[Closed] PSA - Panorama tonight, Do sports products work? 20.00 BBC1

So we have an hours program and the answer is;

I do fear 59 and a half minutes of padding around a relatively simple conclusion.

I'm not sure any programme has ever had so many PSAs. 🙂

I wonder how many STWers hope that the answer is "No".

EDIT: And as usual, some have already made their minds up without even seeing the programme.

I suspect the answer will be

No, well sort of, maybe, sometimes

errm, have you read the article that was linked to?
[i]
concluding: "In this case, the quality of the evidence is poor, the size of the effect is often miniscule and it certainly doesn't apply to the population at large who are buying these products.

"Basically, when you look at the evidence in the general population, it does not say that exercise is improved [or that] performance is improved by carbohydrate drinks."[/i]

and

[i]"The evidence does not stack up and the quality of the evidence does not allow us to say these do improve in performance or recovery and should be used as a product widely."[/i]

and

[i]Puma declined to provide his research team with any studies to prove that their shoes can deliver on those claims.[/i]

It looks like 'probably, no' to me?

Back to pork pies and beer it is then.

errm, have you read the article that was linked to?

No, I'll probably record and watch the programme this evening though.

No need - it's on the BBC News website today. Naturally in the spirit of STW I've not read it.

Prof Lean said the market for supplements is "yet another fashion accessory for exercise… and a rather expensive way of getting a bit of milk."

"In this case, the quality of the evidence is poor, the size of the effect is often miniscule and it certainly doesn't apply to the population at large who are buying these products.

Or put another way

yet another fashion accessory for exercise for the population at large who are buying these products

We all know they sell there proper supplements under the counter and you need something to blame when you get reet quick

I'll probably be sticking with orange juice during ride, chocolate milk for post ride recovery, and beer for post ride re-hydration.

Do sports products work?

What are they defining as "sports products"?
Lucozade, powerbars etc all the way through to whey protein and creatine?

What are they defining as "sports products"?
Lucozade, powerbars etc all the way through to whey protein and creatine?

that and stuff like running shoes too

that and stuff like running shoes too

To be honest I'm doubtful of the benefits of eating running shoes. The have tongues. Boak.

To be honest I've been doubtful of the benefits of eating running shoes too

They'd probably do you as much good as some of the snake oil that gets hyped to hell

[img] [/img]

Just a nice bit of pre-Olympic waffle by the beeb - dumbed down science by second rate academics bitter because they never got a slice of the "sports products" pie.

If people feel that hi-tech shoes/equipment/snacks may improve their performance then most likely they will.
If people find motivation to exercise in buying new trainers, clothing or products with famous athletes endorsements then what's wrong with that. ?

Is that sports products "working"....

.....maybe - just not in the way that many assume they will

Interesting that they've gone after GSK.

Is that sports products "working"....

.....maybe - just not in the way that many assume they will

Indeed, just like power balance bands.
I guess the bottom line is -
If a deception makes people feel better, is that a bad thing?

IanMunro - Member
Indeed, just like power balance bands.
I guess the bottom line is -
If a deception makes people feel better, is that a bad thing?

It's a good question - when does deception become applied psychology ?

Is a deceived person who then starts to improve their lifestyle and becomes healthier and more motivated worse/better of than an enlightened person slobbing out with a bucket of chips in front of the TV/PS3/internet........

...I would put "power bands" further down the scale of rip-off then sports food however 😉

I got as far as PSA... Is this about Peanut Butter Chunky Kit-Kats being available again?

Just a nice bit of pre-Olympic waffle by the beeb

Sums it up pretty well.

..I would put "power bands" further down the scale of rip-off then sports food however

Me too 😀
But yup it's an interesting question as to what's morally acceptable and what isn't.
I look forward to not listening to it on the Moral Maze 😀

Interesting that they've gone after GSK.

Why's that?

I was looking at the vending machine at work the other night, so called "energy drinks" £1.30 to £1.85, milk 60p, no wonder the farmers can't make any money if stupid people are prepared to pay twice the price for flavoured fizzy water. 😯

Won't the conclusion be, yes to and extent, but the same benefits can be obtained very easily and at considerably lower cost than falling for the manufacturers' BS. Start with electrolyte drinks!!!!

