Vanadyl Sulfate: Could it be a wonder drug for the future? :: Sports Medicine Health Essays

Vanadyl Sulfate A Wonder Drug For The Future? Introduction In the competitive population of sports, athletes are always trying to get an edge. When practice is not enough, many athletes try to change their diets to gain an advantage over the competition. To absorb more than meliorate decisions about what they eat, many athletes look closely at what happens to food once it enters their bodies. From studying the gastrointestinal and endocrine systems, athletes and researchers have learned to appreciate the role of insulin in athletic performance. In order to enhance performance, researchers have developed a product called vanadyl sulfate, which supposedly mimics the effects of insulin. While its effectiveness as a practice session supplement is still in question, vanadyl sulfate also has promise as a possible alternative treatment for diabetes. The Insulin Theory To properly comprehend the grandeur of insulin and the rational behind wanting to increase it artificiall y, one must first understand the process of sugar metabolism. Sugar metabolism is the process by which the bole converts food into energy that can be used by muscle cells. (http//encarta.msn.com/find/default.asp) The process begins when enzymes break down food into glucose, a simple six-spot carbon sugar that can be easily absorbed in the intestine. From there, the hormone insulin plays several important roles. It is obvious that the cells that make up a soulfulness need energy to survive and function. Insulin is crucial in the delivery of energy to cells. In the body, glucose is the standard form of energy after digestion. Unfortunately, glucoses size and structure make it hard for the molecule to pass through the outer membranes of many of the bodys cells. Insulin assists to fix this problem. Specifically, insulin bonds with the outer membrane of cells to increase permeability. This enables glucose to pass through the cell membrane more easily and gives the cell a ccess to more energy. Without insulin, it is extremely difficult for glucose in the blood to be used by the bodys cells as energy. Conversely, an abundance of insulin increases the rate at which glucose is used by the cells and therefore lowers the amount of glucose left in the bloodstream (Guyton, Hall, 972). In addition to helping to provide the cell with energy, insulin can also help the cell in other ways.