Nutritional Supplements

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

To keep things in proper perspective, you should always remember that supplements are just what their name implies: something meant to supplement, or "add to," your regular diet. If you are not eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, it is doubtful that self-prescribed supplementation will make up for that. Regardless of how many multi-vitamins, minerals, protein drinks, herbal formulas or carbohydrate drinks you consume on a daily basis, your nutrition will probably remain flawed if you are not eating a well-balanced diet. Thus, the individual who pops 20 different vitamin pills every morning in place of breakfast, drinks a high-carbohydrate drink for his lunch, and eats a big bowl of vegetables for dinner may be depriving himself of essential calories and nutrients like protein, fat, minerals and fiber. Yet, in his mind, he is eating a "healthy" diet that covers all of his vitamin and nutritional needs.

While some researchers do believe there is a place for supplements on the training table, most are quick to point out that there exists little evidence that taking a combination in excess of the RDAs will lead to an improvement in physical performance.

Unfortunately, in their quest for better performance and increased health and fitness, Americans may consume vitamins and minerals that are two to five times the amount suggested in the RDAs. Excessive doses of certain vitamins, such as A and D might even prove harmful to your health.

When experimenting with the different types of supplements that are on the market, always keep in mind that many of these products are marketed with little, if any, scientific research and proof of their effectiveness. Combined with the fitness enthusiast's search for some "secret formula" to performance enhancement, promising and misleading advertisements by supplement manufacturers represent an attractive package. Perhaps this is why supplementation is the trendiest aspect of sports nutrition.

Look for some sort of reputable research findings that substantiate a supplement's advertising claims. If there is published documentation pertaining to the product, the manufacturer will often be only too happy to provide it.

Supplements are big business. Keeping this in mind as you are confronted with new products may provide you with an edge over the less-educated consumer. Sometimes, being skeptical can save you wasted time and money.

This does not necessarily mean that there is no place for supplements in an athlete's program. Some supplements, like sports drinks, seem to fulfill specific needs for certain types of athletes. Endurance athletes like marathon runners, distance swimmers, cyclists, and triathletes have reported some degree of success with high-carbohydrate sports drinks. In addition, weight lifters and body builders seem to be satisfied with the simple and complex carbohydrates and electrolytes that some sports drinks offer. These high-carbohydrate sources may also provide the means to quickly begin replenishing glycogen stores following their training sessions.

The casual exerciser might also require dietary supplementation. Remember, vitamin and mineral supplements can be of value for those with nutritional deficiencies. Be certain to take no more than the recommended dosage of any supplement.

If you have questions concerning a specific supplement and its suitability to your situation, Fitness Facts recommends that you consult with a medical doctor or a registered dietitian with sports nutrition experience.

It is Fitness Facts's view that a proper, scientifically-based training and exercise regimen, combined with a well-balanced diet and proper amounts of rest and recuperation, is the key to improved physical condition and performance. By well-balanced, we refer to a low-fat, high-carbohydrate eating plan that provides adequate carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, water, fiber, electrolytes and energy to fuel your body's daily metabolic and activity needs.

For more information on nutrients, sports drinks and other supplements, please refer to the Nutrition Guide.

Illegal Performance Supplements

Another aspect of supplementation deals with the use of illegal and potentially health-threatening substances. Amphetamines, insulin, anabolic steroids, epinephrine, human growth hormone, and mega-doses of caffeine, cocaine, and vasodilators are just some of the substances that endanger the health and lives of athletes. All have been repeatedly documented to be dangerous to the human body.

Yet, some athletes continue to use them. All in the quest of a faster race time, a heavier lift, stronger and larger muscles, or lower levels of body fat. A few seconds shaved off your race time or an extra inch of muscle on your arms is simply not worth possible organ failure, career-ending injuries, psychosis, increased risk of coronary disease, or death.

The local user in the gym who has "never felt any side effects" or "only uses the stuff in small dosages" may in fact be a walking time-bomb.

Fitness Facts neither condones nor recommends the use of these substances. Regardless of any moral arguments, the medical community has identified too many serious risks and possible health problems associated with their use.

An interesting footnote to this section concerns the recent market explosion of supplement products that claim to be "anabolic steroid replacements." These products promise some if not all of the positive side effects while remaining absolutely safe. As mentioned before, a little skepticism can take you a long way. Anabolic steroids are drugs that have a definite effect on human physiology. If these "replacements" caused the type of benefits their advertisements claim, they would likely be classified as drugs by the FDA. Drugs are prescription items that are regulated by law. Supplements are "food additives," which are not regulated.