No Banned Substances! See Exactly What They Are

April 30th, 2013

The desire to get bigger, faster and stronger drives the ambitious athlete to do whatever it takes to get an advantage. How do I know? Because I was once that ambitious athlete. I remember playing high school football back in 2000-2004 in Chesterfield, VA and hearing about certain creatine products and how they could help me put on muscle mass and increase my strength. Of course I was skinny and weak at the time and other teammates seem to be getting good results using it. I eventually went to my local GNC and purchased my own container. It felt so good investing in my performance! After about 3 weeks I started seeing results. I noticed my strength began to increase on the bench press and I was starting to bulk up and put on muscle mass. Creatine is found in foods like beef, chicken and ocean fish. Creatine is also produced naturally in the body mainly by the liver. It drives burst muscle contractions by fueling ATP (the energy machines in muscle).

Supplemental creatine increases the volume of available fuel to power ATP. More available creatine supports greater muscle power output and explosive strength. I loved what creatine did for me but the only downside was that when I stopped taking it my muscles and strength went back to weak and small. This blog is not to promote creatine and its benefits but to shed light on the massive supplement industry so athletes can know how to identify supplements that not only guarantee quality and results but also products that are proven to be SAFE and EFFECTIVE!

During my freshman year as a NCAA college football athlete at Virginia State University our team and every sports team at our university attended a seminar put on by coaches and a NCAA representative concerning banned substances and drug testing. During that seminar we were given information about banned substances and supplements on the market and the penalty we could face as NCAA athletes if caught using these supplements that contained banned substances. Many of our coaches flat out told us not to take any supplements for fear of their athletes facing the penalty of suspension.

As a grad student majoring in Sports Management I studied sports nutrition, diet and exercise and I dove into educating myself about how the body works and the role nutrition plays in an athlete’s performance. I began to apply what I learned in 2010 as I became entered into the 2010 NFL Draft class. Although I earned an Elite Athlete Rating at my NFL Pro day that May at James Madison University I didn’t make the cut of %1 of athletes who earn a job in pro sports. Now as a successful athletic trainer I enjoy training and preparing up and coming student-athletes and helping them to reach their maximum potential and perform at their highest level.

In 2001, 630 nutrients were randomly chosen off the shelf and internet and detected for banned substances and 25% (1 out of 4) contained banned substances. Four years later in 2005 a follow-up study was done with 60 products and 22% safe.

What was done about it?

The NSF Certified for Sport Program was created to ensure the safety of athletes and provide the knowledge they need to identify safe and effective supplements on the market. The NSF Certified for Sport Program conducts audits twice a year to check for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) requirements. Yearly testing to ensure what’s in the product is on the label, products are contaminate free, and all label claims are verified and backed by science. NSF Certified for Sport Program was developed to meet the growing demand and need for coaches, athletes and people who buy sports supplements. The NSF International organization also is partnered with the NCAA, NFL, MLB, PGA and Olympics. With these professional organizations the NSF organization comes up with a list of prohibited substances and products athletes should stay away from.

This program is crucial for athletes. The worst nightmare for an athlete who’s been training and investing their life into their sport and career is to take a product unknowingly that they think will help them but tests positive for banned substances. The NSF is the only group that audits facilities and test products and this is why the NSF seal of approval is the highest certification in sports nutrition.

Visit my online health and wellness store at: www.SlightEdgePerformance.net and learn about the NSF Certified for Sport supplements that helped me perform as a college athlete and earn an elite athlete rating at my NFL pro day in 2010. I believe in these products and recommend them to any serious athlete looking for a “Slight Edge!”

Run Faster by trying the 14 day speed challenge, click image below

Domonique Hargrove M.S., B.A. Founder of “Slight Edge Performance Program.”