Natural Alternatives to Performance Enhancing Drugs
Needless to say this week has been full of discoveries and disappointments regarding Lance Armstrong and the world of cycling. To say that there was an awareness of performance enhancing drugs (PEDS) influencing the race results of the Tour de France is an understatement; however, to the extent that past racers and champions have admitted to using PEDS (both regarding the type and amounts) is frightening. Since the news about Lance began to break, my phone has been ringing nonstop about what PEDS are and what they really do. With this in mind, I thought I would provide a recap of the most popular PEDS and how you can get the same performance results in a healthy and natural way.
Note: Your body produces these substances naturally in the body, the key to optimum health and performance is to maintain a high quality & quantity of healthy blood through clean eating and controlled training efforts.
Drug: Erythropoietin (pronounced, ah-rith-ro-poy-tin, and abbreviated, EPO)
Source: click here
What EPO Does Within the Body
Erythropoietin (pronounced, ah-rith-ro-poy-tin, and abbreviated, EPO) is a relatively recent entry into the deceitful pursuit of glory. EPO is a protein hormone produced by the kidney. After being released into the blood stream it binds with receptors in the bone marrow, where it stimulates the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes). Medically, EPO is used to treat certain forms of anemia (e.g., due to chronic kidney failure). Logically, since EPO accelerates erythrocyte production it also increases oxygen carrying capacity.
Side Effects of EPO: Death
In the 1990s, there was a spate of sudden deaths associated within the cycling world associated with EPO: Marco Ceriani (16 years old), Johan Sermon (21 YO), Fabrice Salanson (23 YO), Marco Rusconi (24 YO), Jose Maria Jimenez (32), Denis Zanette (32 YO), Marco Pantani (34 YO), Michel Zanoli (35 YO). This negative publicity was at least part of the reason for the clamping down on EPO use, which was rampant at the time. Source: click here
The reason that EPO, and transfusion blood doping, is dangerous is because of increased blood viscosity. Basically, whole blood consists of red blood cells and plasma (water, proteins, etc.). The percentage of whole blood that is occupied by the red blood cells is referred to as, the hematocrit. A low hematocrit means dilute (thin) blood, and a high hematocrit mean concentrated (thick) blood. Above a certain hematocrit level whole blood can sludge and clog capillaries. If this happens in the brain it results in a stroke. In the heart, a heart attack. Unfortunately, this has happened to several elite athletes who have used EPO. Source: click here
EPO use is especially dangerous to athletes who exercise over prolonged periods. A well-conditioned endurance athlete is more dehydration resistant than a sedentary individual. The body accomplishes this by several methods, but one key component is to “hold on” to more water at rest. Circulating whole blood is one location in which this occurs and, thus, can function as a water reservoir. During demanding exercise, as fluid losses mount, water is shifted out of the blood stream (hematocrit rises). If one is already starting with an artificially elevated hematocrit then you can begin to see the problem — it is a short trip to the critical “sludge zone”.
Additional dangers of EPO include sudden death during sleep, which has killed approximately 18 pro cyclists in the past fifteen years, and the development of antibodies directed against EPO. In this later circumstance the individual develops anemia as a result of the body’s reaction against repeated EPO injections.
There are some other reasons why cyclists might be predisposed to sudden death – riding at high intensities when carrying viral infections (as pro athletes tend to do) is one of them. And, as Ryan Shay, and a number of other high profile cases have shown recently, sudden death is a tragic, but not completely uncommon event. There are reports that Nolf’s cardiogram was normal, but even that are not a guarantee of health, because those tests can often miss the quite rare conditions that cause sudden death in athletes. Source: click here
How to improve the quality & production of red blood cells naturally
With a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein sources, your body will produce the blood chemistry necessary to perform at an elite level. Determining the optimal amount of protein, carbohydrates and fats that an individual needs for optimal health and performance is beyond the scope of this article; however, I want you to know how to create healthy red blood cells.
Natural Eating Solution: eat high quality protein along with high quality brown bread with real butter. The protein will provide your body with iron (helps form hemoglobin which carries oxygen in the bloodstream from the lungs to the muscles & brain) and the brown bread will provide you B vitamins (also referred to as Energy Vitamins). An additional benefit of eating protein and brown bread is that the bread with improve your absorption of the iron.
Drug: Human Growth Hormone (hGH)
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What HGH Does Within the Body
hGH is stored in a pea sized ball called the pituitary gland and is the primary stimulus to muscle & muscle strength, bone growth & bone strength, tendon growth & tendon strength, injury repair and mobilization of body fat for use as energy.
