Pumped: Straight Facts for Athletes about Drugs, Supplements, and Training

The authors of Pumped, who previously tackled recreational drugs in Buzzed, attempt to answer these questions in a straightforward way, free of scientific jargon. They conclude that many of these drugs and supplements actually work, but not as well as their proponents might claim. For example, they note that creatine produces about a 1 to 5 percent improvement in certain high-intensity activities like sprinting--significant if you're a trained athlete, but probably not cost-effective for the recreational weight lifter.

They also show that touted fat-burning drugs like ephedrine and caffeine do indeed help people lose weight, but just a few pounds over several months. And, they note, the brain eventually compensates for the hunger slowdown these drugs produce. So they're a short-term solution to a lifelong problem, and a modestly effective solution at that.

Pumped could easily have come off like a "just say no" campaign against performance-enhancing and appearance-improving drugs and nutritional supplements. And, indeed, the overriding tone is one of skepticism toward every drug and supplement they describe, from anabolic steroids to protein powders. (They show that a great protein source like eggs can cost seven times as much if you buy it as a supplement instead of in its natural form.) But the authors temper their skepticism by noting that scientists have looked foolish in the past by claiming that anabolic steroids didn't work while most of the world's elite power athletes knew better. Science, in other words, will always be a few steps behind practical application when it comes to performance enhancement.

Still, the lack of enthusiasm the authors muster for drugs and supplements will probably restrict the book's potential audience. Parents of athletes will want to absorb the information, but the athletes themselves will turn to bodybuilding magazines and Web sites for advice. Likewise, coaches and guidance counselors will find Pumped useful and informative, but the people they're coaching and guiding probably won't get too excited over it. --Lou Schuler

Book Description
For everyone from backyard athletes to the pros, Pumped is essential reading for maximum performance and a healthy body. Steroids, stimulants, supplements: today's athlete is offered an array of drugs and dietary enhancements to solve every problem from weight to speed. What's safe? What works? What's a waste of money? Pumped offers the latest research-based information in an accessible and informative style. Pumped explains the body basics that every athlete must know for optimum performance. It also offers the reader straight information about drugs and supplements for weight control, muscle building, and endurance training. What an athlete uses in the off-training time is important too, and Pumped covers recreational drugs--from alcohol to speed--how they can seem to help performance, how they hurt, and for how long. Following the success of the authors' previous work, Buzzed, which was praised as "sane, sharp, and up to speed on all the latest research" (The Independent), Pumped provides a no-nonsense guide to drugs and their effects on the athletic brain and body. 4 pages of color illustrations.

If you have a child who is an athlete, or if you are in competetive athletics yourself, you should read this book. As a physician, I think these drugs are available in most every high school in the country. They are a giant temptation. This book is most helpful to parents, coaches and athletes themselves.


A book no serious body builder should be without   January 13, 2001
Finally, a book that provides non-judgmental information about the biology and pharmacology of body-building. This is not just one of those "just say no" books - it provides the reader with factual information so he or she can make informed choices. Take my word for it: trust the information in this book more than the layman's advice you get at the gym.