NCAA "Approved" Supplements. Explaining the truth.

Contributed by Anna Filardo, MS, CPT 
Education Program Manager at Drug Free Sport, Inc.

MYTH: The NCAA approves dietary supplements.

Dietary supplement companies might advertise supplements as “NCAA Approved” on brand websites and packaging labels and persuade student-athletes to buy their product. This marketing effort may give sports medicine staff the perception that the supplement is safe and appropriate for their student-athletes. Many believe there is a list of NCAA “approved” dietary supplements— or that there is an approval process.

FACT:   

Image courtesy of NCAA

"There is no list of NCAA-approved supplement products.” [Quote and image from the 2016-17 NCAA Drug-Testing Program.] The NCAA has a food-first mindset: eat whole foods instead of using dietary supplements to achieve performance and recovery goals. Dietary supplements bring uncertainty to consumers. Due to minimal regulation or oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), supplement companies ARE NOT required to have pre-market approval of safety, efficacy, or purity of their products before selling them to consumers. So, there is no way for the NCAA (or any sport organization) to be 100% certain of what is in a dietary supplement.  

Drug Free Sport AXIS™ is the NCAA’s preferred tool to provide guidance on dietary supplements and assess for banned ingredients and misleading marketing.  The Drug Free Sport AXIS™ team’s role is to compare the NCAA banned substance list with the supplement facts and ingredient list on any dietary supplement. This process does not endorse or indicate any approval for the use of a dietary supplement.

A Risk Level 1 DOES NOT mean the dietary supplement is approved for NCAA athletes. Student-athletes consume dietary supplements at their own risk. Similarly, it is up to the institution to interpret the NCAA bylaw that pertains to the direct distribution of permissible nutritional supplements.

It is important for athletic departments and student-athletes to understand that a supplement categorized as a Risk Level 1 in the Drug Free Sport AXIS™ Dietary Supplement Inquiry resource DOES NOT make the dietary supplement permissible to directly supply to student-athletes. Drug Free Sport does not provide official interpretation of NCAA policies and bylaws.

Let’s recap:

• The NCAA does not approve the use of dietary supplements.
• Dietary supplements are only permissible under four categories and certain ingredients.
• A Drug Free Sport AXIS™ Risk Level 1 supplement assignment does not indicate that the dietary supplement is approved or permissible for use. 

To learn more about NCAA rules regarding dietary supplements or to ask specific questions on the topic, be sure to register for our upcoming webinar on September 14: NCAA Dietary Supplements: Approved, Permissible, or Banned?  The webinar will be presented by Mary Wilfert, Associate Director for the NCAA Sports Science Institute and Lara Gray, Director of Education for Drug Free Sport.

To submit a Dietary Supplement Inquiry on Drug Free Sport AXIS™ visit www.drugfreesport.com/axis

Beat The Summer Heat By Staying Hydrated

As temperatures begin to rise this summer, I think it's a good time to revisit the importance of maintaining proper hydration before, during and after exercise. Whether you are strength training in a gym or participating in a casual jog, it's important to make sure that you are consuming the right amount of water. This in turn, will help you perform at your highest level and will keep your body in a healthy state as you train. Here are a few tips to keep in mind this summer:

How much water should I be drinking?

- Due to variables such as heat, humidity, body composition and exercise intensity, it is very difficult to determine a universal amount of water that should be consumed by each individual. Since everyone is built differently, a simple way to make sure that you are staying properly hydrated is by checking the color of your urine. Whereas colorless or light yellow urine typically suggests proper hydration, dark yellow or amber-colored urine could be a sign of dehydration.

- According to the American Council on Fitness, the following basic water intake guidelines are suggested for individuals performing moderate-to-high intensity exercise:

• Drink 17 to 20 ounces of water 2 to 3 hours before you start exercising
• Drink 8 ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before you start exercising or during your warm-up
• Drink 7 to 10 ounces of water every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise
• Drink 8 ounces of water no more than 30 minutes after you exercise

What are some signs of dehydration?

- Dark yellow or amber-colored urine
- Nausea or dizziness
- Vomiting
- Muscle Cramps
- Heart palpitations
- Dry mouth or sticky saliva
- Mental confusion
- Weakness
- Loss of consciousness

Severe dehydration or heat illness can be very serious and sometimes life threatening. If you or a teammate experiences any of the above symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.