Warning: this gets technical, but necessary to fully understand this process.
The key to overall health and performance is to stimulate your own production of growth hormone and you accomplish this by stimulating the pituitary gland correctly. The pituitary is stimulated to release growth hormone by another hormone circulation in the brain called somatocrinin. Levels of somatocrinin can be increased by increasing levels of brain neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are the chemicals that carry information from one nerve to another. Their activity constitutes your mind, your consciousness and dreams. To increase neurotransmitters, you have to get the amino acids that influence them past what is called the blood-brain barrier. This concept is beyond the scope of this article, but what needs to be discussed here is an amino acid, Tryptophan, which is a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is a compound that slows down brain activity during rest & sleep. Shortly after you fall asleep, your pituitary gland releases a burst of growth hormone. Source: Optimum Sports Nutrition, Dr. Michael Colgan.
Side Effects of Synthetic hGH
External side effects of synthetic hGH include: intense wrist nerve pain, diabetes, overgrowth of the facial bones, gaps between the teeth as the jawbone widens, development of a fatter nose, thickened bone above the eyes resembling an ape and excessive hair growth. Internal side effects include stressed liver, thyroid & pancreas symptoms, diabetes and historically die prior to the age of 60.
How to improve the production of hGH naturally
As mentioned above, the largest growth homone release occurs 30-60 minutes after falling asleep along with high intensity exercise (within moderate volume levels). To take advantage of these normal physiological functions, racers need to increase the duration and quality of sleep and monitor exercise durations and intensity levels. Ideally, racers should train twice daily, mid morning and early afternoon and take a nap immediately after training. Remember, each time you rest, your body receives a burst of growth hormone naturally.
Natural Eating Solution: consume a high quality smoothie that contains a high quality whey protein prior to sleeping and napping. Research has shown that the production of hGH can improve by up to 300% when high quality whey protein is consumed before resting.
Drug: Testosterone
What Testosterone Does Within the Body
Testosterone has two distinct modes of action, androgenic (masculinizing) and anabolic (tissue building). Up to a certain level of testosterone in your body, a level that varies widely with biochemical individualitiy, the androgenic action produces more maleness, broader features, more hair, deeper voice, and larger sex organs. Along with it, the anabolic action produces larger muscles and greater strength.
Side Effects of Synthetic or Excessive Testosterone
If you take synthetic or excessive testosterone, the androgenic action turns nasty (aggression, violent anxiety, paranoia and manic-depressive reactions). Additional negative side effects are irreversible baldness, overgrowth of the prostate, (which chokes the bladder and requires a catheter in order to urinate), acne (the blood fails to contain the excess hormone and overloads the sebaceous glands), impotence, shrinkage of testicles, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
How to improve the production of testosterone naturally
Sleep 8-10 hours; eat high quality fruits, vegetables and high quality protein. Control your exercise intensity & volume to avoid over stressing your body.
Natural Eating Solution: eat foods that are high in boron, zinc, vitamin C, branched chain amino acids and maximize the release of growth hormone.
Coach Robb has been working with riders & racers for the last 25 years and is the founder of the Complete Racing Solutions Performance Program & Nutritionally Green Supplements based in Orlando Florida. He has contributed to publications such as Vurbmoto.com, Racer X, FLMX, FTR Magazine and is a regular contributor to RacerX online, RacerXVT, Vurbmoto and various racing websites. Robb can also be heard on the monthly radio show DMXS answering listener’s questions about nutrition & fitness. CompleteRacingSolutions.com is a premium resource center for motocross, supercross and GNCC riders of all abilities and ages. The website outlines the training solutions used with great success by Factory Kawasaki/Pro-Circuit’s Adam Cianciarulo, Broc Tickle, Darryn Durham; Factory, Factory Honda’s Ashley Fiolek, Thor’s Jordan Bailey, Factory JGR/Yamaha’s Jon Jon Ames, Factory KTM Off Road Charlie Mullins & Yamaha’s Roman Brown. Instructional videos with Coach Robb can be found on the Coach Robb’s Youtube Channel addressing rider’s questions about speed, endurance, strength nutrition, biomechanics, and stretching and soft tissue maintenance. Please visit CompleteRacingSolutions.com to subscribe to his newsletter and learn more about various resources for riders. You can follow him on Twitter: @MotoCoachRobb and on Facebook: Coach Robb.
