Written by:Eric Brand
Published on January 24th, 2011 @ 11:58:00 am
Posted in Eric Brand's Blog
Last weekend the internet was abuzz with articles about NFL players using velvet antler (Lu Rong) to enhance athletic performance. Apparently the antler contains naturally-occurring IGF-1, a performance-enhancing substance that is banned unless it comes from a natural source like deer antler. It appears to be difficult to detect and contentious to ban, and the head coach of the Oakland Raiders has been linked to a company that ships it to players.
...
As with many substances that have been studied for athletic performance, scientific studies on velvet antler are contradictory. A variety of Chinese herbs are famous for their ability to improve athletic performance, and despite mixed results in various clinical trials, the demand for herbs that provide athletic enhancement is enormous. A free full-text review article at this link covers an overview of a variety of substances, many of which are found in Chinese medicine. Of particular interest is rhodiola (Hong Jing Tian), cordyceps (Dong Chong Xia Cao), eleuthero (Ci Wu Jia), and of course, the most famous and well-studied herb for athletic performance, ginseng (Ren Shen). The link has a particularly interesting chart that assesses a wide range of studies on ginseng in the context of athletic performance. Another full-text article on cordyceps and its ability to counter fatigue can be found here.
Many of the herbal products used for athletic performance have systemic benefits to the body, and many are called adaptogens because they tend to enhance performance across a wide range of test parameters. Each tends to have its own claim to fame; for example, rhodiola is prized for altitude sickness and cordyceps is prized for its effects on the immune system. Recently, we began to expand the range of herbal products offered at Blue Poppy with the addition of the People’s Herbs Empowered Extract line. A number of the products from the Empowered line fit the bill for athletic enhancement, including the Five Ginsengs Formula, Boost Essence, Five Mushroom Formula, and Empowered Eleuthero. Additionally, the Blue Poppy Originals formula Immortal Qi is very popular with athletes, and combines rhodiola and cordyceps in a base formula similar to a combination of Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and Sheng Mai San. Try it when you need that extra boost!
**article found by Amy Dickinson, Lc. A
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
A healthy body is important to every athlete. Maintaining a healthy body is never easy, considering all the stress, pollution, and even chemicals used in processed food, as well as in other supplements taken by athletes. The best way to be healthy is to consider going green, such as opting for herbal products which are guaranteed to have no side effects. Natural is always better than artificial!
ReplyDelete-Katelin Mccaig