Are there any sites that I can check out to learn more about staying properly hydrated this summer?

- http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/the-fit-5-hydration-for-athletes
- http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hydrationandfluid/a/ProperHydration.htm
- http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=7084

As you continue your off-season workouts this summer, remember to eat right and stay HYDRATED. Proper hydration is one of the most important aspects of performing healthy physical activity and ensuring that your body is able to perform at its highest level.

Introducing myPlaybook: Web-Based Drug and Alcohol Education for Student-Athletes

Drug Free Sport has partnered with Prevention Strategies to bring myPlaybook to colleges, universities, and high schools across the US. myPlaybook is a new, web-based, interactive drug and alcohol education program created specifically for student-athletes.

Background

Prevention Strategies is a research company devoted to providing online education products that aim to prevent alcohol and drug-related harm among teens and young adults. With the support of the NCAA, PS created a program specifically for student-athletes. Over 5,000 current student-athletes have already completed myPlaybook, giving PS data showing the program works to change attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to alcohol and drug use.

Because of our involvement with drug testing and the NCAA, Drug Free Sport partnered with Prevention Strategies to make myPlaybook available to institutions across the country.

The Program

myPlaybook is an evidence-based program designed to prevent alcohol and other drug related harm. This interactive, web-based program engages students using state-of-the-art instructional design. There are two separate programs for college and high school. The collegiate program was created specifically for student-athletes. The high school program is designed for the general student population and also includes an extra component for those participating in athletics.

Pilot studies have shown that the program works, with student-athletes demonstrating immediate gains in knowledge of NCAA drug testing procedures and banned substances, negative alcohol expectancies, and negative marijuana expectancies. Over 83% of students felt they benefited from taking myPlaybook.

The core program covers:

• NCAA Banned Substances & Drug Testing
• Alcohol
• Marijuana
• Performance Enhancing Drugs/Dietary Supplements
• Tobacco
• Prescription/Over-the-Counter Drugs

Booster sessions are offered for students who have completed the core program. The boosters contain content that is new and applicable to student-athletes along with content that reinforces the core program. The REC will help choose booster topics based on the questions student-athletes are asking the most.

Want to know more?

You can learn more about myPlaybook by visiting the website (click here) or contacting Ryan Carpenter (816-474-8655). You can also Click here to sign up. Drug Free Sport can set you up with a full user account so that you can see the program the same way student-athletes see it or you can choose to receive a one-on-one tour from a DFS staff member and ask questions as you learn about the program.

My first week at Drug Free Sport: Dietary Supplements

Well… My first week at Drug Free Sport was anything but typical. I have been in the Anti-Doping industry for three years now, working primarily with collection protocols, field staff training and athlete testing plans. I have developed a solid foundation in the Anti-Doping movement, but have to admit that I feel like a rookie when it comes to the complex world surrounding dietary supplements, drugs, alcohol and other doping methods in sport.

Barely scratching the surface on information related to the topics presented above now seems like an understatement after a week’s worth of work at Drug Free Sport. For instance, who would have thought that someone could make a dietary supplement out of the back of their car and sell it to consumers like you or I? Wait… What? dietary supplements that I’m putting into MY body could potentially be manufactured in the trunk of a car? According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, dietary supplements are regulated under the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). Under this act, manufacturers of dietary supplements or their ingredients “DO NOT need to register their products with the FDA nor get FDA approval before producing or selling dietary supplements” (FDA, http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/default.htm).

Regardless, these supplement companies or manufactures have to be regulated at some point, right? Well that’s actually correct. These companies must comply with cGMPS, which means “Current Good Manufacturing Practices.” These practices are in place essentially for quality control purposes. They act as a measure to ensure that companies are processing supplements in a consistent manner and meeting standards. Under what the FDA calls the “Final Rule,” supplement manufacturers must adhere to the following conditions (not limited to these conditions):

-          The design and construction of physical plants that facilitate maintenance

-          Cleaning

-          Proper manufacturing operations

-          Quality control procedures

-          Testing final product or incoming and in process materials

-          Handling consumer complaints

-          Maintaining records

(FDA, http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/default.htm)

The FDA deploys inspectors to ensure these rules are being followed, but on average, only about 5 inspections take place during a given month. Just go to your local supplement store and see how many different supplements and manufacturing companies there on the shelves; 5 inspections a month doesn’t even make a dent!

