Benji Marshall – The Messi of Rugby!

 

I Can Keep Fasting In Ramadan Even When I Am Playing – Fredi Kanoute

Fredi explains how he makes the seemingly impossible a reality during a certain month each year…

24 Aug 2009 09:00:00

To be tremendously fit is a must for all professional footballers: a demand that leads some Muslim players to forgo the duty of fasting during Ramadan, preferring to fulfill their obligation when the football season ends. However, for Sevilla’s Freddie Kanoute, this is not the case.

The former Tottenham Hotspur striker believes it is possible for a modern footballer to remain in peak physical condition during the holy month.

The likes of Kanoute, along with Real Madrid’s Mahamadou Diarra, Lassana Diarra, and Karim Benzema, are the talk of football world as doctors work around the clock to formulate a routine in order to keep them hydrated during the fasting process.

And as Spanish tabloids splash headlines about the fasting month and debates rage about whether players should even be allowed to fast and play during Ramadan – Kanoute insists he just wants to get on with it.

“I try to respect my faith and follow it as best I can,” Kanoute told Goal.com.

“It is sometimes harder to keep the fast because here in the south of Spain it is very hot, but I can do it, thank God.

“There are many Muslim footballers who people just do not know about in England in Spain, France and in many other leagues too. But having faith and practicing Ramadan is not something they wish to tell the world about.

“Personally, having faith helps my football and football helps me to be healthy and strengthens me. There is no conflict because people who know about Islam, they know that fasting empowers and does not weaken the Muslim.”

While Barcelona’s fans are wondering if the likes of  Eric Abidal, Seydou Keita and Yaya Toure – all Muslims – will be fasting, Real Madrid fans know of the importance their Muslim players – especially Mahamadou Diarra – place in their religion and his traditions.

Respect | Mahamadou Diarra

“Every coach has respected my decision,” says Diarra on his Real Madrid profile page.

“They are difficult days during which one needs to eat, but it only lasts one month. I have another ten to play well.”

The Sevilla and Real Madrid players stance on Ramadan is shared by eminent specialist – Doctor Yacine Zerguni, a member of the FIFA and CAF Sports Medical Committees.

Zerguni collaborated with F-marc, the FIFA Medical Assessment and Research Centre, in a study on the effects of observing Ramadan for Muslim players: two professional football clubs in Algeria agreed to undergo biological, clinical and psychological tests before, during and after the month of Ramadan.

The study constituted a world first in this particular area and formed the foundations for scientific analysis of the potential impact of Ramadan on player performance.

“This month of physical and mental self discipline, which must also be free from any unhealthy or aggressive behaviour,” Zerguni told Goal.com, when asked if Ramadan was compatible with the practice of top-level football.

“Ramadan is intended be a period of internal purification and meditation; a period of regeneration. It is far from harmful. Indeed, the psychological study of the personality formed an integral part of our research project.

“

Ramadan is intended be a period of internal purification and meditation; a period of regeneration. It is far from harmful.

“

“And although many players who were tested could not adapt to playing whilst fasting, one has to remember that it is highly likely that the effects of Ramadan are also linked to the spiritual qualities and physical capabilities of each athlete.

“Therefore certain players who continuously observe Ramadan when playing: their body can adapt because they are used to it – but many players can get tired. Players will have to work on effective pre- and post-match routines that will help them conserve energy and strength.”

Making a difference | Kanoute

Both Mahamadou Diarra and Kanoute place particular emphasis on the charity work during Ramadan. They donate a large portion of their earnings to charities in Mali with the hope of building a better future for their fellow citizens.

For Kanoute, a chance to “make a difference during Ramadan” is something very close to his heart.

“During Ramadan I give my all for my club and try not to let my team-mates and the fans down,” he continued. “Everyone here has been very good to me and they understand. They also understand that during Ramadan you have a chance to reach out to those in need.

“For me, my charity is very important. I wanted to help with charity work for some time and a few years ago I went ahead with it and The Mali Children’s Village cares for orphaned and vulnerable children. There is a very big need to work with children here, especially orphans.

“My father was born a Muslim but as an orphan, he didn’t really know a lot about it, but he did try to teach me a few things. Children are our future and we should always try to ensure they are safe and have a good upbringing.”

