SPORT supplement producers verbally smack their customers with product names such as Craze, Beast and Limitless.
The latter product promises to not ‘‘just push back the boundaries’’ but to ‘‘smash them’’.
These hard-hitting brand names are a marketing technique aimed at fitness-focused individuals who want to perform the best in their chosen field of sport and recreation.
University of Tasmania sport supplement experts James Fell and exercise physiologist Cecilia
Shing have conducted research on the use of performance-enhancing supplements as part of the Sport Optimisation Research Team. Dr Shing said the health associated risks could be numerous, citing one instance where a now-banned product contained a stimulant linked to heart palpitations and cardiac arrest.
Dr Fell and Dr Shing said they had conducted research into the affects of supplements that included caffeine, creatine, protein, proteases and probiotics.
They told last week’s participants in The Grill that supplement safety-testing regimes were unable to keep up with new products appearing on the market.
They said performanceenhancing drugs could be addictive.
‘‘The systems in place that regulate food consumption are different from those that regulate supplement usage, they are covered by the Therapeutic Group, but they are not as stringent,’’ Dr Shing said.
‘‘We need to be a little bit cautious of how we approach these things. This is a constantly changing landscape.
‘‘Where there is limited evidence to support their safety and efficacy, these supplements should not be used by athletes.
‘‘When you have these supplements in concentrated form, you need to be aware of any health
risks associated with that product. Some are safe at certain levels.’’