Why Is Soda So Bad For Us?

Many people drink soda, even many that have a healthy diet and workout constantly. So why is it bad for us if people are still living healthy lives? Some reasons why it is so bad for you is:

-Dehydration- Soda with sugar and caffeine will make you dehydrated. Caffeine is a diuretic and causes an increase in urine level. Drinking soda will actualy make you more thirsty.

-Addiction to Caffeine- People may get addicted to caffeine and go through withdrawals. Caffeine is a stimulant that is cheap and that is why many people drink it. It has been proven that if people dont get their regular intake of caffeine they may experience headaches, fatigue and difficulty paying attention.

-High Calories- Regular soda is high in calories. A can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar which is also 100% of your daily rcommended value. Regular soda can contain up to 200 calories and can actualy deplete your body of vital minerals.

-Wieght Loss- Diet sodas can actually put a person at higher risk of becoming overwieght. This is because of the artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners can interfere with the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake.

-Acid- There is alot of acid in sodas. the Ph level of soda is 2.5 whereas water is 7. Since soda is so acidic it can actually wear away the enamel of your teeth.

There are many reasons why people should drop drinking soda. Some other reasons such as lowering your chance of diabetes, saving money, and lowering your chance of mineral depletion. I personally dont drink soda because I feel that these are some good reasons not to. Obviously water is the way to go.

Vitamin Supplements vs. Food

Can I take a daily vitamin pill and not have to worry about getting a lot of nutrients from food?

There are many reasons not to depend on just the vitamin pills for nutrients.

-Many of the supplement companies produce unregulated products. Products that arent approved by the Food and Drug administration (FDA). So you never know what your getting.

-There are some food components such as fiber that are hard to get into pill form.

-We still do not know all of the active components in food. There alot of different substances in food such as different chemicals that are advantageous. This means you can never get the full benefit of food into a pill.

- Extracts of substances from foods and "pill forms" are often different from the forms that occur naturally in foods, and we often don't know the effects that this may functionally have. In addition, active substances in foods naturally occur in a complex matrix of other nutrients and substances, and removing them from this natural environment may affect their function in ways that we don't fully understand.

-Our bodies function in a delicate balance, with one action or nutrient often causing consequences in other areas. For example, excesses of one nutrient can affect the bioavailability or function of another nutrient or action. the ADA stated that "Consuming a wide variety of foods in moderate amounts reduces the risk of inadequate and excessive intakes."

there are circumstances in which proper supplementation can be helpful. For instance, a woman of child- bearing age may want to consider supplementing her diet with folate, iron and calcium if her diet is consistently lacking in these nutrients. Checking with your doctor or nutritionist is the best way to assess what nutrient supplementation may be advantageous to you individually.However, it is important to remember that this should not replace a healthy diet.

The Effects of Creatine in Athletes

As a student-athlete who has been lifting for 6 years now, i feel that i know alot about different supplements that people or athletes may take. Creatine is a muscular performance enhancer that gives the athlete short term benefits. Creatine is produced by the body and it is recieved from meat and fish Creatine is a naturally produced compound that gives energy to the muscles. When you take creatine over time it helps your muscles when they need help. Creatine also helps your muscles recover after a hard workout. The main reason someone would take creatine is to increase their lifts and to appear bigger as well.

Will taking creatine supplements alter my body weight or body composition?

Creatine will increase body wieght and muscle mass. Taking creatine puts water into the muscles, giving them a bigger look (increasing cell volume). This increase in volume acts as an anabolic signal which helps to reduce protein breakdown and improves the body's usage of protein. When taking creatine you must make sure to drink lots of water or you will get dehydrated.

Here is a table of key points about creatine:

Key points

-Creatine monohydrate is the most widely used form of creatine supplement
-Creatine is made up of three amino acids and is stored as phosphocreatine in muscles
-Creatine delays muscle fatigue by "buffering" the build up of lactic acid in the muscles
-It speeds up recovery between bouts of high-intensity physical activity
-It extends maximal muscle power output
-It increases total body mass - particularly lean muscle tissue
-May be especially beneficial to athletes involved in high-intensity activities particularly where interval training and strength training are involved i.e. anaerobic activities
-There is a small amount of evidence that it may also help athletes involved in mainly aerobic activities - for example endurance running and cycling - although the evidence is not strong
-Dosage - there are a variety of recommendations, however the most widely used is a loading dose of 20g per day for five days, followed by a maintenance dose of 2g per day. Doses in excess of this are of no benefit as muscle can only store a certain amount and any excess is removed from the body
-Side-effects - there appear to be no proven side-effects
-Creatine supplementation is allowed in sport by the International Olympic Committee (2002)

Overall i feel that creatine is a helpfull supplement for the rising athletes out there.