Class 1 and suplements

[CY333]

Hi guys and girls.
Been trying to keep fit for more than 10 years by not frinking,smoking and woring out.
The last few years have been using supplements like proteins to keep my diet balanced as sometimes I have no time to eat due to he nature of my job.
Next year I am going for my medical and planning to quit with the supplements but I am wondering if using them would affect the urine and blood examination.
I believe it would but as I have seen we have a few users here who have been also involved in the medical sector so would be nice to know more.
Have a great weekend.

[AMEandPPL]

just a proper diet . . . . . . . . . .

Next year I am going for my medical and planning to quit with the supplements, but I am wondering if using them would affect the urine and blood examination.

You make it sound as if you are using something secret or surreptitious !

Dietary supplements are unlikely to have any effect at all on a medical to determine professional fitness.

The human body works best on a normal healthy balanced diet, and, let's face it, eating can be very pleasurable too ! Why "top up" any particular vitamin or mineral if there is no evidence whatever that it is deficient ? Would you pour more oil into your car ( or plane ! )engine if the dipstick level was totally "normal" ?

It's also costing you dear, of course, because you have bought the supplements ! Any which is surplus to the body's requirements is not "saved for a rainy day", it ends up in the public sewer system ! Why not just pour your money down the drain in the first place ?

Kali orexi !

[Neo_RS14]

I think you've asked a great question CY333. I guess it would depend exactly on what type of supplement you are using. Following a sports injury, I needed to bulk up on muscle mass on my legs, which had atrpohied slightly after long rest and using crutches. After a month or so, I looked at protein/muscle building supplements to enable me to have an intake of protein quickly after exercising, as apparently this is beneficial.

I've been using a blend of whey protein, L-Glutamine, and Creatine which I got from Holland and Barret. I've noticed a definitive improvement, by having just one shake a day (opposed to the recommended 2 servings) after training.

I too would be interested to know whether the supplement I'm taking ,may incur negative urine sample results if I were to go for my class 1 initial. I know that there are many other nutrients etc in the "mix" so I'm curious as to whether they could potentially cause me some bother. However, I'm told Creatine is naturally occuring anyhow (for example in steaks), so perhaps that wouldn't be an issue.

[AMEandPPL]

only diet, please . . . . . . . .

I needed to bulk up on muscle mass on my legs

Absolutely fine, so long as the supplementation is solely DIETARY.
Please do not be tempted to get involved with anabolic steroids, or anything like that, as some bent athletes do. They might increase muscle mass and strength in the short term, but at a great physiological and pathological cost in the longer term.

may incur negative urine sample results if I were to go for my class 1 initial

Same applies here too. The taking of most types of steroids ( not inhalers ! ) is usually disqualifying for a class 1 medical. But what you take in as DIET, and how unusual or expensive it is, will not affect a class 1 medical one iota.

[track&field]

I know A LOT about sport supplements and would be happy to answer any concerns you may have as best I can. I am not really up to speed on what comes out in your urine as I have had no need to know about that, but I can still give you a knowledgable push in the right direction.

It is difficult for me to tell you anything without knowing what you supplement your diet with, so for now I will give you some general advice -dont stop taking the supplements immediately before the medical if that is what you were going to do, this can cause all sorts of weird rebound type effects which can take a few days to even out and may possibly cause some concern.

I am not sure what is tested for in the medical, but I know sports supplements such as 'alcar' and 'choline' have been said to produce fats in the urine (on a good sport supplement forum I use) which may raise an eyebrow.

[track&field]

Originally Posted by AMEandPPL

Same applies here too. The taking of most types of steroids ( not inhalers ! ) is usually disqualifying for a class 1 medical. But what you take in as DIET, and how unusual or expensive it is, will not affect a class 1 medical one iota.

Also be aware that some sport supplements which are available (mostly over the internet) contain some substances which are more harmful than steroids, and may make you fail a test. There are a lot of designer drugs out there marketed not as such. These are often (but not always) advertised as being ''more effective than steroids'', and work by artificially raising your testosterone level using twisted analogs of said substance which the liver cannot easilly break down. Taken over long periods they can even land people in A&E or the ER depending on what part of the world you are in. These come in respectable looking containers like everything else on sale and a lot of people dont even realise exactly the mechanisms of action of that which they are taking.

