JarradVZ

I've never got around to posting her here. We've been together almost a year now and I fall more in love every day: Custom iSpydafly Ti 29 frame, Niner fork, AC wheels. Nickname on the TT for good measure.

So, at a quick glance Hammer looks pretty good. They seem to put a decent emphasis on science and educating the consumer: http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/ They don't offer weight loss or pro-hormone products as far as I can see. They are focused on endurance athletes and cyclists in particular (as opposed to bodybuilder and weight-loss "athletes"). They are anti simple sugars which seems to be the way to go (for general health anyway). They seem to be serious about quality control and contamination prevention http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/quality-control-hammer-nutrition-supplements.15178.html?sect=advanced-knowledge-section http://www.hammernutrition.com/knowledge/are-your-products-strong-lab-tested-strong-for-quality-and-purity.13053.html?sect=frequently-asked-questions-section That being said, not every batch is tested for contamination so that risk may still remain. The stuff is expensive and won't turn you into a world-beater. They are also prone to over-exaggerated claims (endemic to the industry it seems): Example: XOBALINE INCREASE YOUR AEROBIC CAPACITY $9.95 (3+ for $7.95) Increase oxygen utilization. Reduce fatigue. Enhance muscle repair & regeneration. Support cardiovascular health. Gluten-Free and Vegan Friendly. This is a B12 and Folate supplement, nothing more. These benefits could only be expected in someone who was deficient in either nutrient (most of us aren't).

America actually has slacker regulations! Haven't looked much at Hammer, will browse their site and see what sort of stuff they offer.

Not really. The products are the same as far as I know but the specific batches destined for pro athletes are screened properly for contaminants (those pesky doping scandals were getting out of hand). Only 2 shelf products have been registered for the same screening, some sort of protein shake and 1 other.

But good on them for cutting ties.

Their elite and professional ambassadors receive a different product to the products offered on shelf. Only 2 shelf products are registered with the HFL. Does anyone else have a problem with this?

No pre-rides for us. We'll be at the main event though with a contingent of rigid SS bikes. Looking forward to this one.

I did post the entire string. The only message left out that wouldn't fit was my last one which read "Well why is it bothering you so much then?" I was very happy to see that USN have made applications to Informed Sport and I discussed it with one of the Informed Sport directors in person at a sports medicine conference last week. Only 2 products have been registered though and they are manufactured at a seperate facility as I understand it. The kids shake is not one of them. It certainly is a step in the right direction but don't assume that the whole range is safe because 2 products have been registered. Anyway, I am tired of all this now. You should all make your own nutrition choices but just arm yourself with the facts first so that those decisions are informed and intelligent.

Absolutely not. The only free kit I ever received was from Transact on Joberg2c because of my medical involvement. I have absolutely no affiliation with any supplement or nutrition brand whatsoever.

I have never received anything from 32GI (or any other supplements company). I actually have a problem with their marketing too: low GI carbohydrates have not been shown to be superior to high GI carbs for endurance performance. So, I'm not sure what you are talking about on that point. I never attacked anyone. I only ever asked questions and requested evidence for claims. I won't be drawn into a mud-slinging match, it will not accomplish anything and you seem far better at it than me in any case.

Alright Dangle. I'm not sure why you insist on making personal attacks. My integrity or lack thereof is not the topic of discussion. The CEO of a major company threatened me directly with legal action for asking some questions about his products. I exposed him and I would do it again. Your affiliation is assumed because of the photographs I have seen of you in full USN regalia and also your constant retweeting and support for Albe's tweets. Maybe I am wrong, maybe you bought all the USN kit and just really, really like Albe.

Wow, things seem to have gone a little off course here. As stated before, I have no personal vendetta against USN or any other supplement company. USN did however catch my attention. Their CEO is very vocal on Twitter, promoting new products at every opportunity. My problem came when I noticed that many of his posts were blatant lies! One that sticks in my mind is about a specific supplement being able to provide 40% (!) gains in strength or recovery or something. I went straight away and did a scientific literature search to see if there was any research at all to back these claims. Unsurprisingly, there was absolutely nothing of the sort to be found anywhere. How can it be legal for a company to make completely exaggerated claims such as this without having to provide any evidence to back themselves up? So, I sent them an e-mail. My mail was redirected to Irma Botha who is involved in R and D for USN. I asked some simple questions about whether I could see any research that had been done on some products. Irma got back to me a little while later and told me that USN does not conduct any clinical research. They relied on research done by others but they could not send me this research as it was stored in an "archive". She told me to go on to Medline and do a search. I left it at that. When I saw the kids product all I did was ask questions again but this time on Twitter. Then I was bullied and did what Albe probably didn't expect, I fought back. He seems to me like the sort of guy who is used to people running away from him, tails between their legs. I certainly didn't expect the message to spread like it did. Mr Powell, I do not profit from drug companies. I earn my money on consultation fees and don't dispense so much as an Aspirin. I have a distrust of big pharma and I am well aware of some of their dodgy practices. They are however, a strictly regulated industry. A drug has to be proven to be both safe and effective (at great cost to the company) before it is allowed to be marketed. That marketing is then strictly regulated too so that they can't even mention the specific product name in their adverts. Supplements are different, they have to be proven to be dangerous before they are removed from the market and they can be marketed as wonder-drugs without proof. You are not effectively defending USN, but rather trying to defer the blame. The supplements industry is rotten, how can you deny that? Dangle, you have an affiliation to USN. I don't think that you can comment here in an unbiased manner. And no, the odd protein shake for your 8 year old is certainly not going to kill him. I never said it would though. My mission has already been accomplished. There are now a few more people out there who will look a little more critically at the contents of a supplement before buying it. Hey, there may even be a few who will look at the available clinical research before believing an impressive sounding claim from a supplement company.

