"How ski-iers are looking for a marginal gain... and why athletes are drinking a substance that tastes like 'wood and mustard'"
"This year's Winter Olympics have had a few bizarre stories, but perhaps the two strangest involve competitors turning to interesting substances to improve their performance."
"Hyaluronic acid and isothiocyanates are mouthfuls - literally, in the case of isothiocyanates (ITCs for short), which are found in broccoli."
The Winter Olympics featured competitors experimenting with unconventional substances to chase marginal performance gains. Skiers and other athletes are turning to compounds such as hyaluronic acid and isothiocyanates to try to improve outcomes. Hyaluronic acid and isothiocyanates are long chemical names that can be difficult to pronounce. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) occur naturally in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli. Some athletes ingest bitter-tasting ITCs despite flavors described as wood-like and similar to mustard, suggesting a willingness to accept unpleasant sensory experiences for possible performance benefits. The pursuit of small competitive advantages is driving experimentation with both familiar and obscure compounds.
Read at Independent
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