If you’ve walked into any fitness, health, or gym store, you’ve probably been confronted with rows of powders, pills, and bars, all offering some amazing benefit from ingredients you can’t pronounce. Welcome to the world of Fitness Supplements! This isn’t much different from what we experience grocery shopping. Many of us struggle to discern between good products and good marketing, or know what or whom to believe when it comes to putting an unfamiliar substance into our bodies. To be clear, we don’t think there’s some grand conspiracy, and these products are often generally safe for consumption. Yet, we have personally chosen not to use them. Here’s why.
Understanding Fitness Supplements
To begin our process of understanding why we don’t use fitness supplements, it’s important to look at the landscape of options available. Fitness supplements generally come in two categories: Pre-Workout and Muscle Gain. Each of these serves a different purpose.
A Pre-Workout Supplement is designed to give your body a boost right before your workout. A combination of caffeine, electrolytes, amino acids, creatine, vitamins, and other mixers gives you an intense burst of energy. This is known to improve cardio performance as well as overall strength during a workout session. Many people report feeling jittery or high on the sensation coupled with the need to burn it off. This is meant to encourage you to push harder for longer and get the most out of your workout. Does it work? Many people believe it does, and some improved performance has been documented. While it seems to be reasonably safe, we’ll discuss why we choose to forego it later.
Muscle Gain supplements are taken before or after workouts to, you guessed it, increase your muscle mass. The most common supplements you’ll find on the shelves are heavy on the protein. It’s no secret that protein is just about the best thing you can consume to build muscle. What does remain controversial is just how much protein we should be ingesting. Protein supplements tend to be very high in protein, but some studies show that there is an ideal range for each body type. Too much of anything is a bad thing, and this is no different with protein. While protein is necessary for muscle growth, many question the wisdom of choosing a supplement over a good meal.
Beyond Natural: The Dangers of Supplementing
By now you might be wondering what the problem is with supplementing, given that you use reasonable amounts. And while for some it may not have any long-lasting effects, for others supplements tell a different story. Many muscle gain supplements contain more than vitamins and protein, and tap into chemical steroids. This has become an increasing problem in the bodybuilding community. Liver and kidney damage are on the list of potential harm by supplementing.
Pre-workouts are not exempt from danger either. While their primary ingredient, caffeine, is widely used and considered safe, when combined with creatine, it’s known to cause dehydration. You don’t need a doctor to tell you that dehydration and exercise are a bad combination. In fact, staying hydrated is one of the best things you can do right while exercising.
Unknowns in the Unregulated
One of the biggest red flags with supplements and pre-workouts is that neither are federally regulated. Because of this, there is always a risk of consuming an unknown substance. As an example of this, multiple studies over the past decade have found heavy metals, and other toxins, present in various protein supplements. The FDA knows this and publicly states that supplementing is at the consumer’s risk. The lack of transparency in this industry also means that you risk accidentally consuming steroids, even when you don’t expect a product to contain them.
Of course, millions of people around the world, in our country, and even people around our little town of Tacoma, WA, supplement happily and without problems. We understand that not all supplements are bad, and not all are created equal. But for us, the risk isn’t worth it.
The Body is Designed for Performance
Finally, we exercise and workout because we believe that our bodies are built to perform. The human body has an amazing capacity to adapt, grow, change, and respond to challenges. By eating well, staying hydrated, and maintaining a strong and consistent exercise routine, you and your body can transform together.
You may do more of your own research and decide that supplementing is a good option for you, and there’s no shame in that! Organically Grown Muscle in Tacoma, WA., seeks to work with all people on their fitness journeys and meet them where they’re at. Whether you choose to supplement or not, we’d love to meet you and work with you!
Have any questions? Feel free to reach out and ask me more about my personal decision to abstain from supplementing. I’d love to hear from you!