Dietery Supplements

Now although a lot of you out there are using these in your everyday diet, some of you still don’t know why your using them or what they are for and only take them for the simple fact that the big guy on the free weights recommended them or the skinny girl on the treadmill is using them. Today I’m going to clear up a few fact, myths and dangers behind some of the most popular supplements.

Firstly, supplements are not to be used instead of elements of your diet. For example, because you are using a protein shake, don’t use this instead of eating chicken. The clue is in the name ‘supplement’, in definition means adding, so therefore just adding to your diet, not replacing. On a macronutrient level it is much better quality of nutrients in good well produced food rather than supplements. There are many different reasons for people to use supplements, a few of these include, poor diet, poor appetite, vegetarian, recovery but in my career most people are taking them only from recommendation from somebody else, or heard they should be taking it.

Protein powders – remember your body can only absorb roughly 30g of protein at any one time,  protein powders boasting high amounts of protein is unnecessary as a lot of it will be wasted or converted into fat.

Whey protein – this is the most common protein many of you will have heard of. Whey protein is the best protein to have post exercise within 15 minutes to rebuild muscle tissue as it is fast acting and quickly absorbed.

Casein protein – This is one you may not have heard of but still a great supplement. Casein protein is a slow releasing protein which is not absorbed quickly like whey, this means it is great as a shake before bed as it will slowly continue to feed your body and muscle growth throughout the night.

Blend proteins – This is also another great protein as it has the best of both, fast and slow releasing proteins which make it good if budget is tight.

Weight gainers – As a product these weight gainers normally contain high amounts of calories for athletes such as bodybuilders as it can be difficult for them to eat the amounts of calories needed for their muscle growth. Many people use these as a ‘quick fix’ to get big but many end up with excess body fat due to incorrect training. When mixed with a  good diet and good training some good muscle gains can be made.

Creatine – This is a popular supplement among gym goers and fitness enthusiasts as it appears to show great gains. Firstly rapid muscle growth, this is not necessarily muscle. Creatine has a great water retention ability to make your muscles appear bigger. Secondly, creatine is a natural substance that is already produced by your body for your explosive energy system. Creatine is only active in the muscles for 1 – 3 seconds for a lift before having to wait for it to fill the muscles again. So, good for explosive power lifters, not good for the average gym goer trying to gain lean muscle. Also creatine in excess has proven in the past to have detrimental side effects damaging the liver.

Fat burners – although these tablets will burn fat, they can be extremely dangerous to your health. They work by raising your heart rate to elevated levels using stimulants such as caffeine, this is extremely bad for your heart as it is not designed to be under pressure for consistant long periods of time. Users have reported side effects such as, chest pains, stomach cramps, headaches and tingling in fingers and toes.

Multivitamins - Eating enough food that will supply your body with the recommended daily value of nutrients your body needs is possible.  Although we all know this can be difficult if you’re on the go. A good multivitamin will have your RDA to allow you to recover, boost your immune system and help your body to function.

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