Taking this into consideration, how could a supplement that I put into MY body be created in the back of a trunk? Dietary supplements do not have to be approved, show effectiveness or be proven safe before being marketed, as long as they avoid health claims and ingredients that are not GRAS (I also, learned that this means Generally Recognized As Safe).

The point is that dietary supplements are under-regulated and in some cases, we have no idea where these dietary supplements and their ingredients are coming from. I would recommend watching this clip from Dateline’s Chris Hanson on dietary supplements:

(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/vp/46766278#46766278)

It’s only been one week and I could go on and on about some of the things that I’ve learned thus far. If there is one thing to take away from my first week with Drug Free Sport, it’s that no matter how much I’ve learned in my three years of Anti-Doping experience, it’s not enough and every day brings new surprises!

Until next time!

Energy Drinks: America, Land of the Caffeinated

I stopped by 7-Eleven the other morning to grab a cup of coffee/ hot chocolate to aid in my alertness, after spending a night of intermittent sleep with my almost 1 month old daughter. I noticed that of the 8 people in line with me, only 2 opted for non-caffeinated sources of energy. Three of the patrons held coffee, while the other three opted for very large cans of Red Bull, Rock Star and Full Throttle respectable. Hey, I get it, caffeine is an integral ingredient in the American diet, but more and more folks are turning to “energy drinks” today and not just to aid in their alertness, but also to boost libido, athletic performance, and ability to “party.” Energy drinks are frequently marketed to individuals interested in athletics and an active lifestyle. From 2001 to 2008, estimates of energy drink use in adolescent to middle-aged populations ranged from 24% to 56%. Most energy drinks feature caffeine (100 - 400mg) and a combination of other components, including taurine, sucrose, guarana, ginseng, niacin, pyridoxine, and cyanocobalamin.

Energy Drinks are not Sports drinks

If you get anything from this blog, please understand the difference between energy drinks and sports drinks.
Sports Drink – Help to replace lost electrolytes, sodium, and potassium. Many also replace carbohydrates (Body’s main source of true energy) to help maintain energy before, during and after exercise/competition. They do not contain stimulants.
Energy Drink – Aide in stimulating and individual by the use of stimulants. These products usually lack carbohydrates, thus do not provide energy. They do not help to hydrate an individual or provide additional energy. They do contain more concentrated sugar, and herbal ingredients. Many are regulated under DHSEA, which means contamination is a possibility.

Alcohol and Energy Drinks

Caffeine has been combined with alcohol for a very long time (i.e. rum and coke), but the caffeine content has traditionally been much lower than what is found in a number of the leading energy drinks today. Why do club and bar goers chose to mix drinks with energy drinks? Many believe they will increase their enjoyment while reducing the symptomatic lethargy and physical impairment associated with drunkenness. Many don’t know that combining the stimulant effect of caffeine and the depressant effect of alcohol may lead drinkers to underestimate their level of intoxication, with potentially lethal consequences. A study done at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, found that students who mixed caffeine and alcohol thought they were capable of driving more often than those who drank non-caffeinated alcoholic drinks 1. November 17, 2010 the FDA issued warning letters to a number of alcoholic energy drink manufactures, and informed them that their products are a public concern. The concerns included a rise in college campuses across the nation experiencing injuries and blackouts due to ingestion of these drinks. The 6-12 % alcohol by volume may have contributed to this…

Tips to staying alert without caffeine:

• Eat for performance pre and post exercise (this includes, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between)
• Hydrate
• Schedule time to eat, hydrate, practice, socialize, and most importantly, REST.
• Remember - No supplement is harmless and free from consequences.
• “All natural,” does not constitute safe for human consumption, even “all natural” products may have short-term or long-term negative health risks.
• Food first is always your best bet.


Additional information:

 9 of 10 Americans consume caffeine
 200-300 mg. day usually not harmful
 500-600 mg. day = harmful
 Amount depends on body mass, med history, stress
 Interferes with antibiotics, bronchodilators, ephedrine
 Acts as diuretic - dehydrates


1. Event-level analyses of energy drink consumption and alcohol intoxication in bar patrons
Gatorade Sports Science Institute, http://www.gssiweb.com