Mohammed Bhana, Goal.com

For more information on Freddie Kanoute’s charity, head to www.developmenttrust.com.

 

Barca win the Treble!

Manchester United failed to retain their UEFA Champions League crown as Barcelona claimed Europe’s top club prize with a 2-0 win in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

United started the final brightly but were stunned on 10 minutes when Samuel Eto’o skipped into the box and poked the ball past Edwin van der Sar.

Barca almost doubled their lead just after the break when Xavi smashed his free-kick of Van der Sar’s post – but the Catalan giants did not have long to wait for their second.

Brilliant work from Xavi on the right saw him pick out Lionel Messi with a sublime cross and the Argentine superstar rose unmarked to head home from eight-yards – his first ever goal against English opposition.

The defending champions were left shell-shocked as Barca played out time in the Eternal City and sealed their third European title.

The shape of the contest might have been so different had Park Ji-sung been

able to snaffle the rebound after Victor Valdes had failed to hold a stinging Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick. Instead, former United man Gerard Pique shot across to block what proved to be his old club’s best opportunity of that opening period.

Like his team, Ronaldo was clearly in the ascendancy in his personal duel with

Messi.

Eto’o opener

How rapidly things changed. In the twinkling of an eye Andres Iniesta, one of the brightest starts in the Barcelona firmament, slipped a pass to Eto’o.

The Cameroon striker cut inside Nemanja Vidic, then held off Michael Carrick as he prodded the ball goalward with enough strength to take it past Van der Sar.

Suddenly the strategy of containment and hitting at pace on the counter-attack suggested by the inclusion of Park and the exclusion of Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov did not look such a good idea.

Ferguson’s team shot across the pitch, able to do little more than firefight as Messi, Iniesta and Xavi lit bonfires all around.

Had a Messi flick found Eto’o in the area, it would have probably brought Barcelona’s second. Rio Ferdinand’s agility saved his team. Xavi curled a free-kick just wide, Vidic pumped the ball away after Van der Sar had failed to hold a cross shot, the slick passing wearing United down all the while.

The arrival of Tevez at half-time had to come, and with it a more overtly

offensive approach.

Yet in taking such bold action, Ferguson knew he was playing right into

Barcelona’s hands. Xavi picked out Thierry Henry with a brilliant pass. The former Arsenal star cut inside Ferdinand with ease but could not find the finish, a similar mistake to the one that proved so costly for Arsenal in Paris three years ago.

When Xavi saw his free-kick come thumping back off a post, memories of 1999 and the mauling United nearly took at the hands of Bayern Munich sprang to mind.

Yet this was different. Ferguson’s team were poor until the unforgettable ending. This time they were simply ripped apart by the only team on the planet who can match them.

The introduction of Berbatov midway through the second half was effectively Ferguson throwing his book of tactics out of the window and not worry about the consequences if it all went wrong.

All over

Sadly it did. Quite quickly as Xavi’s curling cross dropped perfectly for Messi, who guided his header over Van der Sar.

Ronaldo’s world player of the year crown was slipping and Valdes managed to get in the way of a close-range effort that would have given United some hope, as would the volley from Berbatov that followed.

Berbatov had another chance too, although by then Carles Puyol had seen two efforts saved by Van der Sar.

In truth, the Dutchman was his side’s best player, which just about says it all.

 

Performance enhancement in sports using supplements and nutraceuticals

Our Pharmacognosy project 2009 on Performance enhancement in sports using supplements and nutraceuticals

The use of ergogenic products to increase athletic performance and increase mass is common amongst athletes. This includes supplements of creatine, glucosamine, chondroitin, glutamine, L-Carnitine, whey protein, caffeine, leucine and its metabolite hydroxymethylbutyrate. Despite their popularity, there is a degree of scepticism surrounding both effectiveness and safety of these products.

A comprehensive literature review was undertaken in Australia to determine what substances were being promoted in the most popular sports magazines. Results indicated that that one quarter at 54% were for creatine. 24% glutamine, 20% Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) and 2% branched chain amino acids (BCAA) ¹. This review was conducted on trials to ascertain the effect that such supplements had on the performance of athletes.

