Supplements: Are we Gullible Victims of Clever Marketing?

One of the most common questions I get asked is what supplements I take. Nobody ever asks me about my training, my nutrition or my sleeping patterns which I think are much more important when it comes to getting results in the gym.

 

A supplement according to Dictionary.com is “a thing added to something else in order to complete or enhance it”. The problem with this is that people think that by taking a supplement you are going to enhance your training and get immediate results. Sadly this is not the case. I’m going to discuss a few of the most common supplements I am always asked about.

1. Protein

A protein supplement is the most common supplement that people take. Its purpose is to add more protein to your diet in order to hit your protein target. It’s not a magic potion. Its protein. The same protein you would get from a chicken breast except it would be a lower quality of protein. Today there are thousands of different protein products available so it can be hard to choose. When choosing your protein always look for one that has the highest amount of protein per serving. I recommend MyProtein because they have a huge range and they are the cheapest.

2. Creatine

This is one of the most researched and popular supplements on the market.There are a lot of misconceptions about its uses. Basically creatine helps you workout harder during workouts thus improving your strength and muscle size.Creatine monohydrate is meant to be the most effective type of creatine available. There are a lot of myths about the safety and side effects of creatine but studies have shown over the years that creatine is a safe supplement to take.

3. PreWorkout

There seems to be a huge reliance these days on taking pre-workout before a gym session. I’ve seen so many post on Instagram of people downing pre-workout before every gym session. Different people swear by different pre-workout products but if you read the ingredients you will see they are mainly all the same. It’s caffeine with some beta alanine, leucine, citrulline malate and tyrosine. If you are tired and lacking energy everyday before a workout I would look at your sleeping patterns and your nutrition before taking pre workout before every session.

4. Fat Burners

Fat burners are something that I’m asked about time and time again. Some people swear by it and claim it helps them get ripped just before a holiday. It’s absolute rubbish. There is nothing in these pills that help you burn fat. Its mainly caffeine which gives you that wired feeling and other substances that stop you from feeling hungry. If fat burners really worked then we would all be walking around with six packs and gyms would go out of business. 

 

At the end of the day if you are looking for results then its about the amount of work you put in when you are in the gym. You could overdose on the supplements mentioned above and not get any results because you have been slacking with your training or your nutrition hasn’t been on point. Don't be fooled by slick and expensive marketing. Supplements can help, there is no doubt about that but they are not the missing ingredient these companies lead you to believe. Hard work beats supplements when supplements don't work hard.

 

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