commuting and my lightweight training sessions.

trickydisco

That may be entirely appropriate for the world keirin champ during intense training when he requires 5,000 calories per day, but that doesn't mean all that stuff is required for yer average MAMIL or someone trying to crack 25mins for a club '10'.

Does it say anywhere in my post that this is appropriate?

I was merely pointing out what a world class athlete takes

simon_e

trickydisco wrote:

I was merely pointing out what a world class athlete takes

And the purpose of stating it?

:roll:

EleventhSprocket

Simon E wrote:

trickydisco wrote:

I was merely pointing out what a world class athlete takes

And the purpose of stating it?

:roll:

Maybe because this thread is regarding supplements? So the above post regarding an athlete's supplement intake is related to this thread.

It's probably no more than your average gym go-er aspiring to be the next Mr Universe takes. I agree with much of the above, a lot of people are guilty of giving in to marketing hype. I don't see any harm in taking a multi vitamin tablet. but as amateurs (myself included) we should get our basic diet right first, before supplementing it.

trickydisco

Simon E wrote:

trickydisco wrote:

I was merely pointing out what a world class athlete takes

And the purpose of stating it?

:roll:

:shock:

er.. because the thread is about supplements? :!: :!:

moscowflyer

I take;

One multivit
5 x fish oil tablets
1 x B12 tablet
2 x Green tea extract tablets

Do they work? Er, dunno in a matter of fact way of speaking, but in the month I've been taking these I've actually started feeling a LOT chirpier and all round healthier. If it's anything then I'd say it's the Green Tea extract but whatever it is, I have noticed a positive change.