Carnitine and Leucine Metabolite Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB)

Results indicated that Creatinine supplementation is both safe and effective both enhancing performance and allowing high- intensity training. However results from this review claimed that Carnitine is only effective in disease states.¹

“Supplementary carnitine has been touted to increase the uptake and oxidation of fat in the mitochondria. However, muscle carnitine levels are not augmented following oral carnitine supplementation and the majority of well-controlled studies have reported no effect of carnitine on enhancing fat oxidation, Vo(2max) or prolonged endurance exercise performance” ²

Carnitine is obtained from both diet and endogenous biosynthesis. Meat and dairy produce are common sources. Claims on its ability to enhance athletic performance include

1. Increased muscle fatty acid oxidation,
2. Decreased rate of muscle glycogen depletion,
3. Improved muscle fatigue resistance
4. Replacement of carnitine lost during training.

All of the above would result in delayed development of fatigue due to delayed used of muscle glycogen as a result of increased fatty acid oxidation.

The leucine metabolite Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) is found in small quantities in for example catfish and citrus fruits. Claims include the fact that it promotes increases in fat free mass and increased strength during resistance training. This is believed to result from inhibition of protein degradation. Leucine is understood to prevent protein degradation therefore although the exact mechanism of action of HMB is unknown; it is believed to effect protein metabolism. It is also believed that it may regulate protein synthesis via hormone receptors or interfere with enzymatic activity involved in muscle breakdown. Other possible effects include modulating metabolism of leucine or glutamine or decreasing gluconeogenesis and therefore amino acid oxidation. It does however appear to be non toxic. Studies provide limited evidence to support claims of HMB supplementation improving strength or body mass, however in 7 studies it was illustrated that “HMB resulted in significantly less exercise induced proteolysis and muscle damage. There was also evidence of increased gains in fat free mass or larger gains in muscle function and resistance training”.¹

According to one study a dietary supplement of HMB 3g/daily during intensive resistance exercise training results in increased strength, a decrease in muscle proteolysis and lower plasma levels of enzymes indicating muscle damage.³

The conclusion is that both Leucine metabolite HMB and L Carnitine supplementation are effective for athletes initiating training rather than individuals who are already well trained athletes.1,4

Further trials are necessary to validate their effectiveness.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Athletes who have trained intensively over a long period of time are often suseptible to joint problems due to extensive ‘wear and tear’ of cartilage.5 Cartilage is composed of chrondrocytes which produce an extracellular matix composed of collagen fibres. Cartilage is rich in proteoglycans and elastin fibres. Cartilage is classified under three main types – elastic cartilage, hyaline cartilage and fibrocartilage. It is hyaline cartilage that is implicated in the wear and tear effects that atheletes often suffer.

Glucosamine is a natural component of cartilage and is a normal constituent of glycosaminoglycans in cartilage matrix and synovial fluid. It is a hexosamine sugar formed by a combination of glucose and glutamine which is primarily found in cartilage.6 The mechanism of action of glucosamine is not fully understood; however it is thought to produce glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) which are the proteins that bind water in the cartilage matrix. It is a major precursor to the GAGs which go on to form the tissue framework that bind collagen. Glucosamine has also been seen to inhibit collagenases and phospholipase A2 in conjunction with inhibition of O22- and lysosomal enzyme.5 Together collagen and GAGs continoulsy construct and reconstruct cartilage.7

Glucosamine may have an effect on joint pain. Glucosamine is thought to be a building block of hyaluronic acid (HA). In the past HA has been seen to have an effect on both pain and function in degenerated joints; this may therefore attribute glucosamine affects of reduced pain to HA as glucosamine is a primary building block of HA and also HA is present in high quantities in articular joints. This effect of increased HA production in the synovium has only been seen with glucosamine hydrochloride.8 Glucosamine has been shown to inhibit activation of NFκB; a pro-inflammatory cytokine that is released by synovial cells, chrondrocytes and invading macrophages in inflamed joints. Glucosamine has also been found to normalize articular cartilage metabolism, alter collagenase activity, restore dysregulation balance of GAG metabolism by stimulating their production and preventing their degradation. The mechanisms of these actions are not well understood.9, 10

^{Chondroitin is often used in combination with glucosamine to stop or prevent the degeneration of joints often experienced by athletes. Chondroitin is the most abundant glycosaminoglycan that is found in cartilage and is responsible for its resilience.6}

^{Chondroitin is a long-chain negatively charged molecule. The molecule encases proteoglycans and causes a space to be formed between each. This helps to form the fluid matrices which allow flow of fluid throughout the cartilage. In addition to this role, chondroitin also inhibits the enzymes responsible for cartilage breakdown.}

The use of glucosamine and chondroitin by athletes should be encouraged as it is in the best interest of their long-term health. If left unchecked the articular cartilage degradation would lead to osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease without a cure. The main aim of treatment is to reduce pain and prevent worsening of the disease.

