Muscle Building and Performance Enhancing Supplements Could Be The Game Changer

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Introduction:

You train 5 to 6 days per week, participating in intermittent high-intensity exercise for as long as 2 to 3 hours per day or more. Every athlete who makes it to the professional level is talented, it would be wise to consider taking effective supplements to give you an edge and maximize your ability to perform. Even the slightest improvements in your performance could change the energy of the game in your teams favor. A little more energy or power could help you out rebound your opponent and/or sprint or cut quicker to the basket to score the winning shot for your team. Performance supplements could be the your game changer. If we use the metaphor your body is like a Ferrari, taking performance enhancing supplements is like putting the finishing touches on your Ferrari.

As we discussed in the previous post, nutritional erogenic aids such as creatine, can help you meet your health and performance goals. In this blog we will discuss other effective supplements that can help improve your basketball performance. We will discuss B-alanine, caffeine, and sodium bicarbonate nutritional supplements.

Beta-alanine

How does the supplement work?

It plays a role in carnosine synthesis.1 Carnosine is a compound comprised of two amino acids, histidine and beta-alanine. 1 Remember amino acids are the building blocks for muscles. Therefore these amino acids are found naturally in skeletal muscle. Ingesting beta-alanine increases carnosine levels in the muscle.1 It is the rate-limiting precursor for carnosine. Carnosine acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that seek and protect your cells from free radicals and thereby reduce oxidative stress. Ultimately reducing acid (H+) accumulation and increasing muscle buffering during activities requiring the glycolytic anaerobic energy system.1 It is most beneficial for training during activities ranging from 2 to 4 minutes, which are typically limited by acid (H+) accumulation (acidosis).1 Why is this supplement recommended?

The evidence demonstrates it can improve anaerobic and aerobic performance and total amount of work performed by delaying neuromuscular fatigue, increasing strength and power.1 Depending on your coaches game day rotation, you may be in the game for 4 minute increments. The more you can do in those minutes, the better for you and your team.

How much / how often should the supplement be taken?

Recommend: 4 to 6 grams divided into doses of 1.6 grams throughout the day. Taking it for a minimum of 4 weeks or 28 days or more has been proven to be effective in increasing carosine levels. Intaking it daily has been shown to improve exercise lasting 60 seconds to 4 minutes in duration.

Concerns or any other points worth mentioning?

Be sure to divide the doses into 1.6 grams or less to decrease risk of side effects such as tingling of the skin.1 Individuals taking single large dosages have reported tingling in the face, neck, back and hands.1

Caffeine

How does the supplement "work"?

Caffeine is a naturally derived stimulant.1,3 It can be found in many nutritional supplements such as energy drinks and pre-workout supplements, as well as in naturally in coffee, tea, and chocolate. Caffeine is a strong cardiovascular stimulant that increases epinephrine output. 3 Epinephrine is a neurotransmitter that improves your body's ability to use fat as fuel for activity and increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate in preparation for activity.1,2,3

Why is this supplement recommended?

It has shown to be an effective for improving aerobic and anaerobic exercise; as well as; assisting with body fat loss.1,2 Therefore, if you have goals to change your body composition and improve your performance this supplement can help you do both! It has been reported to improve speed, peak power, and mean power.1 It spares muscle glycogen by using body fat as energy and ultimately increases exercise capacity. 1,2

One study specifically using athletes participating in intermittent exercise sports like basketball, demonstrated it can improve repeated sprint performance.4 Therefore, it can help you keep up when there are repeated fast breaks and help you keep pushing the ball up the floor to out run the other team.

How much / how often should the supplement be taken?

Recommended: 3-6 mg/kg no more than 9 mg/kg per day.1 Caffeine works better when consumed in an anhydrous state as compared to drinking it in drinks such as coffee.1

Refrain from caffeine ingestion for 5-7 days prior to an event. This will increases its effectiveness on game day. 1

Concerns or any other points worth mentioning?

