|
|
|
|
boretribe
Jun 5, 2002, 6:38 PM
Post #1 of 3
(1746 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2002
Posts: 208
|
I have been a vegetarian (closer to the vegan end) for over 2.5 years and feel great. My mother in law (vegetarian for 25+ years) just told me that her doctor suggested that the joint problems she has been experiencing lately could be tied to the fact that she doesn’t eat meat. He recommended that she start taking glucosamine and chondroitin. Along these lines I read somewhere (I think in ‘Climbing Your Best’ by Heather Reynolds Sagar) that vegetarians should consider taking Creatine to help with rebuilding muscle tissue.
I am one who would rather eat healthy food than take supplements (much tastier); in fact I don’t even take vitamins. About the only thing I do take is the occasional dose of Ibuprofen (what climber doesn’t) and very rarely Pseudoephedrine (for bad sinus congestion). I do know that overdoing it on some vitamins and supplements can have adverse effects (to the liver etc.) but is my resistance to taking supplements going to harm me in the long run? I would rather pop a few pills now if it going to keep major problems away in the future.
Anybody have any info or experience with theses issues / supplements. (I’m going to also PM jt512 to see if he would respond to this thread since he seems to be our resident nutritionist and has given well informed advice in the past.)
-Geoff
Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves
|
|
|
|
|
jhwnewengland
Jun 5, 2002, 6:52 PM
Post #2 of 3
(1746 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 2, 2002
Posts: 470
|
I have experience with both Glucosamine / Chondroitin and Creatine. Started taking the Glucosamine / Chondroitin when I developed tendonitis in the knees and elbows from lifting too much, and it has definitely helped. I'm still taking it and feel much better. It is expensive, however - expect to pay about $15 / month.
Creatine will build muscle (I gained 10 pounds of muscle after I started taking it), which you might not want if you are a serious climber. However, if you are concerned with your muscles being too weak as a vegetarian it could help (creatine is found naturally in red meat). I would recommend against the creatine personally, as it seemed to intensify my joint problems.
|
|
|
|
|
jt512
Jun 5, 2002, 7:08 PM
Post #3 of 3
(1746 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 12, 2001
Posts: 21904
|
Quote:
I have been a vegetarian (closer to the vegan end) for over 2.5 years and feel great.
If your diet is nearly vegan, there are some supplements you should probably take. More detail below.
Quote:
My mother in law (vegetarian for 25+ years) just told me that her doctor suggested that the joint problems she has been experiencing lately could be tied to the fact that she doesn’t eat meat. He recommended that she start taking glucosamine and chondroitin.
I agree with the recommendation to take glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis, but I've never seen any research to support the notion that a meatless diet will lead to joint problems.
Quote:
Along these lines I read somewhere (I think in ‘Climbing Your Best’ by Heather Reynolds Sagar) that vegetarians should consider taking Creatine to help with rebuilding muscle tissue.
Creatine is a substance in muscle that plays a role in short-term energy utilization. Although our muscles produce their own creatine, meat eaters obtain significant amounts from their diets, and vegetarians consequently have lower creatine stores in their muscles.
Creatine supplementation has been shown to improve performance in power-oriented sports, and thus might be beneficial in bouldering and in climbing powerful cruxes. It has been suggested (though not specifically studied, to my knowledge) that vegetarians would likely benefit particularly from creatine supplementation.
Although creatine supplementation increases performance in power activities, it doesn't, AFAIK, "build muscle." Muscle size will increase on creatine supplements; however, the increase in size occurs because creatine causes the muscle to retain water.
Quote:
I do know that overdoing it on some vitamins and supplements can have adverse effects (to the liver etc.) but is my resistance to taking supplements going to harm me in the long run.
Too much of any vitamin could be potentially harmful. I'm opposed to mega-dosing of any vitamin. As a near-vegan, there are a few nutrients that are likely to be scarce in your diet; namely, vitamin B12, calcium, and zinc. Sometimes vegan diets are short in other B vitamins as well, so the easiest way to take care of B12 and zinc is to take a cheap daily multivitamin. Take a preparation for men, which will not contain iron, as men tend to have excessive iron stores.
Calcium has to be supplemented separately. I'd go to the drug store and buy the cheapest calcium supplement I can find - ususally it's calcium carbonate. I don't go for the more expensive, better-absorbed other forms of calcium. It's cheaper and just as effective to by the cheap stuff and just take a little more of it. 600 mg/day ought to be enough. The RDA is 1200 mg, and you're probably getting 600 mg from your diet.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a serious problem among vegans, and the consequences can be serious, including irreversible nerve damage, so B12 supplementation is crucial. As I said, the multi-vitamin should be sufficient. There's no need to take separate B12.
[ This Message was edited by: jt512 on 2002-06-05 12:12 ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
