Q: Where would I go if I wanted to get some advice on proper nutrition?

A: MIT Medical has a nutritionist. You may get a referral to see her for an appointment by first contacting your primary care physician at MIT and asking for a nutrition referral. You can also check out the appropriate website links on the Student-Athlete Support Triad page. If you need to gain or lose weight in order to participate in a weight class for your sport first consult with the certified athletic trainers. They will help you determine the best course of action.

Q: I want to lose weight to fit into a particular weight class in my sport but I’m not sure how I can do this safely. Who can advise me?

A: Contact the Certified Athletic Trainers at MIT at athletic-trainers@mit.edu or stop by the Kasser Sports Medicine Center at the Z Center to make an appointment to speak with one of them about what you want to do.

Q: I am taking a dietary supplement to increase my muscle mass. Is it safe to use?

Check out the website links on the Student-Athlete Support Triad web page. If the information you desire is not given contact a MIT certified athletic trainer at athletic-trainers@mit.edu and one of them will help steer you in the right direction.

Q: I take a lot of vitamins. Is this good?

A: Vitamin and mineral supplements are generally considered safe when taken as directed on the bottle label. Other considerations for vitamin supplementation include: daily nutrition, amount of regular exercise, heredity and environmental considerations. It is generally recommended to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement once per day if your diet is poor in nutrient dense food. Centrum is a good brand. Other supplements may be necessary depending on your diet.

A nutritionist can help you evaluate your nutrition level. Check out the Student-Athlete Support Triad website site for links to more information. After doing that, if you still have questions, contact a MIT certified athletic trainer at athletic-trainers@mit.edu with your questions and concerns and they will help advise you.

Q: A friend of mine drinks 5 liters of coke a day. How much is too much caffeine?

A: A person develops a tolerance to caffeine over time. The average person in America consumes 3 mg of caffeine per kg/body weight daily. An example of this amount would be if a 150 pound person drank 2-3 cups of coffee or 5-6 cans of soda pop per day (see: http://www2.coca-cola.com/ourcompany/columns_caffeine.html).

According to the Coca Cola Company, an 8 oz. serving of Coca Cola® contains 23 mg of caffeine, an 8 oz. serving of Diet Coke® contains 31 mg of caffeine, a typical 8 oz. cup of drip-brewed coffee contains 85 mg, a typical 8 oz cup of instant coffee contains 75 mg, and a typical 8 oz. glass of iced tea contains 25 mg of caffeine.

Caffeine is a drug. It causes mild anxiety, increased gastric secretions, respiratory stimulation, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and increased urination. Long-term intake of more than 600 mg per day could lead to chronic insomnia, stomach upset, depression, paranoia, and chronic anxiety.

If your friend can’t sleep well, is anxious or cranky frequently or out of sorts than they are probably getting too much caffeine. Ask them to check themselves for these symptoms.

Another factor that your friend should consider is that coke is full of sugar and has no nutrient density. Your friend is getting lots of calories but no nutrition from the soda. In addition, they may be getting the sugar highs and lows associated with the ingestion of large amounts of this soda. This can make the person moody and will detract from their ability to concentrate while studying.

Q: I think one of my friends is obsessed with counting calories. What is a good weight for somebody who is 5‘ 8 “ tall?

A: Height alone is not enough information to determine a good weight for someone. It is also necessary to know other things about the person such as: age, gender, skeletal size, percentage of body fat and BMI or body mass index. Standardized height and weight charts are general but do not provide for individual differences. Try the website for Webmd.com to get more information about BMI and weight at http://www.webmd.com. Search word: BMI. If you still have questions contact a MIT certified athletic trainer at athletic-trainers@mit.edu and they will help advise you.

References

Christian JL and Greger JL: Nutrition for Living. New York: 1994. pp 470-471.

Coca Cola® Company: http://www2.cocacola.com/ourcompany/columns_caffeine.html

Webmd: http://my.webmd.com/webmd_today/home/default.htm

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Last updated 1/20/2006 by MIT Sports Medicine: K. Davis

Copyright by MIT 2005