Do You Really Need a Fitness Supplement?
CHRISTINE JACK, FITNESS SERVICES DIRECTOR FITNESS FORUM SPORTS & WELLNESS
The fitness supplement has exploded in recent years with more and more products lining the store shelves every day. The question, however, is, does the average person really need to use Fitness Supplements to get results from your workout? The fact of the matter is that most individuals don’t need supplements of any kind and are better off getting their nutrients from whole foods and grains. Preworkout Supplements may be an option for you but you need to make sure you know what you are taking and always remember...you can’t out supplement a bad diet!
Did you know that a supplement does not have to be approved by the Food and Drug administration prior to being put on store shelves? In an article by Rachel Kraus which appeared online in Well + Good she stated, “just like the supplement industry as a whole, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it “does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness, or approve their labeling, before the supplements are sold to the public.” (Taking a Pre-workout Supplement? You Might Not Be Getting the Ingredients you think.) There are multiple studies that have tested fitness supplements to see if what is on the label is actually in the product and in the proportion that is indicated. In many cases not only are there ingredients not actually in the product but the ingredients that are present aren’t in the amount indicated on the label! Some ingredients are present at a much higher level than indicated and some are barely there or not at all. Proper dosing of these supplements are crucial for them to be effective. Testing has also shown that many products actually have the presence of ingredients which are not listed on the label that may be dangerous or even banned by the FDA.
If you choose to use a fitness supplement it is crucial for you to do your homework! Find out if the product has been tested by a 3rd party to ensure that what the label says is accurate! In the wrong dosages many otherwise healthy supplements can be dangerous. and of course, make sure you are always using the product according to the package directions and at the designated dosage. “In a 2015 study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ... a disproportionate amount of the 23,000 supplement-related emergency room visits were linked to performance supplements.” (Taking a Preworkout Supplement? You Might Not Be Getting the Ingredients you think. -Rachel Kraus)
Don’t become a tragic statistic in your pursuit of fitness. a lot of these companies are more about the pursuit of profit than health & fitness. The supplement industry is a booming one right now so, 1) always do your homework. 2) Remember that natural, whole foods and grains are always best and are absorbed by your body better than any supplement. 3) Don’t use them as a short cut around doing the work.