The international society of sports nutrition (ISSN) conference was held recently in Delray Beach FL, and yours truly always attends if possible.
Some readers may have heard of the Enhanced Games, but for those who have not; the Enhanced Games are just as it sounds, athletes being able to use PED’s – under medical supervision – to enhance their performance versus sneaking around and pretending they are not. My idea for how to approach that issue (drug use in sports) and end drug testing in a smart way can be found in a vid HERE if interested.
Dr Sagner Covers Basics of AAS
The entire topic of drug use in sports is well beyond the scope of this article. While the ISSN conference normally covers more “natural” performance enhancers (e.g., nutritional supplements, dietary strategies, training strategies, etc.) a Dr Michael Sagner, MD gave a lecture on protocols used by athletes and what they recommend, how they closely monitor their health, and other related topics. Fact is, drug use in high level sports is essentially universal, and a topic I have been covering for decades. I do recommend people interested in the topic check out the Enhanced Games site. Dr. Sagner was very comprehensive where he could be, but also could not give specifics on the protocols utilized for obvious reasons. It will be interesting to see how this new approach to breaking records develops in our modern times! The taboo over honest discussion of PEDs in sports may finally be coming to an end, which will only favor the health and performance of the athletes, as well as remove the hypocritical aspects the public endures.
People often wonder where scientists, nutritionists interested in sports nutri and supplements, wise guy science writers like me, and interested trainers go to learn the latest science. ISSN is always a must attend for getting first sight of what’s right around the corner for “cutting edge” knowledge in the sports nutrition arena. The ‘net has its place and uses for dissemination of information, but if you really want to know what’s happening before everyone else does, attend conferences. This years conference covered a wide range of subjects. Here’s a sample of I found interesting.
The other presentations covered a wide swath of topic of value to athletes, coaches, scientists and trainers. For example, bone density and bone health is a major issue facing some female athletes in particular. A Dr. Jen Fields gave a talk on “Nutritional Strategies for Optimizing Bone Health in Female Athletes” which could help female athletes reduce rates of injury or prevent bone loss over time. She stressed early intervention in younger female athletes was essential for long term success in avoiding bone loss. Dr. Doug Kalman gave a lectured entitled “Which Muscle Building Supplements Work?” and covered the hierarchy of evidence, or lack thereof in some cases, that supports many of the most common and popular supplements. Think of how much wasted time and money you could save had you attended that talk? A Dr. Jennifer Kurtz PhD covered the latest studies on the supplement Quercetin. While Quercetin has been around a long time, it’s one of the most wide-ranging compounds on the market, many of the effects and benefits still being elucidated. Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid sold as a supplement, also found in onions, apples, berries, tea, and capers in varying amounts. Studies suggest a range of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and cardiometabolic benefits. Some specific benefits may be Enhanced insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake via AMPK activation. Anti diabetic drugs such as Metformin (Glucophage) works via AMPK activation for example albeit through a different mechanism. Possible drawback of Quercetin people should be aware of, is due to its mechanisms of being an inhibitor of Cytochrome enzyme CYP3A4, it may alter metabolism of some drugs such as anti-biotics (e.g., cyclosporine) and others. There’s more research to be done with Quercetin, but it continues to show promise and new benefits in a wide range of uses.
Conclusion.
That above is just a quick summary of some of the lectures I attended as press and recommend attending next years conference. Besides the lectures, there’s meeting up with like-minded people and networking, poster sessions (where people post research they have conducted and answer Qs about it) as well as corporate sponsorship opportunities.
Will Brink is the owner of the Brinkzone Blog. Will has over 30 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
He’s also been published in peer reviewed journals.
Will is the author of the popular e-books, both accompanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.
You can also buy Will’s other books on Amazon, Apple iBook, and Barnes and Noble.