I was looking at the vending machine at work the other night, so called "energy drinks" £1.30 to £1.85, milk 60p, no wonder the farmers can't make any money if stupid people are prepared to pay twice the price for flavoured fizzy water.

I'd think it's 'Yes, but only for people who are actually fit. If your fat your [i]waisting[/i] your time'.

Boom, tish !

(but took a couple of seconds to register!)

Why's that?

I think GSK are/is the official laboratories supplier to the limpics innit.

I think it's worth remembering that Alf Tupper, Britain's best runner ever, lived mostly on fish and chips.

[img] [/img]

"Milk has got a lotta bottle, nice cold, ice cold, milk"

Blimey, that dates me. That was in the days before lactate intolerance was invented, sorry, discovered. Funny how all those school kids survived their daily bottles!?!?

Trying to remember where I heard that the best recovery meal was two pints of Guinness and a bag of chips.

Thank you, I'm here all week. Literally.

So the science is all about de-bunking mass-market products. Any programme that covers nutrition products to running shoes is covering too broad an area.

Media knocking copy again. We had the Telegraph looking for stuff on "all the gear no idea" cyclists at work recently. I pointed out that we didn't operate in the field they were examining, I'm hardly likely to bite the hand that feeds me.

I think the Wiggins description is apt about such low-life

It amazes me that anyone over the age of 12 would drink redbull or monster.

"Red bull, it gives you wings." ....and funny coloured vomit.

However using some electrolyte containing drinks to deliver energy and rehydrate is not a bad idea.

perhaps it's more about society wanting something as they have paid money but still can't run like Bolt etc.

Or it's lazy journalism taking a swing at a big corp knowing they are saying just enough for headlines but not enough to get sued

"Red bull, it gives you wings."

But so do Always and they can get you roller skating too!

IIRC Channel 4 did an experiment a few years back where they took a big bunch of atheletes, split them into groups and gave each group their own different supplements - creatine, protein, steroids, caffeine, placebos etc. Big bunch of tests at the start to establish the starting point then tests repeated again after a few weeks on the supplements. I believe the caffeine group showed the biggest improvements, followed by the placebo mob.

From personal experience, which means little, sports drinks don't appear to do anything. In fact I rarely find I can drink while exercising unless it's really hot. I have, however, found that with repeated heavy exercise day on day, a protein drink shortens recovery time a bit so I feel the next day I can do it again rather than having to wait a day. But even then that was only a fairly minimal effect and only when I was pushing myself hard for 2.5 hours a day, every day.

I run nearly everyday, anything from 20 mins if I'm doing intervals to 2 hrs or more on long lazy runs at the weekend, I'll have a bit of flapjack on long runs occasionally, and just started running with a hand held bottle but that's just water.

Did use flat trainers for a bit, but I couldnt get used to them, and I'm back on regular trainers.

I don't like flavoured drinks so Maxim original which is a pure complex carb is the only one I have any experience with. I used to use it when I raced and I think it helped for the longer races and rides, but I see little point these days as I can stop and eat proper food.

Big glass of milk shortly after hard exersise in the "protein window" was reccomended to me by a few trainers to aid recovery. Bung a raw egg and a banana in for a extra salmonella and tasty burps.

I think the isotonic thing is pretty much BS and all an energy drink should be doing is putting carbs into your stomach for your body to process into energy...

I'll not be watching the program as I suspect I'll learn little and end up "shouting at the TV".

dumbed down science by second rate academics bitter because they never got a slice of the "sports products" pie.

Think it's based on these.

[url= http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4797 ]Forty years of sports performance research and little insight gained[/url]

[url= http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4848 ]Mythbusting sports and exercise products[/url]

Maybe you should let the BMJ know they're wrong?

White bread roll with peanut butter and honey, that'll keep ya moving.

I do find caffeine gels to be effective though

Terry Wrist - Member
Maybe you should let the BMJ know they're wrong?

BMJ, you mean that journal where medics pretend to be scientists 😆

If the medical profession were as concerend about the validity of the studies that go into the pills they prescribe I'd perhaps be slightly more impressed, 'til then if you ever find a medic recommending something that's not on a 'script be sure to let me know....

It amazes me that anyone over the age of 12 would [s]drink redbull or monster[/s] choose to watch Panorama.

Panorama - programming for those who find the Take-a-Break crossword too intellectually taxing.