Scuba Supplement

I have been strength training on and off (lately mostly on) for the last 25 years, and I enjoy being stronger than my previous self. I have never taken any anabolic steroids or growth hormones, or other serious chemicals. But I have used supplements – protein powders, amino acids, vitamins and creatine – to improve my gains in the weight room. These substances do not mess with your hormonal states (like steroids do), but they optimize certain aspects of your metabolism. I believe that some supplements work, and others don’t (at least for me). I also believe that they can give you a few extra percent of performance, but won’t make up for poor training and nutrition. A few percent can be significant, though, especially if you are stuck with your training (making no more gains). And since these supplements are generally not detrimental to your health (in contrast to steroids), why not give yourself an extra boost? I have also found that being well supplied with vitamins and quality protein makes me feel better after a hard training session. In general, it makes sense to take supplements even if you are just an ambitious amateur.

Now, I also have been doing a lot of scuba diving lately, including deep (technical) diving. Diving exerts some significant and unique stresses on the human body, from dehydration to the stress caused by nitrogen bubbles upon ascent to nitrogen narcosis at depth. But divers don’t really use any supplements to cope with that stress, do they? There certainly are a few physiological processes important in diving which could be boosted with the help of a well designed supplement! I want to develop one!

I do, of course, NOT suppose that such a supplement will act instead of prudent and careful diving practices, and instead of general diving fitness. I do think that such a supplement could add another safety margin to already safe diving, and could make the dive and the post-dive period more enjoyable (you’d be less tired). It will certainly not cut time off your decompression schedule! But it might make your body more resilient to the stresses of decompression.

If you are interested in my ideas, and potentially want to collaborate in developing a supplement for scuba diving, please get in touch with me! Klaus(at)pacificklaus.com

I have both the qualifications in physiology as well as in scuba diving to come up with useful ideas about a scuba diving supplement – which I think I did. I’d be happy to talk to serious potential collaborators.