What Supplements do Olympic Weightlifters Use?

Weightlifting has been an Olympic sport since the first modern-day games in Athens in 1896, and ever since, it's been a battle to see who is the strongest, the fittest and, ultimately, a winning Olympian.
A study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Massachusetts suggests that human growth hormone (hGH) is a commonly used substance among American male weightlifters of all levels. Researchers found that as many as 12 percent of weightlifters surveyed admitted they use the anabolic steroid, with the median usage lasting for a 23-week period. And it's not only at the amateur level -- U.S. Olympic weightlifter Patrick Mendes was recently suspended for two years for using hGH. He is not alone.

But there's a difference between enhancing your performance with substances that may harm you or give you unfair advantage in your sport and taking supplements to make sure you're getting all the protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins and minerals you need in your daily diet. The World Anti-Doping Agency maintains a strict list of substances Olympians are prohibited from using, both in and out of competition -- the list currently includes anabolic agents, peptide hormones, beta-2 agonists, hormone antagonists and modulators, diuretics and other masking agents, stimulants (caffeine was prohibited until 2004), narcotics, cannabinoids, and glucocorticosteroids. Athletes are also prohibited from gene doping, enhancement of oxygen transfer (also known as blood doping), and chemical and physical manipulation. When Pat Mendes tested positive for hGH, for example, he was in violation of the International Weightlifting Federation Anti-Doping Policies and the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing -- and was subsequently banned from participating in the 2012 London games.

But none of those are actually dietary supplements. An athlete's dietary requirements can far exceed what most of the rest of us need because they use more energy, but your intake needs are also based on your overall health, how your metabolism works and, in general, how your individual body works. Olympic athletes have the best odds of achieving their best performances when their nutritional needs are met and maintained.

Just like us non-Olympians, the types of supplements Olympic weightlifters use are going to be determined by their own bodies' needs. Olympic nutritionists emphasize the importance of a well-balanced diet full of energy-boosting and tissue-rebuilding foods, such as carbohydrates, protein, fats and fluids, but Olympic athletes may supplement their diets with vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron and zinc, as well as amino acids, among other compounds. Let's look at some of the most commonly used supplements, beginning with what amino acids are and why they're important for weightlifters.

Breaking Down the Benefits

Elite athletes use much more energy that the rest of us, but nutritionists and sports medicine professionals rarely recommend dietary supplements over a balanced diet unless an athlete has a deficiency. Still, many athletes and Olympians may choose to supplement their diet to help the body perform, recover and repair itself at peak performance.
Amino acids are what the body uses to build protein, and they also play a role in your body's metabolism and its ability to repair body tissues. There are three amino acids that the body can't produce itself, which have to come from food and supplements: These are called branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). One of the three, leucine, is believed to be responsible for synthesizing protein in the body -- essential for building muscle tissue -- hence why some elite athletes choose to take BCAA supplements.
Additionally, the amino acid L-Glutamine is popular among weightlifters and body builders, because it prevents muscle loss, promotes muscle growth and helps boost the muscle energy supply.
Your body also uses amino acids to produce a chemical called creatine, which it stores in its muscles. Creatine entered the public consciousness when athletes in the former USSR began to use it as a performance enhancer -- since 1992, it's been a go-to supplement for many athletes, because it may help improve overall performance as well as build strength and lean muscle mass during brief, intense training -- including weightlifting. Findings from a study that followed weightlifting performance while participants were using creatine supplements showed that weightlifters taking it had an average of 8 percent greater muscle strength and a 14 percent increase in lifting performance over those using a placebo [source: Rawson].
In addition to amino acid supplementation, weightlifters may find they benefit from glucosamine supplements. Glucosamine is an amino-monosaccharide, a compound of protein and carbohydrate that naturally occurs in your body and may help the body recover from injury by repairing and strengthening cartilage and reducing joint pain as well as joint swelling and stiffness.
There are also three essential minerals that keep Olympian bodies (and those of mere mortals) in tip-top shape.

