Performance Enhancement

Improving the Performance of Your Body and Mind

What is Performance Enhancement?

Performance Enhancement is the terminology given to the optimal improvement of physical and mental functioning by the use of current medical and nutritional technology.

Who could benefit from Performance Enhancement?

Anyone who would like to improve themselves in any of the following areas:

• mental concentration
• alertness
• reaction time
• physical stamina
• memory
• mood
• energy level

In other words, athletes, body builders, office workers: anyone who uses or needs any of the above attributes in their work or play.

How does Performance Enhancement work?

Depending on what type of activity you are involved in, the body or brain utilizes certain nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to function.

Athletes burn up more of certain nutrients than people with more sedentary occupations or hobbies. People whose work requires heavy mental functioning utilize other sets of these nutrients.

Performance Enhancement utilizes the sciences of nutrition, fitness, medicine, and physiology to tailor a program unique to your particular needs and lifestyle. You will start with an evaluation by a physician. This evaluation will involve a complete medical history including your eating habits, family and personal health, work and play habits, medication and supplement use, diet, personal goals, etc. A physical examination will then be performed.

There are certain laboratory tests which will help to design the particular program best for you. One of these is called Essential Metabolic Analysis (EMA). This tells how the essential vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and anti-oxidants are functioning in your body and whether there are any deficiencies in any of the substances tested. The other is a very sensitive test designed to tell if any minute or unknown food allergies or sensitivities are causing symptoms or preventing you from performing to your optimum capability. When the results of the tests are obtained, you will meet with the physician again to tailor a program that will help you achieve your goals.

Are there any medicines or supplements that I will have to take?

In the situation where food sensitivities are diagnosed, a change in diet will be recommended that will eliminate the offending food(s) from your diet. Your progress will be monitored to see if you have achieved the desired results. If not, or if no significant food sensitivities are discovered, you will move on to the next step which is to supplement any vitamins, minerals, trace elements found deficient in the EMA. There are different approaches to this step. Either each of the nutrients can be replaced individually, or you can take a supplement called a nutraceutical which is comprised of a combination of nutritional supplements formulated to meet certain needs in the body. If you choose to supplement individually, these supplements can be purchased at any pharmacy or health food store. We will make recommendations as to which formulations are better absorbed. If you choose to take nutraceuticals, your options will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.

Are any drugs involved?

We will not prescribe steroids for weight lifters, or uppers for scientists. Other than that, whether you need any prescription medications will depend on the findings of your physical examination, health history, and nutritional lab tests. Again, each case is individualized. There are some pharmaceuticals that have been shown to be beneficial to mental and physical performance with minimal side-effects. Non-pharmaceutical interventions such as hypnosis, meditation and biofeedback may also be prescribed.

Can't I just read about this and decide which supplements to take on my own?

Of course you can, however the benefit of this program is evaluation by a medical professional with experience in nutrition and sports enhancement, and tailoring the supplements to the results of the laboratory tests and your personal goals. Another benefit of the laboratory testing is that it saves you money on supplements by specifically diagnosing which ones you need to take and avoiding unnecessary expense by taking ones you don't need.

What are the costs of the program and how are they paid?

The cost of the medical evaluation will be discussed with you when you call to get further information or to schedule an appointment. Payment for the medical evaluation is expected at the time of the visit. If a specific medical condition is found which makes the visit reimbursable by insurance, the office will complete the necessary forms for you to obtain reimbursement from insurance. The cost of the laboratory testing is covered by most insurance companies to whatever extent they reimburse for other lab tests. You will be given the necessary information to inquire from your insurance carrier what portion of the tests they will cover. Usually only two appointments with the physician are necessary. In order to maintain optimum enhancement, we recommend at least annual updates of your condition, goals, and perhaps follow-up laboratory testing to determine if the desired results are achieved. Individual circumstances may vary.

Our goal is to provide you with the optimum amount of physical and/or mental enhancement in a way that is most complimentary and least harmful or artificial to your body. In this way, you may remain on the program for long periods of time (even indefinitely) without any harmful effects.

Testing, assessment and monitoring provided by Dr. Thomas Bozzuto, D.O.