Prepare with pre-workout Repair with post-workout

BY SAMIYA ANWAR

�re-workout supplements are popular among both recreational and professional athletes. These powders are meant to be taken prior to exercise and generally contain a mix of ingredients such as caffeine, creatine and amino acids. Although a mix of various preworkout supplements are typically popular among athletes, those who wish to focus on a particular muscle group take individual supplements.

Caffeine is a primary ingredient in a varying number of pre-workout supplements, as it is quickly absorbed and peaks in the bloodstream within 60 minutes of ingestion. Caffeine boosts mental alertness and sharpens cognition, ultimately improving one’s performance during endurance, power and resistance exercises.

“I use caffeine in the form of energy drinks,” junior Manasa Gudapati said. “Celsius energy drinks give me extra energy boosts that help me power through my workouts.”

When taken in doses between 100 and 400 milligrams, caffeine has thermogenic properties, meaning it boosts metabolism and allows one’s body to burn maximum calories during a workout or throughout the day. The FDA recommends less than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day for adults; excessively high dosages may lead to side effects which can affect day-to-day living and lead to health problems.

There are 20 different amino acids which aid the growth and repairing of muscles, decrease muscle soreness and help in energy production. Beta-alanine, a popular supplement, is an amino acid which one can obtain through consumption of foods such as poultry or meat. This amino acid is used to synthesize carnosine, a molecule that is stored in muscles and helps improve athletic performance.

“Performance improvement is seen with these supplements, but not as much as you would see with caffeine or creatine monohydrate,” said Sebastian Zorn, Director of Sports Nutrition with football at Stanford University. “Even those have at best 5-8% performance improvement when dosed correctly.”

Athletes, especially weightlifters, use creatine monohydrate, a supplement that reduces recovery time and increases energy. It is formed of three amino acids: L-arginine, L-methionine and glycine.

BY LARRY WANG

Upon the completion of strenuous strength training or an explosive high-intensity workout session, targeted muscles are peppered with microscopic rips and tears in their fibers. These damaged muscle cells stimulate the body to repair and strengthen the existing muscle through a process known as muscle protein synthesis. The body requires nutrients to recuperate from physical exhaustion — here’s where postworkout supplements come into assistance.

The vast majority of postworkout supplements on the market today have one commonality: protein. When digested by the body, protein is broken down into its component amino acids, which are transported to muscle cells and synthesized into muscle protein, or proteinconstituting muscle cells, in a complicated process known as MPS which makes muscles bigger and stronger. For this reason, powdered protein supplements are often consumed in smoothies or shakes and provide users with a convenient source of protein for the body to repair and build muscle tissue. In fact, a landmark 2018 study published under the National Library of Medicine conducted by Robert Morton et al. found that supplement users were associated with a 3.24-pound increase in muscle strength compared with placebo groups.

“The average individual loses around 400 grams of nitrogen daily from normal everyday activity,” said Sebastian Zorn, Director of Sports Nutrition with football at Stanford University. “This needs to be replaced and an additional surplus ingested to build muscle mass, so the daily Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is anywhere from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for the average person to 2.2 grams for the elite athlete looking to gain lean body mass.”

This makes it especially important for athletes undergoing a rigorous training routine to meet their demanding daily RDA for protein.

Scan QR code to continue reading.

Virtual victories: Should esports be considered a sport?

BY JASON SHAN

In recent years, esports has proven itself as the fastest growing “sports” industry in the world. An increasingly digital-centric era begs the question of whether esports should truly be considered a sport.

“I believe that esports should be considered a sport, since like many other sports, it is team oriented. There’s a really big market for esports, and it’s only going to grow bigger and bigger as more and more people get access to technology.”

— Nathan Ye, Sophomore

“No. In my opinion, sports are an intersection between physical and mental fitness, and esports are mostly mental, not physical.”

— Sophiya Mehra, Senior

“I do believe that esports should be considered an actual sport because it allows a lot of athletically challenged people to have a chance through esports to participate in sports, and it’s just overall a fun thing to do.”

— Regis He, Sophomore

“Definitely not. It’s the same reason I think that chess, or essaywriting isn’t a sport. A sport is defined by physical activity. If you’re just sitting down all the time, then it’s not a sport.”

— Dhruv Ghosh, Junior