Are Supplements a Good Idea?
I am often asked which supplements people should take to achieve the results they want. My answer is nearly always the same; "Some supplements do achieve some positive results, however I truly believe that the results attained from the natural food products around us are a far better source". This is what I stand by, although I am sure that there are many of you out there who will argue the point for taking supplements. So to help back up my case I thought you should read this article that I came across at Reuters.com. The article is about two men who have ended up contracting advanced prostate cancer after believing the promises made on the "herbal" supplements they were taking. They commented that the FDA (the USA’s Food and Drug Administration) had little control over the supplement market and the products marked "safe" and "natural" often contain ingredients that very little is known about.
Get your doctor’s approval first
They have suggested that as well as prescribed drugs it would be sensible for physicians to check with their patients what supplements and over the counter drugs they are currently taking. I know that in England our doctors do regularly check what over the counter drugs and the not so readily available drugs their patients are taking before prescribing any extra medicine. However I have never been asked if I consume any supplements before being given a course of medicine. Maybe before we consume any supplements we should consult our physicians to get their approval otherwise there may be a risk of taking something that could do us more harm than good.
The supplement in question was referred to as an ‘herbal hormonal drug’ that was found to increase the growth rate of tumour cells under lab conditions. The drug has since been removed from sale but cannot be named for legal reasons.
In cases like this it worries me that they will hold back the name of a ‘drug’ that people may still have access to or still have an unhealthy supply of at their homes and could potentially cause or promote cancer within our bodies, all this just to protect the name of the company supplying them. It would be nice to see our health given priority, rather than the reputation of the company behind the product. Who knows how many other people have been affected by these products without the link being made.
My advice is if you have any "natural" or "safe" products that contain a combination of hormones called testosterone and estradiol I would immediately stop taking them and consult your physician. Whilst supplements can be of use I would always recommend that you get your diet in shape first and if you want to go down the hormone route then always consult your physician and also your pharmacist, prior to commencing the course of drugs.
If you would like to read the whole article then you can find it here. Any opinions on the supplement article will be gratefully received. Stay healthy and be safe.
January 18th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Thank you. This post was extremely informative and helpful.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:56 am
I’m often asked the same question on my site from new boxers and people using boxing to increase their fitness levels. I believe there are only two supplements one should even consider taking. The first is protein powder – especially for those involved in bodybuilding and other high intensity sports like boxing requiring protein augmentation. It is simply not possible to consistenly ingest enough protein from food sources to meet the requirements for optimal muscle growth and repair. A good protein powder can assist with that.
The other is creatine and this is more of an option. More and more studies are showing there are few undesirable side effects and support it as a performance enhancer. While it is possible to get added creatine in your diet through foods such as tuna, the amounts are small. A powdered, pure creatine supplement can assist with the development of muscle and endurance in high intensity sports.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Aaron has a very good point and as much as I like to promote natural training without supplements there are going to be cases where people do need the extra protein and don’t have the time to have another tuna steak sandwich. He is also right in saying that protein powder, especially whey protein is a good source. Creatine on the other hand is still showing no long term side affects however I still feel we won’t know that for sure for sometime yet although in studies it is seeming to be more beneficial than protein.
However I would not consider taking either of these supplements if you are not performing high intensity sport or training. Ingesting more protein than the body can use will increase your body fat % and overload your liver and kidneys.