The Sports Pharmacist

Walk into any health food store, supermarket, sports shop, gym or pharmacy.....the chances are that you will find a fairly large section dedicated to sports supplements. A huge range of products exist, such as protein, energy, recovery and electrolyte powders; energy and protein bars; and of course energy gels. The market for these items is continually growing,… Continue reading Nutritional Sports Supplements – Are They Worth It? →

MB is a 39 year old male, who works full time and cycles competitively in his spare time. Like many of us, MB began riding a bike at roughly the age of 5; and rode mountain bikes throughout his youth. He slowly increased the volume and intensity of his training over a period of time. MB first tried road… Continue reading Heart arrhythmias – a case study →

Its something that many people don't like to talk about. Many people see it as a bit of a taboo subject. But the reality is that half the population experience it.......a monthly menstrual cycle. Many women wonder if their period has any effect on their sporting performance. Unfortunately, there is very little solid evidence that… Continue reading Exercise and “that time of the month” →

Asthma is a long term health condition, suffered by around 10% of Australians. During a flare-up (or an asthma attack) the airways in the lungs can swell, tighten, and become quite narrow; and often produce more mucus. When asthmatics suffer an attack, these things can make breathing quite difficult! Asthma affects people of all ages,… Continue reading Asthma and exercise →

Regular exercise and physical activity has many benefits, but it can also place a bit of stress on the body at times. Sprains and strains are injuries which occur to the muscles, tendons and ligaments we use during sports, exercise and regular daily activities; as a result of repetitive use, tearing or over-stretching them. Injuries occurring to muscles, tendons… Continue reading Sprains and strains →

While getting out, being active and playing sports mostly results in big smiles and a lot of fun, it can also have its downsides. Injuries unfortunately come with the territory.....and the more active you are, the greater the risk you have of developing an injury. With injury comes pain, and the need for pain relief......so… Continue reading Pain relief for injuries →

Let me tell you about the flowers and the trees.....here in Australia, its spring! And for approximately 1 in 5 people, that means its also the worst time of the year for hay fever! Hay fever is an allergic condition, where the eyes and the mucous membranes of the nose become irritated and inflamed after coming into… Continue reading Hay Fever and exercise →

Type 1 diabetes accounts for roughly 10-15% of all cases of diabetes in Australia. Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition which attacks the insulin producing cells within the pancreas. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in early childhood or adolescence....hence it is often referred to as juvenile onset diabetes.  In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas fails… Continue reading Type 1 diabetes and exercise →

In the 2012 Australian Health Survey, it was reported that around 917,000 Australians had been diagnosed with diabetes.....this equates to a bit over 5% of the population! Type 2 diabetes, which is often referred to as adult onset diabetes, accounts for around 85-90% of all cases of this medical condition. Normally when you eat carbohydrates, they… Continue reading Type 2 diabetes and exercise →

High cholesterol is unfortunately a rather common problem in Australia. In 2014, two of the top three dispensed medications on the PBS were to treat high cholesterol, accounting for over 18 million visits to pharmacies across the year! But why exactly does high cholesterol cause problems? Lets start with the basics.... Your body contains arteries, which are blood vessels… Continue reading Exercise and high cholesterol →