College of Health

Part 7 deals with the two rather diverse topics of bone health and Chinese herbs. Since the 1980s, it has been suggested that physical activity from a young age will improve bone mass density, thus decreasing the likelihood of osteoporosis. However, more recently, we have become aware of problems of sub-optimal bone health that may occur in female, and sometimes male, athletes. While these are mostly related to low energy availability, as described in the overview of the female athlete triad7 this review will focus on the role of calcium and Vitamin D for bone health, providing some guidelines for daily intakes that should be met from food, and in some cases, supplements. Chinese medicine is now enjoying an enthusiastic and worldwide following, having flourished for many centuries in Asia and the surrounding vicinities. Because this is such a huge topic, the following review will focus on only four supplements, which can all be characterised as ‘Chinese Herbs.’ Though these herbs are taxonomically diverse, all claim to possess ergogenic properties which make them alluring to athletes.