David Senchina examines the effects of herbal supplements, in particular, Echinacea and Ginseng on athletes. The writer defined what herbal supplement is, increase in their use, and the reasons why athletes use them. The author describes herbal supplement as a product derived from plants which have multiple bioactive chemicals except extracts from bacteria or fungi. The article further notes that the use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades and identified Echinacea and Ginseng as the most popularly used products. Growth in the use of supplements is motivated by athletes desire to improve their performance. Each athlete would like to outperform their opponents to win in the competition (Senchina, 2013).
The writer discusses the use of herbal supplements by athletes and focuses on the effect of such products on the health and performance of the user. He uses a multidisciplinary approach to research that involves medical discipline, botany, chemistry and pays particular attention to what motivates athletes to use such products. Although the author noted several herbs that are used as supplements, he pays special attention to Echinacea and ginseng. The source of information is a reliable one with the author making reference to other similar works. Additionally, the writer is authoritative in the field having written similar articles previously (Senchina, 2013).
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Limited studies use in vivo with the majority employing ex vivo or in vitro conditions. The results from the studies are often conflicting and not in agreement with the claims made. Most researchers use usage surveys in their research where they lump together different supplements in one group, and therefore it is possible to underestimate their usage. The use of bioavailability studies in the two supplements suggests that the molecules can pass through the gut in appropriate quantities into the bloodstream (Researchgate, 2017; Senchina, 2013).
The author of the article used ex vivo studies by drawing blood sample pre and post exercise. The researcher stimulated Lymphocytes in vitro. The recent research concluded that Echinacea supplements could stimulate innate and adaptive immunity. The study further notes that caffeic acid derivatives and alkyl amides are the likely bioactive molecules (Researchgate, 2017; Senchina, 2013).
Herbal supplements are not illegal and therefore can be bought over the counter. The use of such products by athletes is higher than by the general public. In addition to better performance on the track, athletes use supplements to prevent illnesses and improve their health. According to Dunford & Doyle, 2014, athletes use supplements for several reasons. A poor diets, training and competition demand, use by team mates and competitors and recommendations by parents or physician coach are some of the reasons for using supplements. Other factors that contribute to the use include; boost the immune system, prevention of sickness, inability to prepare meals and overcoming injuries.
Herbal supplements are not regulated and therefore the marketing campaigns about their efficacy lack independent validation. Users should be cautious while using such products because the knowledge of their effect is still small. There is weak or conflicting scientific evidence to support claims by herbal supplements (Researchgate, 2017; Senchina, 2013).
Herbal supplements labels do not display the actual supplement content, and there are variations from different manufacturers of a similar product. Additionally, some supplements can contain banned substances, and due to minimal regulations, it’s hard to standardize the products and determine what components should be avoided (Researchgate, 2017; Senchina, 2013).
It is desirable to regulate herbal supplements to ensure that the products perform as indicated on the labels. Authorities should identify all the banned products and develop the necessary standards that will help in regulating and identify them even in small quantities. Active controls should be established in the industry and hefty fines charged for manufacturers and individuals who violate the standards. Resellers and users should be aware of the consequences that arise from misuse of the products.
References
Dunford, M., & Doyle, J. A. (2015). Nutrition for sport and exercise . Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Researchgate, (2017, February 02). Consensus Statement: Immunonutrition and Exercise: Exercise immunology review
Senchina, D. (2013). Athletics and Herbal Supplements. American Scientist, 101 (2), 134. doi:10.1511/2013.101.134