[gingernut]

I'd have to agree with AME, there isn't much evidence for most of the supplements, but I can understand why people use them- especially if they feel it'll give them an edge in their sport.

Most will not cause harm, I can't think of many having a detrimental effect on your urine test.

If everythings working fine, then your kidney's should do their job properly and filter out the crap.

At a guess, in extreme circumstances, the urine dipstick could be affected by the follwing:

Ketones present: In vomitting or starvation.

Glucose present: 'spose in theory hammering the simple carbs could bring on the onset of diabetes. (Tenous link)

Protein present: In theory, the protein powder could potentially **** up the kidneys.



Vit B tends to make the urine dark, but I suspect that this won't be an issue.


Can't think of any problems with the blood sample- in theory, high fats in the cholesterol could affect lipids.


Illegal supplements are, however, a different kettle of fish.

(Greengrocers is ya' best health food shop)

[AMEandPPL]

really good advice . . . . . . . . .

Greengrocers is your best "health food" shop

That has to be the simplest, but still the best, bit of heath advice I
have heard in a long, long time ! Bravo !
Comes in a very close second to "stop smoking".

[Neo_RS14]

Thank you all for your information. I'd be lieing if I said I'm not concerned about my continued use of this sports supplement. I have heard of protein powders causing chaos for the kidneys before, and I REALLY do not want to end up with some kind of problem with my internals later in life (just turned 27). The supplement has helped me pack on muscle noticeably in just 2 weeks of use, and I'd like to continue using it throughout the summer as I progress up the scale of leading a more and more physically demanding lifestyle, having been on a long period of rest after a form of distrophy in my foot, and ligament damage in my knee. I'm not the greatest of cooks, my weekly menu could sure use some more variety, but I do cook salmon, tuna steaks, chicken breast fairly regularly.

But despite these staple protein providers (eaten as an evening meal, often long after training), I didn't get anywhere near the results I've had by drinking a 'muscle builder' shake minutes after the gym.

OK this isn't a nutrion site, so I won't bleet on and on. I appreciate the confirmation that as long as I stay on the straight an narrow (would never consider any type of steroid) I will not be likely to run into any kind of trouble at my initial medical.

I am a bit concerned though about my continued use of these things...getting through this 1200g tub pretty darn quick, will have to look for a replacement soon, think I'm gonna stay away from Internet sellers though having read your contribution Track and Field, thanks for the heads up.

[AMEandPPL]

keep it simple . . . . . . . . . . .

I'm gonna stay away from Internet sellers

Stick with Gingernut's advice : your GREENGROCER is your
best source of "health foods" ! !

[CY333]

Nice to see that quite a few have looked at this.
Basically i used only amino acids/protein and creatine, but is known for creatine to show up in your urine test and even protein at some levels.
I will for sure stop them a few monhths before my medical, just to avoid any worries.
Someone wrote that some supplements are more bad to health than steroids.
That is a TRUE statement as if you look in various forums you will find known brands that have stopped producing some supplements due to trace of testosterone in their WONDER supplements.
Unfortunatly some of us and that includes me, work two or three jobs with result of getting our energy levels to drop right down.
I for one like to exrcise as I have the last 10 years and found that some supplements (not steroids) boost my energy levels but also help me keep an arranged diet cycle.

[gingernut]

Probably better than the average Jet-Blast breakfast-

a pot of tea and 20 B&H.

[Neo_RS14]

Stick with Gingernut's advice : your GREENGROCER is your
best source of "health foods" ! !

Of course, fruit n veg is always the best path to take in the interests of ones health, but I'm specifically after muscle building/protein based things, I can't see what the greengrocer can really do for me in this case.

