Open any health and fitness magazine and you'll be bombarded with pictures of athletic models and body builders and the health supplements (drugs!) they take.
Do we really need to take these? How many of us trying to get fit, or staying fit are really looking for such an extreme physique. If you are someone who is then I'm guessing you don't have a normal 9am-5pm job since these models and athletes spend much more of their time working out then many of us can commit time to.
Thermogenic weight loss products
For many years products such as Hydroxycut Ultra and Xenadrine Ultra have promised to remove the fat and make our muscles more visible. So how do they work and what is in them? They're classed as thermogenic products, they increase your metabolism/heart rate and you'll end up with a warmer body and depending on the side effects and your tolerance probably you'll feel more nervous/skittish, may have trouble sleeping, become more irritable etc. Similar to a coffee overdose, which is not unexpected since the chemicals in these products often include caffeine, green tea extract and other products. Some users have experienced more extreme side effects including liver related problems.
The older versions of these products often contained an ingredient called Ephedra. This comes from the plant Ephedra sinica and is also known as ma huang. These compounds stimulate the brain, increase heart rate, constrict blood vessels (increasing blood pressure), and expand bronchial tubes (making breathing easier). Their thermogenic properties cause an increase in metabolism, evidenced by an increase in body heat.
Ephedra containing supplements have since been banned in many countries including the USA due to a statistically high rate of serious side effects and even some deaths. The latest products have replaced Ephedra with other ingredients including bitter orange.
I would encourage you not to use these products. For the vast majority of us these products are unnecessary. They may play a part if you're looking to reduce your body fat from 10% to 6% however there are risks and such a low body fat percentage is not healthy for the body.
Ephedra used to be used by some people for weight loss in combination with aspirin and caffeine (known as an ECA stack). Some studies have shown that this can be effective for marginal short-term weight loss (0.9 kg/month more than the placebo), although it is unclear whether such weight loss is maintained. More importantly side effects of ephedra may include severe skin reactions, hypertension, irritability, nervousness, dizziness, trembling, headache, insomnia, profuse perspiration, dehydration, itchy scalp and skin, vomiting, hyperthermia, irregular heartbeat, seizures, heart attack, stroke, or death
If you're overweight and looking to use these products you're wasting your money and risking your health in using these products. Please leave them out of your shopping trolley. My personal view is that many are overpriced.
verdict: not needed
Vitamins
With the amount of processed food and the poor nutrition many of us have these days there is a place in our diet for some supplements. While the research is mixed as to whether vitamin tablets really are effective and absorbed by the human body I'd still suggest a daily multi-vitamin as beneficial. It shouldn't replace eating fruit and vegetables.
verdict: a general daily multi-vitamin is likely to be useful
Omega-3 Fish Oil
Unless you eat a lot of fish (and not the deep fried kind) then have an Omega-3 fish oil supplement can be beneficial. A bit of quick research shows that there is at least some evidence for the benefits of this supplement.
verdict: useful unless you;'re already eating a lot of fish
Whey - Protein
If your doing strength training (weights) or eat limited amounts of protein then there is also benefit in having additional protein in the form of whey/casein. For most of us we don't need the most expensive products being advertised, however some additional protein to have in a smoothie/shake or just mixed with water can help with the goal of losing weight and building muscle. I'll cover this more in a general nutrition article in the near future.
verdict: useful to help ensure you have sufficient protein for building muscle
Other supplements
For most of us we do not need any other supplements, if you're thinking of taking them then consult with your doctor or physician. Many products claim to help weight loss either by providing fiber and hence making you feel more full, or by suppressing your appetite. So unless your doctor is prescribing other supplements I'd recommend you save your money and improve the nutrition from your meals.
verdict: not needed
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