Frequently Asked Questions
Click on a question below for the answer.
Are there any scientific studies that link optimum biological fitness to improved athletic performance?
Yes. Numerous studies linking the parameters we evaluate to better health and athletic performance have been published. A few of these references can be found below.
Essential Amino Acids:
Lucà-Moretti, M, Grandi A, Lucà E, Muratori G, Nofroni MG, Mucci MP, Gambetta P, Stimolo R, Drago P, Giudice G, Tamburlin, N; Master Amino Acids Pattern® as Substitute for Dietary Proteins During a Weight Loss Diet to Achieve the Body’s Nitrogen Balance Equilibrium. Advances in Therapy. 2003; 5:282-291.
Lucà-Moretti, M, Grandi A, Lucà E, Muratori G, Nofroni MG, Mucci MP, Gambetta P, Stimolo R, Drago P, Giudice G, Tamburlin N, Karbalay M, Valente C, Moras G; Master Amino Acids Pattern® as Sole and Total Substitute for Dietary Proteins During a Weight Loss Diet to Achieve the Body’s Nitrogen Balance Equilibrium. Advances in Therapy. 2003; 5:270-281.
Essential Fatty Acids:
Artemis P Simopoulos; Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Chronic Disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 1999; Vol. 70, No. 3, 560S-569S.
Ramin Farzaneh-Far, MD, Jue Lin, PhD, Elissa S. Epel, PhD, et al.; Association of Marine Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels With Telomeric Aging. JAMA, January 20, 2010; Vol 303, No. 3.
Albert, CM, Campos, H, Stampfer, MJ, et al; Blood Levels of Long-Chain N–3 Fatty Acids and the Risk of Sudden Death. New England J Med. 2002; 346:1113–8.
Oscar Umahro Cadogan; www.udoerasmus.com/articles/danish/1das_index.htm, The Danish Athlete Study. 2002.
Ferritin/Iron:
Zoller, H, Vogel, W; Iron Supplementation in Athletes: First Do No Harm. Nutrition. 2004; 20: 615-619
Burke, L, Deakin, V; Iron Depletion in Athletes. Clinical Sports Nutrition. 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, 2006; 263-312.
Brugmara, Carlo; A Heatologic Gold Standard for Iron Deficient States. Clinical Chemistry. 2002; 48: 981-982.
Mineral Balance:
Golf, SW, Bohmer D, Nowacki, PE; Is Magnesium a Limiting Factor in Competitive Exercise? A Summary of Relevant Scientific Data. Magnesium. 1993; John Libbey & Company, 209–20.
Finstad, EW, Newhouse, IJ, Lukaski, HC, et al: The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Exercise Performance. Med Sci Sports Exercise. 2001; 33:493-8.
Barilla LR, Gunter, KB; Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Exercise Time to Exhaustion. Med Exer Nutr Health. 1995; 4:230–3.
Weller, E, Bachert, P, Meinck, HM, et al; Lack of Effect of Oral Magnesium Supplementation on Magnesium in Serum, Blood Cells and Calf Muscles. Med Sci Sports Exercise. 1998; 30: 1584-91.
Brilla, LR, Haley, TF; Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Strength Training in Humans. J Am Coll Nutr. 1992; 11:326–9.
Golf, SW, Bender, S, Gruttner, J; On the Significance of Magnesium in Extreme Physical Stress. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1998; 12 Supplement 2: 197–202.
Hormone Status:
Gulledge, TP, Hackney, AC; Reproducibility of Low Resting Testosterone Concentrations in Endurance Trained Men. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1996; 73(6): 582-3.
Daly, W, Seegers, CA, Rubin, DA, Dobridge, JD, Hackney, AC; Relationship Between Stress and Testosterone with Prolonged Endurance Exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005 Jan; 93(4): 375-380.
Hackney, AC, Sinning, WE, Bruot, BC; Reproductive Hormonal Profiles of Endurance-Trained and Untrained Males. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988 Feb; 20(1):60-5.
Glycohemoglobin:
Lippi, G, Montagnana, M, Salvagno, GL; Int J Sports Med. 2008; Vol. 29: 7-10.
