Nutritional Supplements

Should I be taking nutritional supplements?

When it comes to nutritional supplements there are a lot of misconceptions and confusion. The supplement industry has become a multibillion dollar business and has successfully infiltrated all types of media claiming extraordinary health benefits. This has resulted in a populace educated by marketing rather than scientific facts. 

Are all nutritional supplements bad? No. We believe that vitamin and mineral supplements, when taken as directed, can benefit most people. We have seen and experienced the benefits of adding various supplements to diets. These supplements can help boost energy levels and enhance proper nutrition.

As with everything on this site, we encourage you to seek advice from a medical doctor or expert before you make changes to your diet or engage in a new physical fitness program – this is vitally important. With that in mind we would like to offer some general pointers for those who pursue the shelves of the GNC or health food store for nutritional or dietary supplements.

In most cases supplements based on the macro-nutrients of fat, protein or carbohydrates are generally safe. This includes protein or amino acids supplements, flax seed or fish oils, and the plethora of sports drinks. The same is true of most multivitamin and minerals brands. Most of these types of supplements generally offer nutrition that can be found in whole foods.

On the other hand, we encourage you to think twice before using supplements that fall into the categories of fat loss or muscle building. These generally claim to boost your metabolism and/or manipulate your body's hormone levels. If a supplement claims to do this it is either a drug, or it is likely making exaggerated claims.

As with anything regarding your health, seek professional advice and do a little homework before spending your hard earned money on something that could potentially hurt you, or at the very least not help you at all. 

Thank you Troy Saunders for your insightful contributions to this practical fitness tip!