In this episode, we explore effective strategies for managing asthma and exercise induced bronchospasms in athletes. We cover both non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches, emphasizing techniques like breathing exercises, environmental adjustments, and stress management. Our discussion includes an overview of asthma medications, such as short-acting and long-acting bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids, and leukotriene modifiers, along with advice on proper inhaler technique. We also address the unique considerations for managing exercise induced bronchospasms in competitive settings and provide guidance on navigating anti-doping regulations with prescribed asthma medications. Asthma and exercise induced bronchospasms don't have to limit an athlete's potential. With a personalized approach that combines both pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, athletes can effectively manage their symptoms and continue to excel in their sport.

In today’s episode, we’re delving into a common respiratory condition affecting athletes—Asthma. Both asthma and exercise-induced asthma (EIA) are notably more common among elite athletes than in the general population. It’s not unusual to see Olympians relying on their inhalers during competitions, as asthma is the most prevalent chronic condition among Olympic athletes. A study spanning five Summer and Winter Olympic Games from 2002 to 2010 found that around 8% of participating athletes had asthma. A more recent study from 2022, focused on European athletes at the Summer Olympics, revealed that 16.5% were affected by asthma.

Research consistently shows that asthma is especially common in endurance sports like swimming, rowing, and cycling, as well as winter sports such as cross-country skiing and biathlon.

Why do some elite athletes develop asthma or EIA? While the exact cause isn’t fully understood, in this episode, we’ll explore the triggers of the condition, examine its characteristics, and discuss effective management strategies for athletes—all from a clinical perspective.

In this episode we discuss: 

Topics Covered:

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In this special episode, Dr. Brandon Welch and Julius Thomas discuss the topic of mental well-being for peak performance. Mental well-being is a crucial component of peak performance, particularly in sports and other high-demand environments. The relationship between mental health and human performance is increasingly recognized as athletes and professionals understand that maintaining a balanced state of mind is key to achieving and sustaining peak levels of performance. Reaching peak performance depends not just on physical health but also on mental well-being. By nurturing the connection between mind and body, harnessing positivity, and continually striving for improvement, you can enhance both productivity and success in your professional and personal life. In this episode, Julius explores practical and strategic approaches to help you enhance your mental well-being.

Brandon and Julius discuss the following topics:

Join Dr. Brandon Welch, PharmD, and Sean Casey, RD, CSCS, as they dive into the highlights from the 2024 National Athletic Trainers’ Association Clinical Symposia & Expo, held in New Orleans from June 25-28.

In this episode, they discuss:

Don’t miss out on these valuable insights!

For more information about the Sports Pharmacy Network, visit https://sportsrxnetwork.com/.

In this enlightening episode on the Sports Pharmacy Network Podcast, Jessica Beal-Stahl, PharmD and Kaleigh Steelman, PharmD, both former college volleyball players and now sports pharmacists, delve into the often-overlooked mental health challenges that athletes face, particularly during the transition from high-level competition to retirement. They shed light on their personal anecdotes and stories as athletes who have gone through this transition and the psychological impact of losing a structured, goal-oriented lifestyle.

They transition into an overview of creatine, both conventional and non-conventional use, and then discuss SSRIs and their role in treating depression. They highlight a recent study exploring the combined use of SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and creatine to improve depressive symptoms. Detailed discussion aligned with an explanation of biochemical insights on why recent findings showed that combining SSRIs with creatine can accelerate improvement in depressive symptoms, particularly in women.

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In the last decade, competitive sports have taken on a whole new meaning, where intensity has increased together with the incidence of sports injuries amongst athletes. These sport injuries, ranging from fractured  bones to disrupted muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Therefore, there is a strong need to develop more robust prevention strategies  and effective treatments that allow the injured athlete to return to competition faster than with the normal course of rehabilitation, with a low risk of re-injury. 