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/high-hba1c-youre-getting-older-faster.html
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/normal-fasting-glucose-with-high-hba1c.html
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/ldl-glycation.html
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Advanced%20Glycation%20End-products
Metabolic Typing:
Wallace, DC, et al; Adaptation of DNA in Mitochondria to Geographical Differences. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2002; 10:1073/pnas.0136972100.
Bland, J; Trace Elements in Human Health and Disease. 1979; Historical Use of Biological Basis for and Preparation of Glandular-Based Food Supplements. 1979; Glandular-Based Food Supplements: Separating Fact from Fiction; 1980. Bellevue-Redmond Medical Laboratories, Inc. Bellevue, WA.
D'Adamo, J; One Man's Food. Richard Marek Publishers, 1980.
Page, ME; Body Chemistry in Health and Disease. Biochemical Research Foundation. 1949.
Antioxidant Status:
Aguiló, A, Tauler, P, Fuentespina, E, Tur, JA, Córdova, A, Pons, A; Antioxidant Response to Oxidative Stress Induced by Exhaustive Exercise. Physiol Behav. 2005; 884: 1–7.
Rousseau, AS, Hininger, I, Palazzetti, S, Faure, H, Roussel, AM, Margaritis, I; Antioxidant Vitamin Status in High Exposure to Oxidative Stress in Competitive Athletes. Br. J. Nutr. 2004; 92:461–468.
Radak, Z, Chung, HY, Goto, S; Systemic Adaptation to Oxidative Challenge Induced by Regular Exercise. Free Radic Biol Med. 2004; 44: 153–159.
Peake, JM, Suzuki, K, Coombes, JS; The Influence of Antioxidant Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and the Relationship to Oxidative Stress After Exercise. J Nutr Biochem. 2007; 18: 357–371.
Vitamin D:
Ward, Kate A, Das, Geeta, et al; Vitamin D Status and Muscle Function in Post-Menarchal Adolescent Girls. J Clin Endocrin Metab. 2008; 1284
Allen, R, Cureton, T; Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on Physical Fitness. Arch Phys Med. 1945; 10:641–4.
Svedenhag J, Sjodin B; Can Physiological Characteristics of Elite Male Runners in and Off-Season. Can J Appl Sport Sci. 1985; 10(3):127–33.
Spellerberg AE; Increase of Athletic Effectiveness by Systematic Ultraviolet Irradiation. Strahlentherapie. 1952; 88:567–70.
Sigmund, R; Effect of Ultraviolet Rays on Reaction Time in Man. Strahlentherapie. 1956; 101(4):623–9.
Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW; Vitamin D and Muscle Function. Osteoporos Int. 2002; 13(3):187–94.
Parade GW, Otto H; Effect of Sunlamp on Performance. Zeitschrift fur Klinische Medizin. 1940; 137:17–21.
How do essential fatty acid ratios contribute to optimum sports performance?
The correct balance of essential fatty acids is essential for optimum athletic performance. An athlete's Omega 6 to Omega 3 ratio will largely determine his or her recovery potential.
What is the difference between working with Bioletics and a health care provider?
Bioletics specializes in providing athletes with the tools they need to asses a variety of key biological factors associated with performance and wellness. Healthcare providers specialize primarily in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Consultation with a healthcare provider is necessary when you are suffering from symptoms of illness that require a specific treatment plan and/or the use of pharmaceutical agents. If you are ill or believe you are suffering from symptoms of a disease, we strongly recommend that you consult with a licensed healthcare provider.
Because my Personal Performance Profile assessment samples are collected at home, will my results be accurate?
Yes. All assessment samples are processed by CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act) approved laboratories. That means your samples are being sent to the same laboratories used by top scientists and health practitioners around the word. Bioletics has selected each laboratory because of its special expertise in processing each of your Performance Profile samples.
Aren't laboratory blood draws the best way to evaluate the status of my biological well-being?
While walk-in clincs and laboratories rely on venous blood draws for the vast majority of their evaluations, the use of serum (blood) samples is just one method of assessing biological function. Saliva, finger stick/blood spot and urine samples are not only more convenient, they often provide information that is more detailed and relevant in comparsion to that obtained from serum samples.
Will I have to go to a lab at all?
All the assessments can be completed in the convenience of your home by collecting either a finger stick/blood spot, salivary or urine sample.