[track&field]

Oh, regarding protein supplementation I use quite a lot and have been known to have over 300grams per day over long periods, though normally stick to around 250grams per day. My kidneys are fine and I have followed a high protein diet for over ten years now to aid me in recovering from strenuous exercise. I have also had urine tested before for general health purposes and I have recieved no feedback from any medical staff querying anything here. I wouldnt concern yourself with standard protein drinks AT ALL, nothing to be wary of there. : )

T&F

[Neo_RS14]

Thank you!

[gingernut]

Of course, fruit n veg is always the best path to take in the interests of ones health, but I'm specifically after muscle building/protein based things, I can't see what the greengrocer can really do for me in this case.

Ok point taken (chickpeas, nuts and lentils are pretty good though), but you could always pop next door to the fishmongers. Or the other way to the butchers. (Well you can if you live in a proper village).

In all honesty, I suspect that you're worried about protein showing up in your urine because of the amount of protein in your diet/supplementation.

It doesn't quite work how you'd logically think. For excessive protein to show in your urine, (not just a trace), your kidney's usually have to be well and truly f*cked.

A blood test is far more sensitive, if you want to check how they're doing. But of course, the CAA don't routinely do that.

[Neo_RS14]

Ok point taken (chickpeas, nuts and lentils are pretty good though), but you could always pop next door to the fishmongers. Or the other way to the butchers. (Well you can if you live in a proper village).

I do live in a village, in fact I believe I'm the only pilot in the village!

But there is only one convenience store, then a chinese take away and umm, think that's about it. Besides a pub.

True, nuts and pulses are a good source of protein too. My mum was a bit of a legend at cooking with them, but that's a trait that didn't pass down to me sadly. I shall have to learn.

I only use one shake a day, unlike the recommended dosage, or people who have them several times a day then a special type (casien) for slow absorption throughout the night. I just think it's important to get some decent protein soon after exercise...although my friend a qualified doctor, is now telling me it doesn't really work like that. This "magical 30 minute window" after exercise might not quite be as important as "they" make out.

Either way, I've had reasonable results from my 1 shake after exercise.

[AMEandPPL]

'fraid he's right . . . . . . . !

although my friend, a qualified doctor, is now telling me it doesn't really work like that

Reading the posts on this subject here so far it seems that many people are under the impression that the proteins taken in in the diet are the same ones which end up improving those enormous fit muscles ! Nothing could be further from the truth ! A similar lay misconception is about castor oil (or similar) being good for arthritis because it "lubricates" the joints. Unfortunately, in neither case does it work anything like so simply.

When food is ingested it is DIGESTED in the stomach, by strong hydrochloric acid and numerous powerful enzymes. Large molecules, particularly the proteins and lipids, are broken down to their smaller component parts in order to be absorbed into the blood stream for transport to the cells and tissues. The component parts of proteins, for example, are the much smaller amino acids. Once in the cells and tissues these component parts are once again recombined, to be formed back into proteins. But note, this time HUMAN proteins !

If, as seems to be believed by many, foreign ( ie plant or animal) protein was actually directly absorbed into the blood, then some fairly catastrophic allergic or anaphylactic reactions would be likely to occur.

There's a good account of this subject here, for anyone who is interested :
Protein Digestion and Absorption

[Neo_RS14]

Very interesting

But is it not the case that one still has to consume some protein in the first place, in order to be broken into amino acids, then re-bult into human proteins for the muscles...? Therefore, there is still a requirement of protein to build the muscles, hence why the message about eating a protein rich diet while training to increase muslce size is so embedded into every excersisers heads.

[AMEandPPL]

quite agreed . . . . . . . .

But is it not the case that one still has to consume some protein in the first place ?

Of course it is ! My point is that a sufficient amount of protein
is a basic requirement of a healthy balanced NORMAL diet. But the
source of the pool of amino acids from which we synthesize our own proteins can come from all the most mundane of foods ( meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruit etc etc ).

The constituents of these so-called "supplements" are still just proteins, and still just contribute to the general amino acid pool.
Yet, as with anything "designer", they will command enormously inflated prices !

One sentence from the article I quoted earlier on :

The blood contains amino acids at all times. Fasting does not clear them, and a high protein diet does not materially increase them. The body has a constant need for protein amino acids, and it keeps a fairly uniform balance.