In this episode we are going to explore the most common forms of sports-related injuries, their prevention, their medications, and treatments available for pain relief management and sports injury management, as well as the importance of sports pharmacist in providing the best athletic care available in this day and age.

Imparting awareness to prevent sports-related injuries is the main aim of sports pharmacy. Through the adaptation of preventive measures, athletes can effectively minimize the risk of injuries and optimize their performance.

In this episode we discuss the following topics: 

Over the past decade Cannabidiol also known as CBD has surged to popularity for its potential therapeutic benefits for anxiety, pain modulation, sleep, muscle recovery and alike. Given the proposed therapeutic benefits associated with CBD, especially in relation to pain management, and the relatively recent legislative changes in sport, it is important that athletes and practitioners have an appreciation for the current claims, evidence, prevalence and safety concerns surrounding this herbal intervention. The sports health published a study in 2020 found that 23.4% of athletes reported using cannabis. Coaches, athletes, doctors, therapists, and scientists are constantly concerned with finding ways to improve the performance of athletes by making athletes faster, more resistant, more agile, rest and recover better from efforts and feel better. Have you ever thought about what is the real evidence around CBD supplementation and it’s tie to athletic performance? Today, we have Chad Collins, CEO and Co-founder of Corganics, a leading life science company dedicated to developing and commercializing cannabinoid CBD therapy. We discuss the clinical utility and evidence behind CBD therapeutics and athletic performance. 

What we cover in this episode

Links: 

https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/cannabidiol-(cbd)-and-the-athlete-claims-evidence-prevalence-and-safety-concerns

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10556669/

https://corganics.com/

Dietary Supplements are products we all have likely all encountered at some point in our lives. It is an industry with over 50,000 different types of products and one that has surpassed over 40 billion dollars in revenue.It is also an industry with some regulation issues and therefore brings about some inherent health risks to using these products. Knowing that risk exists, making informed decisions when purchasing and taking any dietary supplements is important. Have you ever wondered about supplement safety, quality, and effectiveness? Today, we have Sports Pharmacy Network's Director of Human Performance and registered dietitian, Sean Casey, to review supplement safety, quality & effectiveness.

What we cover in this episode

Links

OPSS - Provides a DOD-prohibited ingredients list to help military members be aware of ingredients to avoid when considering dietary supplement products.

https://www.opss.org 

Supplement411 - https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/supplement-connect/high-risk-list/

NSF

www.nsf.org

Informed Choice

https://choice.wetestyoutrust.com/

In this episode of the Sports Pharmacy Network show, Brandon Welch, PharmD., and Jessica Beal-Stahl, PharmD., dive deep into the world of GLP-1s and GIP/GLP-1s, the hottest topic in weight loss today. Our episode connects the gap between medicine and athletics. We explore the relationship between GLP-1, energy metabolism, and muscle function.  As clinical sports pharmacists, we dissect the potential advantages and drawbacks of GLP-1, offering valuable perspectives for athletes. WADA has added semaglutide to the 2024 Monitoring List; we look further into Prohibited Substances and why athletes might abuse GLP-1s. In this episode, we unpack the essential information and empower athletes with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their health:

Links:

Educated athletes make better decisions for their health and performance. This episode is designed to equip both medical professionals and athletes with the knowledge they need to navigate the complex landscape of GLP-1 in sports medicine.

Join us on the Sports Pharmacy Network Podcast as we dive deep into a topic often overlooked in the world of sports.  In this video, we dive deeper and navigate the complex landscape of disordered eating in athletes with a unique perspective featuring our own Jessica Beal-Stahl, PharmD, a former D1 athlete who triumphed over her own battle with an eating disorder, and Sean Casey, a seasoned dietitian and sports nutrition expert dedicated to optimizing athlete performance.

Topics Covered in this Episode:

Click the links below to access one of our favorite resources and gain valuable insights and a link to the magazine issue.

Because no athlete wakes up one day saying, “I want to have an eating disorder today.”