While steroids are the bane of existence for professional sports and the semi pro leagues that supply the up and comers, the use of alternative substances is also not without its critics. Granted, these substances will commonly not show up on the overall drug screens and generally speaking are not associated with the catastrophic health risks linked to steroid use, but there are still risks. Yet when athletes look to Chinese medicine instead of steroids, other considerations factor in as well, at times they are environmental while in some cases they may also be related to concerns of animal cruelty.

If you find that you are looking for competitive vim and vigor with the help of Chinese medicine, consider these points before you buy:

* No matter how natural the ingredient, second rate manufacturers and those who are not above stretching a substance with the help of fillers will frequently resort to shady practices. Stay away from supplements which contain liquid fillers or starches and other fillers that serve to dilute the substance and thus will take away from its overall effectiveness.

* Stay away from supplements where ingredients are derived at via alcohol distillation. Even though this is not usually references on the bottle itself, you will be wise to research the company.

* Speak to your physician first! Some herbs and combination thereof used in Chinese medicine will cause severe adverse reactions for those taking medications containing MAOI inhibitors, heart medication, and in some cases also birth control.

* Even though herbs are generally thought of as being safe, the fact that some poisonous herbs are used - albeit in small quantities - to prepare supplements should warn any athlete looking to have the supplement analyzed for the presence of lead, strychnine, and also arsenic.

* Last but not least, remember that some ingredients are banned by the Food and Drug Administration as having a case and effect type of relationship with respect to heart attack and stroke. Athletes who ingest these supplements run an even higher risk simply because the exertion associated with exercise will already lead to an increase in heart rate. Further acceleration of the heart rate may have deadly effects which sometimes do not occur until later in the day!

Considering these warnings, it would stand to reason that athletes will diligently research their supplements prior to taking them, yet considering that even only a tangential increase in stamina and alertness is worth the potential danger to many an athlete, the market is quite actively geared toward the performance oriented sports performer. Response from coaches and even parents is slow, and usually it takes the sad untimely demise of a high school track star taking such supplements for a public wake up call to take place and public education on the subject to be suggested.

Of course, when athletes look to Chinese medicine instead of steroids, the very fact that they are working very hard to stay away from the destructive drugs that chemically alter the body is a positive development, and proper health education will hopefully help.

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