However, exercise should not only be considered as a method to lose weight but also as an essential tool in remaining healthy through treating and preventing illness and diseases. This May’s Exercise is Medicine™ Month, is a time for everyone to recognize, emphasize and celebrate the valuable health benefits of exercise and to May-Kit Happen.

Exercise is Medicine is a program launched in 2007 by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) and is designed to encourage American’s patients to incorporate physical activity and exercise into their daily routine. Whilst this program is being promoted primarily in the US it is a program which is applicable globally. According to the World Health Organization, one of the major challenges in the prevention of non-communicable diseases and in the promotion of physical activity and other healthy lifestyle choices is communicating the importance of action now in return for future benefits.

Exercise should not just be advised to the overweight but promoted to everyone for overall, life-long health. The U.S Physical Activity Guidelines suggest participating in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, whilst the Australian guidelines are to put together at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days. The UK current physical activity guideline for children is to achieve 60 minutes or more activity on 7 days a week. But with modern transport, technology and labour saving devices how many of us actually achieve these guidelines?

Aside from weight loss, exercise also provides the added benefits of:

• better circulation, preventing heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure;
• increases strength by helping to build and maintain bones, muscles and joints to reduce the risk of injury or osteoporosis;
• improves agility and flexibility;
• reduces the risk of diabetes and certain cancers;
• promotes psychological well being and can reduce the risk of alzheimer’s disease.

Don’t forget to check with your doctor first that you are healthy enough to start exercising, they may also be able to provide you with a suitable exercise plan or classes in your area. Exercise is Medicine aims not only to promote exercise to the public but also to encourage doctors to prescribe it to their patients. Network members, including Strenua’s World, have committed to supporting the guiding principles of Exercise is Medicine:

• Exercise and physical activity are important to health and the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases.
• More should be done to address physical activity and exercise in health care settings.
• Encourage ACSM’s efforts to bring a greater focus on physical activity and exercise in health care settings.

If you are interested in learning how you can become more active in your life then sign up for the one-month Exercise is Medicine™ email series for the public. You will receive helpful tips on how to create a life-long exercise plan and stick to it, regardless of your age or current fitness level, easy-to-use resources and plenty of motivation to keep you moving.

Robert E. Sallis, MD, the chair of Exercise is Medicine, says ‘We all know exercise is not a magic bullet. It doesn’t guarantee you won’t get cancer or have high blood pressure. But research clearly shows exercise helps treat and prevent many chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, cancer and hypertension. Of all the measures that can be taken to prevent illness and disease, exercise is, by far, the most worthwhile. Whether you’re sick or healthy, young or old, fit or not, exercise makes you feel better almost immediately!  The trick is to sustain a fitness regime. Help is out there. Support is available. Whatever it takes, just get moving!’

Athletes are such a group of people who you would think would pay more attention to their body. In 1996 spending on supplements in US was $6.5 billion and in 2002 was $18 billion with sports nutritional products making up one third of sales, so sports supplements are a huge market.

It was interesting to read a recent study in the Singapore Medical Journal, which examined the use of nutritional supplements by university athletes in Singapore. As most studies have focused on Caucasian populations, this study looked at university students in Asia, who would be highly educated with access to scientific literature, yet also exposed to traditional herbal products since birth. Over 75% of the 82 athletes questioned used supplements, consuming on average up to 3 products a day. The most popular products included sports drinks (90%), vitamin C (49%) multivitamins (30%) and glucosamine (20%). Over 90% of the athletes were Chinese which could explain why other popular products were traditional/herbal preparations such as essence of chicken (11%), edible birds nest (11%), and ginseng. Interestingly only one athlete took creatine. Similar to studies of their peers in the West, the most popular products were sports drinks and vitamin/mineral supplements. However, whilst the majority of Western university females reportedly consume supplements for general health benefits and male athletes aim to enhance sporting performance, all but one of the Singapore students consumed supplements for health benefits. This could be because elite sports aren’t as prestigious as in the West. You could speculate that some of those taking supplements for sports may be ignorant or blasé to the risks if they are intent on enhancing sporting performance. But surprisingly in this study, it is the university educated people taking supplements to improve their health, who don’t investigate the health risks of what they are consuming.

The study found that:

• 93% didn’t know where to obtain reliable information
• 86.4% unaware supplementation can have adverse health effects.
• More than 1/3 had no or minimal knowledge about the product they consumed
• Males were more likely than females (81% vs 52%) to research a product and those with more knowledge were more likely to use supplements.
• Before using 65.9% sought info from the media, internet, coaches and fellow athletes.
• The most frequent explaination (38.5%) for not seeking further information was that ‘the product must be safe since it is commonly available’

Whilst this study may have limitations, it is concerning that people are unaware of the health effects of their supplements, nor do they know where to get reliable information from. I agree with the conclusions of the authors, which should be taken on board by those taking supplements for either health benefits or sporting performance.

• Supplements with scientific evidence may only benefit specific athletes.
• Athletes must be aware of the additive or synergistic effects of the supplements.
• Endorsements by well known personalities fail to mention the long hours of training and sound nutrition which were responsible for their success.
• Whilst some products have sound scientific backing, many traditional/herbal preparations have not been validated by rigorous scientific investigation.
• Use supplements with caution and examine the product for safety, efficacy, potency and legality with a healthcare professional prior to use.