Whey protein

Whey protein is a high quality protein powder that is extracted from cow’s milk. Cow’s milk contains two main types of protein, Casein that accounts for approximately 80% of the protein and Whey that accounts for the remaining 20%.12 Whey protein is more soluble than casein protein and also contains a very high concentration of essential amino acids; as a result it is often referred to as the “gold standard” of protein as it is the most nutritious protein available.13 It is the richest known source of branched chained amino acids in particular leucine, which is a precursor of muscle protein metabolism and is a key regulator in the translation initiation pathway of muscle protein synthesis.12

Whey supplements contains 10g leucine, 6.5g isoleucine and 5.5g valine per 100g of protein with minimal fat and carbohydrates.12, 14 A leucine rich diet has been proven to promote muscle anabolism, healthy blood glucose metabolism and maintain a healthy body mass, all of which are of benefit to athletes.14 The body requires higher amounts of branched chain amino acids during and following exercise as the amino acids are metabolised in the liver and are then taken up directly by the skeletal muscles.14 Many athletes consume whey protein both before and immediately after exercise to help repair and rebuild lean muscle tissue.  As whey is a natural product found in dairy sources it exhibits limited adverse effects, only allergies have been reported in the literature.

Branched chained amino acids are said to aid recovery and delay fatigue. Exercise can be seen as a metabolic stress similar to trauma or injury, as a result muscle tissue is progressively catabolized to provide the liver with glucose.11 Whey supplementation can provide the branched chained amino acids in the diet of athletes as an aid to recovery.  Increased concentrations of serotonin can impair central nervous system functioning during exercise. This is due to increased levels of the amino acid precursor trytophan.11, 12 Transportation of free tryptophan across the blood brain barrier is shared with branched chained amino acids.  Supplementation with branched chained amino acids therefore inhibit the amount of tryptophan entering the brain, hence delaying fatigue in prolonged aerobic exercise such as cycling and long distance running.11, 12

Whey protein supplementation is commonly used in a variety of sports, particularly by athletes that require strength and muscle hypertrophy.11 Their use is commonly seen in sports such as rugby, boxing, athletics and weightlifting. They are seen to benefit these athletes in three ways. Firstly when supplementation occurs close to resistance exercise (weight training) it is seen to stimulate muscle anabolism in response to this activity.12 Secondly, whey protein supplementation between meals is said to promote muscle protein synthesis, thereby resulting in a higher net gain in muscle protein on a daily basis.12 Finally, whey protein helps athletes maintain a healthy immune system by increasing the levels of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is an anti-oxidant required for a healthy immune system and exercise and resistance training may reduce glutathione levels.12 Whey protein helps keep athletes healthy and strong to perform at their best. Alongside its obvious benefits in sport, whey protein supplementation has also shown benefits in areas such as wound healing, infant nutrition and long term illness recovery.13

^Caffeine

^{Caffeine is a methylxanthine which has the effect of producing CNS stimulation, diuresis, stimulation of cardiac muscle an relaxation of smooth muscle. It is thought to accomplish this through inhinition of phosphodiesterase and also thorugh antagonism of the adenosine receptors.15}

^{Caffeine falls under the class of stimulants used in performance enhancement in sport. Despite having proven endurance benefit in athletes, caffeine is unique, in that it remains legal to take in sport provided urine levels do not exceed 12mcg/ml, as set by the International Olympic Committee.16}

^{Caffeine is used as an ergogenic agent by athletes in many different sports such as sprinting, swimming , field events and cycling. It is used to increase exercise capacity and time to fatigue.17}

^{One purported benefit is an ability to enhance the breakdown of fat in adipose tissue while sparing muscle gycogen. However this theory is incomplete and the amount of  glycogen breakdown limited is actually inconsistent.18}

