The Thinking Man’s Guide to Bodybuilding Supplements

We like to thank Kevin Sanders from Strong and Fit for guest posting today on supplements and working out. Please visit Kevin and tell him we sent you there.

Maybe you’ve decided it’s time to get to the gym. You want to shrink that spare tire or put some size on those arms. Good for you!

But the next step on your fitness journey might be a little confusing. Let’s stay you step into your local health food store: you’ll encounter an endless variety of powders, potions, root extracts and vitamins—all claiming to help you lose fat and build muscle. How do you sort through all of this?
Before I go any further, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kevin Sanders. I’m a minister, writer, fitness enthusiast, and the creator of StrongandFit.net. I’ve been working out for about twenty years now. Sad to say, I’ve also mindlessly wasted a lot of money on bodybuilding supplements (in the early days of my training, that is).

I want to keep you from making the same mistakes I’ve made. So here are some things I want you to keep in mind:

Supplements are Not Closely Regulated by the FDA. Should they be? Not in my opinion. The average doughboy lawmaker wouldn’t know the different between dianabol and Midol—I don’t want him controlling what I can and can’t take.

Well, enough Libertarian ranting. Here’s my point: you cannot count on the government to tell you how safe or effective a particular supplement is. It’s perfectly legal to sell rip-off products. You’ll need to do the research yourself to find out if something is worth the money.

The Supplement Industry Does Not Exist to Make You Bigger, Stronger and Leaner.
The industry exists to make profit—it’s just that simple. Some supplement manufacturers would happily sell you high-priced sugar pills if you would buy them. Time after time I’ve seen the claims of their products fall short when put to the test of real scientific research (double-blind, placebo controlled studies).

Dealing with the supplement industry is a lot like shopping for a used car: if you think the salesman is your buddy, you’ll get ripped off. I think you get the idea—approach supplement shopping with some healthy cynicism.

Many Supplement Endorsers Use Steroids
The vast majority of professional bodybuilders use steroids, and these are often the guys hired to endorse supplements. Their super-sized muscles came from a syringe, not a blender. Don’t think you’re going to look like a pro bodybuilder after drinking a couple of protein shakes.

Supplements are Just . . . Supplements

They cannot make up for a crappy diet or a poorly designed training program. They will not increase your testosterone level or give you “steroid-like” results. They cannot take you beyond your genetic strength/size potential. Supplements just help fill in any small “gaps” in your nutrition as part of an overall fitness regimen.

My Recommendation:
Let’s get back to the used car analogy. Not every car on the lot is a lemon, and you can find a few good deals if you shop wisely. In the same way, there are a few supplements that can help you with your fitness goals (assuming your diet and training are in order). I generally recommend four:

• A multivitamin to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals. I just take the generic kind—I see no compelling reason to shell out extra money so I can take the overpriced “men’s formula.”

• Whey protein powder is a convenient way to help you increase your overall protein intake (which should be about a gram of protein per lb of body weight).

• Creatine monohydrate, a naturally occurring substance found in skeletal muscle. It helps with muscular contractions and also draws fluid into the muscles.

• Fish oil capsules for some healthy fat. I usually take 4-5 fish oil capsules a day.

All of the above are cost effective—especially if you buy in bulk. If you’d like a little more information on the first three (multivitamin, whey protein, creatine), feel free to visit this article: Strongandfit.net: Three Effective Supplements.

But I’ll say this again: none of them will do you any good if your diet and training are not in order.

So there you have it—a crash course in bodybuilding supplements. Do your research: it’s your body and money.

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Posted by Kevin Sanders on Nov 3 2009 Filed under HEALTH. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry