A-Z of nutritional supplements: dietary supplements, sports nutrition foods and ergogenic aids for health and performance - Part 25

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS Part 25 contains a variety of topics, ranging from the sleep enhancer, melatonin, to an unlikely addition to the M section of our alphabetical series, namely melamine. It is not known how many athletes take melatonin in order to combat sleep deprivation on the necessary long-haul flights they make to compete all over the world. It is more readily available in some countries than others. Methylsulphonylmethane (MSM) has long been used as a supplement for pain relief in a variety of autoimmune diseases. Rather unexpectedly, MSM is used by athletes to combat snoring. We decided to provide a very brief article on melamine, which most of us only think of as a substance important to the manufacture of good-quality picnic ware! However, athletes need to be aware of its history as a possible contaminant of high protein products.