Supplements: Are They Worth the Money?

After a few months of incorporating strength training into my workout regimen, I was addicted to seeing any type of results. I began to wonder how I could become stronger faster and improve my performance in the gym. For hours, I would search the internet for the best protein powders, pre-workouts, BCAAs, and other supplements to help me in my quest for the results I was looking for. Whether that be to gain muscle, lose fat, or have energy during my workout, I wanted to find that magic supplement that did it all. Now I’m no nutrition professional, but I have increased my knowledge recently about the effectiveness of workout supplements through nutrition classes and my own research. So the overriding question here is are these supplements worth the money? And better yet, are they actually effective in helping performance? Studies show, it depends.

If you’re new to dietary supplements, they are defined by the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) as, “a product taken by mouth that contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet.” Surprisingly enough, supplements that were sold prior to 1994 are not required to show evidence of safety or effectiveness to the Food and Drug Administration before they are marketed to the public. Today, the FDA has control over supplements that have new dietary ingredients. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission requires claims made about the supplements are not false or misleading (ISSN, 2010).

Although I won’t go into detail into the regulation of these supplements in this post, if interested check out https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/1550-2783-7-7?site=jissn.biomedcentral.com

Now let’s take a look at a few common supplements and the effectiveness of each according to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN, 2010). In this case, we will look at these supplements in order to see if they are effective as an ergogenic aid, one in which it supplements exercise performance or enhances training adaptions (ex: building lean muscle mass, losing body fat, etc.).

Weight Gain Powders

Weight gain powders aid in increasing muscle mass by providing extra calories and often an increase in protein in the diet. While this is an effective supplement for weight gain, there is generally a greater increase in fat rather than an increase in muscle mass. While this is effective, it may not be the best for building lean muscle mass alone.

Protein

Additional protein in the diet is a good way to ensure faster recovery and strength gains. While the amount of protein needed for each person is different, convenience supplements such as protein bars, protein shakes, and other similar products may be effective for increasing muscle mass.

Creatine

According to the study, this is the most effective supplement to increase high intensity capacity and muscle mass. By allowing the athlete to train harder, they are able to increase the amount of gains created through training. Potential weight gain may be a downside, but the supplement is safe and effective.

Branched Chain Amino Acids

In regard to building muscle mass, more studies are needed in order to see if BCAAs play a major role. BCAAs can also be used to improve “psychological perception of fatigue” and recovery after a workout. Again, since some research has shown BCAAs to be effective, while others have not, more research is needed to show if this supplement is truly effective. For now, it is noted as possibly effective.

Essential Amino Acids

Essential amino acids are also marked as possibly effective in regard to performance enhancement. For muscle building supplements, EAAs are marked as too early to tell if there is a substantial effect. Some studies show that consuming 3-6 grams EAA before or after a workout stimulates protein synthesis which may have an effect on creating muscle gains. It is probable that EAAs may play a role, but since they also include BCAAs, the possible effectiveness could be due to the BCAAs as well.

Glutamine

Glutamine is marked as apparently ineffective for muscle building supplements. Studies show no evidence of glutamine playing a role in muscle performance, body composition, or muscle protein degradation.

L-Carnintine

L-carnintine is one of the most common supplements found in weight loss supplements and is noted as apparently ineffective for weight loss. Studies show that there is no effect on fat metabolism when consuming L-carnintine.

Caffeine

Caffeine is an apparently effective supplement in performance enhancement. It is shown to be an effective ergogenic aid by increasing energy expenditure and weight loss as well as improving endurance exercise capacity.

While these are just a few common supplements, there are many on the market that are still unknown if they actually work. Many supplements still need much more research in order to show the true effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the product. That being said, while supplements can be helpful in improving performance, building muscle mass, and many other training adaptations, they should be looked at and used as what they are, a supplement to the diet. Keep in mind that having a proper diet and training regimen are the true key factors in reaching your fitness goals.

All in all, not all supplements are effective as they claim to be. It is important to do your research and be aware of what you are consuming, regardless of how effective it may say it is on the label.

Source:

Kreider, R., Wilborn, C., Taylor, L., Campbell, B., Almada, A., Collins, R., & ... Antonio, J. (2010). ISSN exercise & sport nutrition review: research & recommendations. Journal Of The International Society Of Sports Nutrition, 7(1), 7.