Boost Your Performance!

By Adam Mougey

The allure of nutritional supplements is undeniable; everyone has a limited amount of time, and nobody wants to spend hour after hour in the gym just to get a little stronger or to trim a few pounds. When presented with an alternate route to fitness - particularly one which comes in an easy-to-take pill form - we tend to jump at the opportunity. Unfortunately, not only is this path generally not effective, it can have some unhealthy side effects.
     Tweaking your diet to enhance performance is not a particularly new idea to most college students. Your high school health teacher used to patiently explain the importance of a healthy diet, perhaps through a series of inspiring films and a well-placed poster or two expounding on the wonders of vegetables. Unless you spent the entire time asleep, you are aware that nutrition can affect your performance and physical well-being.
     Something your health teacher probably did not mention was the possibility of supplementing your diet with anything other than your average multivitamin. Between the use of supplements by famous athletes, and the claims of others in advertisements, the idea of supplying your body with nutrients it may not be getting from that steady diet of fast-food has become more appealing.
     However, before you buy that box of Super Muscle Gain XXL, stop and think about some of the risks and how they rank against the potential benefits:
     "Can the supplement be found more cheaply than in powder or pill form?
     Often supplements, such as protein powders, can be easily obtained in a well-balanced diet. Buying the powdered or pill form will only increase the cost, not the quality, of the supplement.
     What evidence exists which supports the claims made by the supplement manufacturer?
     Supplement companies have been known to run their own studies or even extrapolate the results from animal studies in order to advertise benefits which cannot be confirmed by independent laboratories. If the study wasn't published in a peer-reviewed journal or was not performed on humans, its results may be questionable.
Is the supplement pure?
      Independent testing of supplements for purity have been known to reveal a number of impurities in the form of fats, flavoring agents, and stimulants. Check if the company supplying your supplement has been certified as adhering to the standards of Current Good Manufacturing Practices and is pharmaceutically registered. This means that the manufacture of the supplement follows current standards, and that supplement has been inspected by the FDA.
What are the possible short and long-term side effects?
     Many supplements which were popular a few years ago have been found to have long-term effects which could plague the user later in life. Also, some supplements can have serious short-term side effects, which can vary in impact from annoying to life-threatening. Before starting use of a supplement, check with your doctor for any possible complications.
Am I spending enough time in the gym for this supplement to work for me?
     Most performance-enhancing supplements are intended for use by athletes who have already pushed their bodies as far as possible. Supplements are meant to raise the potential of the athlete to push them past plateaus in their performance. If a plateau has not been reached, than that extra push is probably unnecessary.
     This is not to say that supplements do not work; some individuals have benefitted through the use of nutritional supplements. However, before supplement use is begun, the individual should take care to evaluate the risks against the potential benefits. It has been demonstrated that simply maintaining a healthy and varied diet (such as following the guide established by the Food Pyramid) can increase energy, decrease stress, and lower cholesterol. All of this without potential side effects.
     If you have further questions about sports supplements for performance enhancement, contact the author in the Peer Education Office at 346-4456.  

Prize Winners Wanted!

Take the WellNow

Survey