Yeah Sandro, pretty scary! Our regulations are actually a little more progressive than those in the States. They are nowhere near strict enough though and poorly enforced to boot.

Nah, not the CEO. She was a representative of some sorts but didn't come across very well. Posted this on Twitter: Well worth a watch.

It didn't go very smoothly for USN. I was listening over streaming with Dr Jon Patricios. He decided to call in and state the position on supplements in children of the South African Sports Medicine Association. USN spokesperson didnt really have too many answers and admitted that the product was not well researched and only tested on children for taste and satiety effect. The focus of the show was more on the marketing of the product.

SwissVan Your question is valid. Nesquick, Milo etc. are also not great. They are high energy and high sugar. Not bad if used post workout but otherwise not ideal for kids (or adults really). The difference is that they are not marketed by USN. A company founded by someone from a body-building background whose nutrition knowledge comes from gyms and health-clubs where anabolics, deliberate dehydration, insulin, stimulants etc. are the norm. A company who has already had several contamination controversies. A company who also markets hormonal products. Competitive kids will then associate the brand with sporting success and graduate onto their more controversial products. The ethics are my concern more than the product itself.

Biogen sponsors FedgroupItec team. Biogen = USN.

Excellent point Martin! Any effects attributable to a particular supplement become even more impossible to prove or disprove when there are multiple "active" ingredients in each product. The placebo effect is far more powerful than we once realised. Have a look at "Bad Science" by Ben Goldacre as an excellent read around this and other pseudoscience mumbo-jumbo.

Okay, so I just DNFed at Van Gaalens. Chain on the SS just wouldn't stay put (bent chainring the cause? Not sure). Now I gotta wait for Jules. So I have some time on my hands. The Twitter debate is still raging although it is pretty one-sided. His supporters are all his lieutenants (USN sponsored athletes) but the general trend is that he is a corporate bully in charge of an unethical company. The silly and irrelevant comments from Stewart and his wife were not a surprise but I was a little disappointed in Martin Dreyer (although if your boss demands a little help it may be difficult to refuse). To emphasize: my main problem is not with the product itself (the stuff is not ideal, but no worse than some other products mentioned here). The main issue is with the ethics of a company like USN (they have had their fair share of doping and contamination controversies before and also manufacture and market hormone precursor products) now marketing a kids specific supplement. It makes me so uneasy. All I did was ask a few questions and Albe did the rest. I can offer some basic advice when shopping for sports supplements: Do some research. Google Scholar is your friend when it comes to finding academic articles and avoiding advertorials. Find out for yourself whether the performance claims have been proven by science or not. Be suspicious of inflated claims and many different active ingredients in the same product. Look for the "Informed Sport" logo. They are an independent testing program who can assure the purity of a specific product. Presently only Pepto-Pro are enrolled but things should be changing soon. Avoid companies who also market hormonal products. Testo 17 boost pro xxx or whatever, beware! The risk of contamination is simply too great. That's all for now.

Hi guys and girls I am JarradVZ. I am a mountain-biker and a bit of a Hub creep in that I'm around a lot but I don't say too much. I am a doctor with a diploma in anesthesia and I'm currently completing my masters in Sports Medicine at UP. I am relatively new to the sports medicine game but I am passionate about it. I am a scientist, 1st and foremost. I have no personal vendetta against USN or any other supplements company. I do have a problem though with the lack of regulations in the supplements industry which have led to false performance claims, contamination with steroids and stimulants etc. you simply don't know what is really in that tub when you buy it, and frankly, neither do the manufacturers. I wrote an academic article on the subject and will link it when I find it. I am very busy in theatre today and so I haven't read through the whole thread (I wonder if it can rival the infamous "snake-shovel" thread). I will get through it this evening and attempt to answer any questions that may have been posted. The pic posted on page 1 is a screenshot of my direct message stream with Albe from yesterday. He advertised his new "kids sports supplement" and I conceded that such a product would be very useful for malnourished children but asked why it would be needed in an otherwise healthy child. I didn't get an answer. I then pointed out that the product is sugary with a good deal of sodium and does contain additives (even if they are "natural"). He didn't like this and I soon received the 1st threat on direct message. I then edited one of his tweets to infer that his company was about the money and cared little for ethics. That one prompted the now infamous "25 follower" lawyer threat. I tweeted the comment to my 25 followers and things kind of snow-balled from there. All I want is for the public to know the facts. This product is completely unnecessary in a child nourished with a balanced diet of real food whether the child is sporty or not. Comments and questions welcome Jarrad

In on the SS.

Nah, joBerg2c is still excellent value for money. Of course a 9 day, fully supported race across the country is going to cost a bit. When you do it, take a minute to think about the logistics involved and you will realize that it is amazing that they can offer it at the price that they do. Take the plunge, it will be the best thing you ever do.

Great route! Marking was a little poor though. Had a lot of fun.

Shut up Sharkie. If you knew the race organisers at all you would realize that this is not about money. Don't come, we don't need you there.

Do not do this. Please.