Medical Question to a Doctor regarding Supplements.
Former Member
When competing last week in Hawaii, I read in the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper from Saturday May 18, in page A5, an advertisement promoting a product stimulating the release of the Human Growth Hormone by the body.
I read in it: "Practically EVERYONE over the age of 40 has a Growth Hormone deficiency.". I am age 43, and even though I trained more than ever for the past year, I swam slower in Hawaii in 100 free and 200 free than I did last year, which was slower than in 1998, which was slower than in 1996, which was slower than in 1994 when I peaked in yards competitions. Because of this, I kept reading:
by taking the product advertised in the newspaper "In the FIRST MONTH: You should expect: Improved stamina;...".
My question for a Medical Doctor familiar with competitions, regards one specific side effect of such a product, not approved by FDA. I remember reading in the Swimming World magazine in mid-90s, when Chinese Olympic swimmers were being caught on illegal products, that a possible side effect of Human Growth Hormone stimulants given to adults, was an increase of extremities like nose, hands, ears and forehead. A picture of the swimmer Massimiliano Rosolino (Ita.) who in the 2000SydneyOlympics won gold, silver and bronze medals, picture published in 2000 in www.nbcolympics.com, semmed to me to show the increase of the nose. www.nbcolympics.com didn't mean to imply anything like this, this is my interpretation of Rosolino's face. It is publicly documented now, that Rosolino took Human Growth Hormone stimulants before the Olympics.
My question is:
The product advertised in Honolulu Star Bulletin as being a Human Growth Hormone stimulant, does increase the nose?
If so, what safer supplements achieve "...improved stamina..."?
San Francisco Chronicle did mention once before the 2000Olympics, two Olympians who were achieving with legal supplements the outcome of illegal products.
Parents
Former Member
Hello Everyone!
There's a lot a fine advice to be taken here. I have the opportunity to professionally meet with, at times, with a registered dietician/nutritionist and have received some good advice. From what I've been able to find out, it seems that most of today's supplements are not a good substitute for a balanced diet, unless there is a medical reason to indicate otherwise. There's an old axiom, we are what we eat, and I would think that most of us here believe this to be very true. Coincidentally, there's a major article in the June 2002 issue of Consumer's Reports which discusses weight loss, nutrition, "fad" diets and more. The article is quite informative.
Many of todays supplements, along with the "10-minute abs" videos, electronic ab stimulators, the "Ab-Doer," ad nauseam, remind me of the old Sears catalogues of the early 20th century. There were pages upon pages of "patent medicines" and "remedies" that were sure to cure most any malady. I daresay that things 100 years later are not much different in this respect. I must confess that I do take a multiple vitamin, only because we have so much processed food which is available to us. Other than that, I've learned to stay away from the rest . . . including learning to do without caffeine ('cept chocolate!).
To sum up what everyone else has said here, a balanced diet, no dubious supplements (including illegal), plenty of rest and exercise is a lifestyle. All of us here already pretty much follow this lifestyle, but the point here is that risking one's health using some supplement is just not worth it.
Just sign me . . .
Mark in MD
Hello Everyone!
There's a lot a fine advice to be taken here. I have the opportunity to professionally meet with, at times, with a registered dietician/nutritionist and have received some good advice. From what I've been able to find out, it seems that most of today's supplements are not a good substitute for a balanced diet, unless there is a medical reason to indicate otherwise. There's an old axiom, we are what we eat, and I would think that most of us here believe this to be very true. Coincidentally, there's a major article in the June 2002 issue of Consumer's Reports which discusses weight loss, nutrition, "fad" diets and more. The article is quite informative.
Many of todays supplements, along with the "10-minute abs" videos, electronic ab stimulators, the "Ab-Doer," ad nauseam, remind me of the old Sears catalogues of the early 20th century. There were pages upon pages of "patent medicines" and "remedies" that were sure to cure most any malady. I daresay that things 100 years later are not much different in this respect. I must confess that I do take a multiple vitamin, only because we have so much processed food which is available to us. Other than that, I've learned to stay away from the rest . . . including learning to do without caffeine ('cept chocolate!).
To sum up what everyone else has said here, a balanced diet, no dubious supplements (including illegal), plenty of rest and exercise is a lifestyle. All of us here already pretty much follow this lifestyle, but the point here is that risking one's health using some supplement is just not worth it.
Just sign me . . .
Mark in MD
