There was a recent report that the treatment of mice with a drug known as Aicar could increase their endurance by 44 percent without any training. This is similar to another recent study demonstrating that fat rats could increase their endurance by 100 percent just by ingesting high levels of the polyphenol resveratrol.
Does this mean that a new era of “great gain with no pain” is soon upon us? Highly unlikely, but it does give an indication of the molecular mechanisms that are being activated to maximize performance. Both Aicar and polyphenols (as well as calorie restriction) activate the enzyme AMP kinase. This enzyme can be considered the enzyme of life since it increases the formation of ATP. ATP is required for muscle contraction, and without adequate levels of ATP exercise capacity grinds to a halt.
So rather than thinking about ingesting unproven drugs, try incorporating the dietary activators of AMP kinase into your daily living. This means restricting calories (but without hunger) and making sure you are eating a lot of vegetables and fruits (polyphenols give them their color). It sounds a lot like the Zone Diet. Add adequate amounts of protein (to maintain muscle mass) and EPA and DHA to reduce inflammation. It could be considered the athlete’s ultimate advantage. The fact that I have used this same dietary program to produce 24 gold-medal winners in the past four Olympics should indicate that it works.