Expert advice on nutritional supplements for athletes from the first hand experience of pharmacist and Lifestyle MD, Geoff Key MRPharmS...

Article Date: March 2007

I ran the Bath half marathon for the first time two years ago when I was 60. That year and last year I managed a fairly respectable time for a “veteran” of one hour 48 mins. This year on March 25th . I have set myself a target of one hour 40 mins! I believe that some dietary supplements can help support an appropriate training programme. I always consume products from Pharma Nord because they are manufactured to the highest pharmaceutical standards, and because they are made in Denmark they are subject to Danish regulations that require all dietary supplements, vitamins and minerals to be Bio-available. This means they must be absorbed once swallowed and proven to do their job. These regulations in the U.K. apply only to prescription medicines.

I supplement my exercise training programme with the following nutritional supplements; Bio-Quinone Q10 Gold, Bio-Carnitine and Bio-Marine Plus.

Bio-Quinone Q10 Gold I take one 100mgm capsule daily. Co-enzyme Q10 is the enzyme present in cells which converts fat, carbohydrate, and protein into energy and stores it in a molecule called ATP which is then used to release energy whenever the cell, and particularly muscle cells, need energy.

Bio-Carnitine I take one Bio-carnitine capsule daily. Athletes in particular need extra carnitine because their muscles work much harder. Carnitine pumps fatty acids from our diet into the “energy factories” (mitochondria) in the muscle cells where energy is produced, where together with Q10 it plays a central role in energy metabolism.

Bio-Marine Plus I take two of these capsules daily. Fish Oil is a rich source of Omega -3 essential fatty acids. Omega-3 is a biochemical building block of prostaglandins which are anti-inflammatory and help in pain relief (I don't get knee and hip ache!) They also promote healthy cardiovascular function and have been used to increase resistance to fatigue in athletes.

Finally, a vigorous physical training programme can challenge your immune system and lower your resistance to infection. I always take Vogel (Bioforce) Echinacea Forte tablets to boost my immune system during the training weeks which for me occur in winter when coughs and colds abound.

GEOFF KEY  MRPharmS.

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