Caffeine has been demonstrated to affect the CNS so that fatigue signals are overrided.19 Studies have been done where subjects have shown an increased time to exhaustion and improved performance, where a fixed amount of work has to be acomplished in the shortest time possible.19 It improves aerobic endurance during exercise lasting 30-60 minutes.17 Speed and power output may also be improved.17 However the evidence for this is less clear for ultra-endurance sport events.17 Other benefits are increased speed in athletes following caffeine consumption.17

^{It is true that many studies demonstrating ergogenic effects of caffeine measure endurance performance using a time-to-exhaustion test.20 However this gives variable results with lack of consistency.20 One study hence measured performance using time with best effort.20 The study found that there was a mean improvement in performance with caffeine ingestion.20 However it was highly variable with a large range that included 1. The investigators concluded that caffeine can be effective as an ergogenic agent before and during exercise.20 This study again outlines the fact that caffeine has been clinically demonstrated to produce an ergogenic effect yet like so many other studies, variability in results leaves the debate open on its true effect in sport.}

The risks of adverse effects with caffeine intake in large doses is minimal.15 However like other stimulants, it does have the potential to cause increased heart rate, imapired motor control which would affect perfromance in sport and insomnia which may affect recovery between training and competitions.21

One often cited concern, is the weak diuretic effect that caffeine has.22 This may cause dehydration in athletes and cause electrolyte imbalance that would hamper athletic performance.22 However this has been shown to be false and hence the risks posed to athletes in this regard are deemed not to be of great concern.22 Tolerance to caffeine actually reduces this risk even further.22

^{In conclusion caffeine remains a neutraceutical that does have a positive effect on performance enhancement in sport. It is difficult to reliably measure performance in experiments that improve over time.23 However controlling for these factors has demonstrated an ergogenic effect of caffeine during exercise >40 mins.23 It is not clear however that caffeine has much ergogenic effect on shorter bouts of exercise, <20 mins.23 The shear variability of results makes any clear cut evidence in favour of caffeine debateable but further study in this case is warrented to investigate factors that cause the large range observed with results.}

Creatine:

Explanation: 24

Creatine, a nitrogenous organic acid is an important component of skeletal muscle that is commonly taken as a supplement by athletes for performance enhancement. Ingested creatine is capable of dramatically boosting the creatine content in muscle – which is used as an energy source by skeletal muscle. Creatine is a vital component of the ATP-PC system, one of the most important energy systems in the body. In human and animals, approximately 50% of creatine stored in the body is taken in from food sources, mainly red meat.  95% of the total creatine is stored in skeletal muscle.

Of the 95% creatine stored in skeletal muscle, two thirds is stored as phospho-creatine, the other third as creatine. The recommended daily allowance is approximately 2g per day, which is dependant upon body weight and level of activity. The endogenous creatine produced by the body is mainly produced by the liver, as well as by the kidneys and pancreas.

As well as being popular among body-builders and athletes, creatine is also being investigated as a potential therapeutic approach for the treatment of muscular, neurological, neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disease, for example, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis and muscular dystrophy.

Health-food stores sell creatine supplements in capsule, chewable, and powdered form, the most popular being the powder. One teaspoon of powder contains 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. The recommended daily dose is 1-2 teaspoons dissolved in 8 ounces of water or sweetened beverage.

Creatine Supplementation:

Creatine monohydrate has become one of the most popular ergogenic sport supplements used by athletes and body builders. The main aim of athletes who use creatine supplements is to maximise their intracellular pool of total creatine. The fact that creatine supplementation is capable of enhancing athletic performance and cellular bioenergetics is supported by a multitude of evidence, but it should be noted that variability does exist. This variability is believed to be due to the biological process that controls the influx and efflux of creatine across the cell membrane, ie the expression of the creatine transporter CreaT1. ²⁵

The recommended regime of creatine supplementation is as follows: an initial loading period of 5 – 6 days of 20-30g/day followed by an unlimited period of a maintenance dose of 2-5g/day. Dosage is dependant upon body size and level of activity. A more accurate dosing of 0.3g/kg/day during the 5-6 days of the loading period, followed by 0.03g/kg/day during the maintenance period have been suggested, which takes these variables into account. ²⁴

The use of creatine supplements has been associated with the following positive effects:

• Increased muscle bulk
• Decreased fatigue
• Decreased recovery time
• Improved performance

Reported side effects associated with Creatine supplementation include:

• GI upset
• Tendon pain
• Headaches
• Hepatic and renal function
• Muscle cramps
• Possible death

Evidence:

There have been a multitude of studies carried out regarding the safety and efficacy of creatine use in athletes and non-athletes. These mostly consist of short-term studies that investigate the effects of creatine monohydrate use over a period of 5 – 6 days. The majority of these studies were performed as double blind, randomised control trials. They mostly focus on the use of creatine supplements by athletes involved in high intensity, repetitive exercise, for example weight lifting.

The findings of these studies are as follows:

• An increase in concentration in muscle of creatine and phospho-creatine (i.e. total creatine) is observed. ^{27, 25}
• Body mass and fat free mass increases, but no change in body fat levels are observed. ²⁸
• A decrease in fatigue during high intensity, repetitive exercise is observed. ²⁹
• An improvement in athletic performance is also noted. ²⁹

None of these studies noted a significant occurrence of side effects, and some, including Lopez et al, found that the deaths of professional athletes that had been attributed to creatine use were actually caused by exertional heat stroke that was not associated with creatine use. ³⁰

How does Creatine work? 24,26,27

The exact mechanism of action of creatine is unknown, but a number of hypotheses have been put forward, including:

• Effect in ATP concentration:
• A higher concentration of creatine phosphate in muscles leads to a “lesser dependence on anaerobic glycolysis for the re-synthesis of ATP.”
• Improved buffering effect on ADP leading to a relatively greater supply of ATP.
• It is believed to enhance re-synthesis of ATP and to improve performance in short bouts of exercise.
• Effect on protein synthesis:
• The direct or indirect stimulation of protein synthesis or decreased protein degradation.

In summary, from the literature reviewed, the use of creatine supplements appears to be beneficial for athletes who wish to enhance their athletic performance and body composition. This does appear to be targeted at a fairly specific population, with young males who participate in some form of physical training and sport benefiting the most from creatine supplementation. The literary evidence shows no side effects associated with the use of creatine as a supplement.

Conclusion

Research has shown that supplement use occurs at all levels of sport from professional sports men and women, to young amateur athletes. Although some supplements do enhance athletic performance, many have no proven benefits and have serious adverse effects. Currently, access to sports supplements is readily available via health food stores and the Internet. It is important that athletes from all disciplines are provided with education and access to scientific and un-bias information regarding these products. Both doctors and pharmacists should be prepared to counsel athletes on the effectiveness and safety of supplement use, whilst also promoting the benefits of a healthy diet and appropriate training program in order to achieve there desired goals.

References

1. Beduschi G. Current popular ergogenic aids used in sports: a critical review. Nutri Diet. 2003;60:104-18
2. Spriet LL. Perry CG. Talanian JL. Legal pre-event nutritional supplements to assist energy metabolism.Essays in Biochemistry.2008; 44: 27-43
3. Mero A. Leucine supplementation and intensive training. Sports Med.1999;27(6):346-58.
4. Bloomer R.J. The Role of Nutritional Supplements in the Prevention and Treatment of Resistance Exercise-Induced Skeletal Muscle Injury.Sports Med 2007;37(6):519-32
5. Maughan R, Depiesse F. Geyer H et al: ‘The use of dietary supplements by athletes’ School of sport and exercise science, Journal of sports science, Vol. 25 Iss. S1, Dec 2007; Pages S103-S113
6. Tanveer E. Towheed, Tassos P. Anastassiades: ‘Glucosamine and Chrondroitin for treating symptoms of OA: Evidence is widely tested but incomplete’ JAMA 2000; 283(11):14 83
7. Braham R, Dawson B, Goodman C: ‘The effect of glucosamine supplementation on people experiencing regular knee pain’ Br J Sports Med 2003; 37:45-49
8. Uitterlinden EJ, Koevoet J, Verkoelen CF et al: ‘Glucosamine increases hyaluronic acid production in human osteoarthritic synovium’ BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2008, 9:120
9. Largo R Ph.D, Alvarez-Soria MA et al: ‘Glucosamine inhibits IL-1b-induced NFκB activation in human osteoarthritic chrondrocytes’ Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Volume 11, Issue 4, April 2003, Pages 290-298
10. McAlindon T.E. LaValley M.P. Gulin J.P. Felson D.T. ‘Glucosamine and Chondroitin for treatment of osteoarthritis’ JAMA 2000; 283 (11): 1469-1475
11. Pasin G and Miller S.L. US whey products and sports nutrition. US Dairy Export council. www.usdec.org cited: 1/4/09
12. Hayes A and Cribb P. J. Effect of whey protein isolate on strength, body composition and muscle hypertrophy during resistance training. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2008, 11:40-44
13. Whey protein institute www.wheyoflife.org cited: 1/4/09
14. Bucci L, Unlu L. Protein and amino acid supplementation in exercise and sport. In : Driskell J, Wolinsky I, editors. Energy yielding macronutrients and energy metabolism in sports nutrition. Boca Raton: CRC Press; 2000 191-212
15. Rang, Dale, Ritter, Flower 2007, Rang and Dale’s Pharmacology, 6th edition, Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
16. Driskell, Wloinsky 1999, Macroelements, Water, and Electrolytes in Sports Nutrition [online], CRC Press, 256,  Available from: www.books.google.com
17. Driskell, Wloinsky 2004, Nutritional ergogenic aids [online], CRC Press, 536,  Available from: www.books.google.com
18. Graham, Terry E 2001, Caffeine and Exercise: Metabolism, Endurance and Performance, Sports Medicine, 31, 11, 785-807
19. Maughan, Burke 2002, Sports nutrition [online], Wiley-Blackwell, 200,  Available from: www.books.google.com
20. Ganio, Klau, Casa, Armstrong, Maresh 2009, Effect of caffeine on sport-specific endurance performance: a systematic review, Journal of strength and conditioning research, 23, 1, 315-324
21. Burke 2007, Practical Sports nutrition [online], human kinetics, 531,  Available from: www.books.google.com
22. Armstrong LE 2002, Caffeine, body fluid-electrolyte balance, and exercise performance, International Journal of Sport Nutrition and exercise Metabolism, 12, 2, 189-206
23. Maughan, IOC Medical Commission, International Federation of Sports Medicine 2000, Nutrition in sport [online], Wiley-Blackwell, 680,  Available from: www.books.google.com
24. Fillmore CM, Bartolli L, Bach R and Park Y.Nutrition and Dietary supplements. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 10(3)673-703
25. Schoch RD, Willoughby D and Greenwood M. The regulation and expression of the creatine Transporter: A brief review of creatine supplementation in humans and animals. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2006; 3(1): 60-66.
26. 26. Schilling et al. Creatine Supplementation and health variables: a retrospective study. Med Sci Sports Excer. 2001 Feb;33(2):183-8
27. Van Leemputte M, Vandenberghe K and Hespel P. Shortening of muscle relaxation time after creatine loading. J App Physiol. 1999 Mar;86(3):840-4
28. Mihic S, MacDonald JR, McKenzie S and Tarnopolsky MA. Acute creatine loading increases fat free mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine or CK in men and women. Med Sci Sports Excer. 2000 Feb;32(2):291-6
29. Balsom PD, Harridge SD, Soderlund K, Sjodin B and Ekblom B. Creatine in humans with special reference to creatine supplementation. Sports Medicinne 1994 Oct;18(4):268-80
30. Lopez, RM et al Does creatine supplementation hinder excersize heat tolerance or hydration status? A systematic review with meta analyses. Journal of Athletic Training 2009;44(2):215-223

 

Khan vs. Barrera

This should be a very intesresting fight between a boxing legend and a rising star. Amir Khan is the new ‘all eyes on me’ star in the boxing arena. His principles, ethinicity, charity and celebrity outlook has made him the new Ali or Naseem. But the questio is whether he can deliver the result or have another tradegy like with Prescott last Ramadan. His opponent Barrera is a 7 time world champion and legendary for being the only boxer to defeat Prince Naseem Hamed, It was the prince’s only fight he lost.

I hope insh’Allah that Khan can deliver the results. The brother has done many charitable works such as going to Pakistan during the earthquake and volunterring there. He also spent £1 million of his own cash on opening the Gloves Community Centre and boxing gym in Bolton to get youths off the streets.

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