The Navy SEAL Physical Fitness Guide - Uniformed Services ...

Table 14-4. Nutritional Ergogenic AgentsAgents Claims Dose CommentCholineEnhancesenduranceperformance.400 to 900 mg daily ascholine bitartrate or citrate.Foods rich in cholineinclude egg yolk,meat, liver, and peanuts.No benefit reported - notknown to be harmful atabove doses. Most claimsbased on theoreticalpossibilities.Octacosanol-Wheat Germ OilImproves endurancecapacity.100 to 6000 mg dailywith expected results in4 to 6 weeks.Some benefit reported.Arginine, Lysine,and OrnithineStimulate growthhormonerelease.Variable. Ornithine - 500mg a day or 250 mg oneto three times a day.Arginine - 500 mg onehour before meals and/or before workout. Theseitems are sold separatelyor in combinations withvarying amounts ofamino acid content.Ornithine - No benefit.Gastrointestinaldisturbances are common.Arginine, Lysine - Somebenefit reported.SodiumBicarbonate,(“Bicarb loading”,“Sodaloading”)Enhancesanaerobic performanceduringhigh intensityexercise lasting1 to 5 min.0.3 grams of sodiumbicarb per kg bodyweight mixed with 1 literof water 1 to 2 hoursbefore exercise.Some benefit reported - Becareful...harmful if taken inlarge amounts. Discontinueuse if abdominal cramps ordiarrhea occurs.Caffeine”Fat burner”,delays onset offatigue,enhances performance.4 to 9 mg/kg 30 mins toone hour prior to exercise.Some benefits reported, butdiscontinue use if sideeffects noted (stomach pain,tremor) interfere withconcentration or steadiness.L-Carnitine“Fat burner”,delays onset offatigue.500 mg daily. Food richin Carnitine include meatand dairy products.Little to no reported benefit -not harmful at above doses.AVOID D-carnitine - A carnitinedeficiency may occur.ChromiumPicolinateIncreases musclemass, growthstimulating.50 to 1000 µg/day as adietary supplement.Foods rich in chromiuminclude beer, brewer’syeast, oysters, mushrooms,meats, andwhole grain cereals.Some benefit reported.242 Other Training-Related Issues