New Supplement Report

During our last road trip to Rochester, NY I read the latest Sports Illustrated magazine and came across one the most disturbing articles about supplements in sport. I couldn't help but read it because of my profession and the current skepticism surrounding baseball players and their use of supplements. The article was titled "What you don't know might kill you- Supplements. Would be experts and untested products feed a $20 billion obsession with performance across all levels of sports". Of course the article mentions the recent recalling of Hydroxycut, but it also mentioned that in a 2007 study 25% of the 58 sports supplements tested in a certain study contained banned steroids or stimulants. Six years earlier a study found that 15% of the 634 supplements it examined would likely cause a an athlete to test positive. This really hit home for me as I deter and divert my guys from purchasing products in retail stores daily to prevent any risks of taking something that could cause a false positive or positive drug test. This supported information really scares me because purchasing supplements from GNC, Walmart, Vitamin World, or your local drug store has become hit or miss in relation drug testing. I guess its not that big of a deal for the weekend warrior or avid fitness person who aren't randomly subjected to testing. But its still something to worry about when discussing optimal health and longevity. So I believe that de-regulation of these products effect everybody to a certain degree.

On the positive, Michigan- based NSF International now screens supplements for MLB, the PGA, and the NFL, and marks those not containing banned substances with an NSF seal. Thank goodness!! However, only a dozen companies thus far have volunteered their products for certification, and NSF can only vouch for the specific batch it tests. This is supplement list that I use with my guys and I never deviate from this list when its time to purchase a specific ergonomic substance. The most reputable/ popular companies that are on the list are EAS, Gatorade, USANA, MRI, and Redbull America. BUT!! There is always a but! You can only purchase NSF certified products directly from the company and through a specific contact person. That's one thing that my guys misconstrue all the time. If they go in GNC and purchase EAS products, or to Sunoco and buy a case of Redbull, they assume its ok because EAS and Redbull America is on the NSF list. That's false. They must come to me so I can call EAS/Redbull to get the same product that was NSF tested and marked. NSF marked products are not in retail stores. That's why MLBPA has been so strict and frequent with testing because there is a list that all players, field staff, and medical support staff get from MLB to buy products that are safe. That eliminates excuses and scapegoats. If they deviate and purchase from somewhere else with knowledge of this list circulating through clubhouses, they get banged for negligence if nothing else.

Constant communication, and consistent updated education about optimal nutrition is something that I value and invest in throughout the season to maintain the safeness and integrity of all things ingested for competition.. Its a serious topic for me and obviously it affects all paradigms of recreation. Not just baseball or other professional sports.

Viewers!! Quick question??

What are you currently taking to supplement your diet??

Sports Illustrated. 2009. How It All Went Down. "What you don't know might kill you". pgs. 57-62.