Research suggests it can help enhance alertness during prolonged exhaustive exercise and activities when a person is sleep deprived.1,2 This may prove to be beneficial during back to back games when there is very little turn around time between games and for away games when you may be experiencing jet lag.

It is also important to note that caffeine doses above 9mg/kg or perhaps lower in individuals who do not metabolize caffeine well could result in urinary caffeine levels that surpass the threshold set by some sport organizations like the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Olympic games are this year! The IOC now has a caffeine limitation of 12-15 mcg/L of caffeine in the urine. 1 This is equivalent to approximately 1,000 mg of caffeine/hour or drinking approximately 6-8 cups of coffee consumed within about 1 hour.

Sodium Bicarbonate

How does the supplement work?

During high intensity activities, acid (H+) and carbon dioxide (CO2) build up in the muscle and blood.1 The bicarbonate system helps the body rid itself of the acid and CO2 build up.1 It does this by converting it into bicarbonate and then removing when we breath out.1 Ingesting sodium bicarbonate has been demonstrated to be an effective way to buffer acidity during high-intensity exercise lasting between 60 to 180 seconds.

Why is this supplement recommended?

It has been demonstrated to improve total work and peak power, exercise capacity, intermittent running performance and reduce perceived exertion in male team-sports athletes, like basketball.1 A specific study involving basketball players resulted in improved repeated sprint and jump performance during competition.5 The athletes withstood a greater practice training load without any reported gastrointestinal side effects.5

How much / how often should the supplement be taken?

Sodium bicarbonate loading (0.3 grams/kg taken 60-90 minutes prior to exercise OR 5 grams taken twice per day for 5 days OR 0.4 grams/kg divided into 3 doses/day for 3 days) have all been demonstrated to be effective for it's erogenic benefits.

Concerns or any other points worth mentioning?

Combining sodium bicarbonate (300 - 500mg/kg) with B-alanine and caffeine may have a synergistic effect; however, more research is needed to confirm. Nonetheless, taking these supplements together is something to consider.

Side effects of intaking sodium bicarbonate include stomach bloating and/or GI distress.1 I do not recommend trying out this supplement on game day. Give it a trial run during training to determine your tolerance.

Conclusion

Beta alanine has been proven to increase strength, power, and high-intensity exercise capacity. Intaking 4 to 6 grams/day for 28 days at minimum is recommended.

Caffeine is effective in improve body fat loss and improving speed and power with doses 3-6 mg/kg/day no more than 9 mg/kg/day. Sodium bicarbonate intake (0.3-0.4 grams/kg taken 60-90 minutes prior to exercise OR throughout the day in divided into 3 doses OR 5 grams taken twice per day for 3 to 5 days) prior to an event has been demonstrated to be effective for erogenic benefits. Choose whichever one of these dosing schedules that is the most convenient for you, Sodium bicarbonate has been shown to be an effective way to buffer muscle and blood acidity during one to three minute high-intensity exercise. Consuming these three supplements daily, along with creatine and eating a well-balanced, nutrient-dense diet is a great way to improve your health and performance.

References

1. Kreider, R. B. (2019). Essentials of exercise and sport nutrition: Science to practice. Raleigh, NC: Lulu.

2. Rosenbloom, C. A. (2012). Sports nutrition: A practice manual for professionals. E. J. Coleman (Ed.). Chicago, IL: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

3. Campbell, B., Wilborn, C., La Bounty, P., Taylor, L., Nelson, M. T., Greenwood, M., ... & Schmitz, S. (2013). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: energy drinks. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 10(1), 1.

4. Carr, A., Dawson, B., Schneiker, K., Goodman, C., & Lay, B. (2008). Effect of caffeine supplementation on repeated sprint running performance. Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 48(4), 472.

5. Delextrat, A., Mackessy, S., Arceo-Rendon, L., Scanlan, A., Ramsbottom, R., & Calleja-Gonzalez, J. (2018). Effects of three-day serial sodium bicarbonate loading on performance and physiological parameters during a simulated basketball test in female university players. International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism, 28(5), 547-552.