Calcium, Iron and Zinc

Vitamins and minerals also help the body manage your energy levels, how well your immune system works and how efficiently your muscles contract. Olympic-level athletes, such as elite weightlifters, use more energy and place their bodies under more stress when they train than many of the rest of us, and there are three essential minerals that can help them manage that: calcium, iron and zinc. Let's look at calcium's benefits first.
Your body needs calcium to grow strong bones and to maintain that strength and health. It also plays an important role in heart health and blood clotting, as well as how well your nerves communicate. Calcium boosts bone density (which reduces the risk of bone fractures).
Iron is an essential mineral and one of the most common nutritional deficiencies among athletes. Iron (and the B-vitamins B12 and folate) is essential for making healthy red blood cells. It also plays an important role in how your body gets oxygen from your lungs to all its cells and in energy production.
Of those three essential minerals mentioned above, that leaves us with zinc. Zinc deficiency may lead to a weakened immune system, but what's special about zinc and elite athletes is that if their bodies don't have enough of the mineral, they can't maintain adequate levels of testosterone in the blood. Without the right level of testosterone, the body can't maintain adequate muscle mass and muscle strength.

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The Benefits of Practicing Yoga

Yoga is one of the most effective strategies to gain total control over the mind as well as the body of a person. Yoga is not a recently developed technique and the benefits of yoga have retained its popularity among people even now. The literature shows that yoga has a tradition of thousands of years, which was originally developed in India. Yoga can be compared with a holistic system of medicine as it focuses to attribute total control over the physical, mental and spiritual aspect of a person. However in the beginning stages, yoga was not recognized in the West as a potential system of therapy due to the suspicion about its efficiency. But the scene gradually changed as the scientific evidences supported the benefits of yoga.



Yoga is actually a traditional therapy, which is developed purely based on the observations and principles regarding the constitution of human beings. Yoga is not only an exercise instruction but also a complete package for the total well being. The science of yoga includes yoga postures called as asanas, meditation and breathing techniques called pranayama. The benefits vary with type of yoga as it is advocated in different combinations such as Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Mantra Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Laya Yoga. However, irrespective of its type, the benefits of yoga in the stress management have been substantiated by modern medicine. The multifaceted benefits of yoga promote it more than a simple exercise.



The physiological benefits of yoga include the enhancement of all major functional systems of the body such as nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, respiratory system, musculoskeletal system and excretory system. It will help to improve the co-ordination and balance the body. The biochemical benefits of yoga such as decrease of LDL cholesterol, glucose and catecholamine will help to prevent all the major fatal diseases and triggers the resilience of the body. Moreover yoga balances the weight of the person without losing its strength through the different stretching asanas.



Psychological benefits are an appealing factor of yoga, which include the regulation of mood related disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. The enhancement of the personal abilities such as learning skills, concentration and memory will also be an added advantage of yoga. The improved social skills and better adaptation with circumstances will also be yet more benefits of yoga. The spiritual benefits of yoga can be the pronouncing effects as the self realization and attainment of the epitome of the consciousness will be the necessity to attain the peace of mind. The command over the thought and breathing will certainly be benefits of practicing yoga.



Yoga is a therapy which provides benefits of a balanced body through the practice of effortless dynamic movements or normalized static movement. The opportunity for the attainment of well being without any strenuous exercise or consumption of any supplements can be considered as the most important benefit of yoga.

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Meditation Tips

Here are some preparation for meditation tips to help you to get into the right frame of mind for a meditation session.
Many people fail at meditation because they are lacking the proper technique. The mains thing is to focus on the fast or slow and how often. Meditation is the way to increase concentration, decrease anxiety, and a general feeling of happiness. It’s time to set up or not depends on three main things.

1. Is a long meditation on each other should make up at least half an hour or a 3 times a day.
2. Do often. Each time a meditation not more tham ten or fifteen minutes, but often as it makes it easier.
3. Make on a daily basis is not the lack of mental concentration much. Should take to use meditation in daily life to the habit Meditation would be to easy.