Are any of these assessments covered by medical insurance?
No. The assessments we utilize are not medical; they are intended for use as an informational screening tool that can help you identify and address the biological factors most commonly associated with athletic performance and/or general wellness. These assessments are not intended for the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment or prevention of any illness or disease. As such, none of the assessment costs are covered by any form of medical insurance.
What assessments are available and what types of samples do they require?
Depending on which particular assessment profile you chose, you will typically be required to assess three or more of the following factors:
- Vitamin D: Finger stick/blood spot
- Mineral Balance: Urine sample
- Metabolic Typing: Online questionnaire
- Iron/Ferritin Levels: Finger stick/blood spot
- Hormonal Recovery Status: Salivary sample
- Essential Amino Acid Levels: Salivary sample
- Essential Fatty Acid Ratios: Finger stick/blood spot
- Glycohemoglobin: Finger stick/blood spot
- Antioxidant Status: Urine sample
How will I receive my results?
About two weeks after your samples have been submitted for analysis, you will be notified by e-mail that your results are available. At this time, you will be given additional instructions on how to access your results online and arrange for your personal phone consultation, which is included in the cost of any Bioletics profile package). During this consultation, specific recommendations related to eliminating any of your identified deficiencies and/or imbalances will be given. Please prepare for your consultation by reading carefully through the information provided, making note of any questions you may have.
Please note that all assessments and recommendations are intended for athletic performance screening and informational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose or treat illness or disease.
How will my privacy be protected?
The results of your Personal Performance Profile evaluations will be generated by the processing laboratory and posted on your own private, password-protected page.
What do I do when I receive my assessment collection materials?
Each assessment is self-contained, labeled and accompanied by specific, easy-to-follow instructions. These instructions will clearly indicate what type of sample each assessment will require and where it should be mailed. Pre-paid mailing envelopes will be provided. Please note that all assessments MUST be accompanied by the appropriate requisition form.
Will I ever need to re-evaluate my results?
This will be discussed during your consultation and will be dependent upon your individual results.
How can Bioletics help me improve my performance?
Based on both our research and experience, we have found that most athletes--even those competing at the highest level--have unidentified physiological issues reducing their performance potential. Bioletics is the only company in the U.S. that offers athletes the opportunity to identify and address the biological barriers that may be keeping them from feeling and performing their very best.
I already take nutritional supplements. Why do I need these assessments?
Because they will allow you to measurably assess your body's unique need for a particular nutrient or group of nutrients. Your assessment results will allow you to identify and address a variety of nutritional deficiencies. If you take a random selection of supplements, you will not be addressing your body's specific needs.
Why is vitamin D important?
Because it promotes muscular strength and recovery, heightens neurological function and maximizes your overall health potential. Vitamin D is now recognized as one of the most important biological factors contributing to improved athletic performance.
Why is a proper mineral balance important?
Both exercise and dietary imbalances cause the body to become acidic. When overly acidic, the body will attempt to re-balance itself by extracting essential minerals from its bones and tissues. The resulting mineral loss will drastically reduce your capacity for health and athletic performance.
What is metabolically-appropriate fuel?
Because every athlete is a genetically-unique individual, each has very specific nutritional needs. By determining the specific food choices that are metabolically-correct for your body, you can significantly improve your energy and well-being.
Why is Iron an important mineral?
Iron is the mineral responsible for delivering oxygen from the lungs to the muscles. Less than optimal levels of iron can significantly reduce your athletic performance. Severe iron loss results in a reduction of red blood cells (known as anemia), but it is important to realize that you do not have to be anemic to be suffering from low iron.
Why are my hormone levels important?
Physical and mental stress can deplete or create imbalances in the hormonal system. If your key hormone levels are inadequate or imbalanced, your overall strength and ability to recover will be significantly reduced.
What are essential amino acids?
Training and racing damages the structural proteins in the body. This damage is what causes soreness after a hard effort. To repair itself, your body needs essential amino acids. Most athletes do not get enough essential amino acids in their diets and, as a result, fail to recover quickly and/or completely.
What if I have any problems understanding or completing my assessments?
Customer service is extremely important to us. Please call #888.371.1033 or e-mail us at info@bioletics.com with any questions or concerns. We will respond to your query within 24 hours.