If you have lots of thoughts buzzing around in your head and you can’t relax your mind, try writing down everything that is niggling you, in note form. The total mental concentration is required for the time-consuming Meditation is the lack of quantity but quality. If writing is not for you, you could prepare for meditation by using a form of self-hypnosis. Tell yourself that when you say the number ‘one’, your mind will be calm and ready for meditation. Then count backwards slowly from ten to one In order to settle your mind, you can stare into a candle flame and observe the colours. It is also important to prepare yourself to return to your physical environment once you have finished a meditation session.
Someone suggest that focus and concentration during meditation should focus on the third eye Chakra located on the forehead. By this method both conscious and subconscious cares can fall away. Focusing on the third eye has the effect of drawing the eyes upward. This is important during meditation, since eye position does have some effect on the state of mind.

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Deep Breathing Exercises

Deep Breathing Exercises

Remember

• Deep breathing has many benefits.
• Deep breathing exercises can be used when you feel stressed or anxious.
• Deep breathing exercises are useful before medical tests and procedures.

Do you ever just need a minute to yourself so you can relax? Do you ever let out a big sigh after experiencing some stress or anxiety? Do you ever notice how your breathing is fast when you're nervous right before or during a test? If you answered yes to any of these questions you might want to try deep breathing exercises to help you relax. Read on to learn more about deep breathing and about the positive affects it can have on your body.

What are deep breathing exercises?

Deep breathing is a type of exercise that makes you aware of your breathing so when you inhale (take in air) through your nose, the breath is long and slow so and the air completely fills your lungs. The second part of the exercise is to blow out all of the air from your lungs, nice and slow. You should see your lower belly rise when you breathe in and lower when you breathe out.

What affects breathing?

Stress, anxiety, anger, fear and other emotions can cause your breathing to become faster than normal. When you are happy and content your breathing is slower, and more regular.

How can deep breathing exercises help me?

Deep breathing can help you relax, decrease anxiety, improve coping skills and even help to lower your blood pressure.

When should I use deep breathing exercises?

Deep breathing exercises can be used when you feel stressed, anxious, or you're in any situation where you need to slow down and feel in control. For example: if you're anxious before a test at school, deep breathing is a great tool to use to help you relax and focus. Even if you feel stressed in the middle of a tough day, taking a few deep breaths will help you feel relaxed and calm.

Deep breathing can also be useful before any medical tests or procedures, such as when you have your blood drawn. Deep breathing gives you a feeling of peace and is an easy skill to learn and use whenever you feel anxious or tense.

Who can teach me about deep breathing exercises?

Many different types of health care providers can talk to you about deep breathing exercises including nurses, health care providers, social workers, and psychologists. Deep breathing is often connected with yoga and meditation so teachers who are trained in these activities can also show you how to do it.

I don't have a lot of free time, is deep breathing exercise something I can do on my own?

Yes! You can use deep breathing exercises anytime for as long or short as you want. Unlike other forms of exercise you don't need any equipment, and it's free!

How do I do deep breathing exercises?

Something simple to do is: Close your eyes for a few minutes and imagine yourself on a beach or another place you find relaxing. Then, take a deep breath through your nose and count to ten. Release the breath through your mouth until you have pushed all the air out. Then repeat the exercise.

Important things to remember when practicing deep breathing exercises:

• Find a quiet and comfortable place where you can sit or lie down where no one will bother you for a while.
• Sit or lie in a comfortable position with your back straight.
• Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a relaxing place.
• Take a couple of "cleansing breaths" (breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth) and find a comfortable position, either sitting or standing.
• Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth using your abdominal muscles so your diaphragm can flex and contract.
• Inhale slowly. This should take about 10 seconds. (You can count in your head to 10) so that your lower abdomen rises and falls. Now, exhale slowly for another 10 seconds.
• Try to get into a routine and practice deep breathing for 5-10 minutes each day. Practicing helps you get into a routine so you can use deep breathing whenever you feel the need to relax or calm down.

Deep breathing is a practice that has many benefits. It is often combined with yoga, meditation, guided imagery and other relaxation techniques for even more positive results. Try an activity that you think you might enjoy. Learning ways to relax will help you to become more in tune with your body so you can respond to stress in a healthy way.

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