Evolution of Sports Nutrition Supplements

By Matthew Free

Even in the 21st Century man is still a hunter and gatherer. Instead of hunting for big game and gathering nuts and berries like our ancestors, we now hunt physical and virtual retail stores. Gathering a myriad of pills, powders, and liquid nutritional products to maintain a healthy lifestyle in our effort for optimal results culture. Are such products an advantage with our growing knowledge about food science, or are we still playing with fire?

An evolution of nutritional supplements has definitely been seen since I started with fitness back in high school in the early 1990s. During that time protein powders from Met-Rx and creatine were starting to define the market. Now a slew of products are available to help add back the nutrients that might be lost or used up in our diet and exercise programs. These products can also supercharge the systems by stimulating more muscle output (skeletal and cardiac), and promote or inhibit the biochemistry of hormones in our bodies to achieve desired results…often for a more attractive physical appearance. To get the desired muscular size and cuts a hefty price often is paid. One on the wallet, but also our internal health.

Companies in the sports nutrition market are multiplying to devour the growing profit of the industry equaling $23.7 billion in 2008 (source Nutrition Business Journal) with the newest craze of the shot, long lasting energizers providing a substantial boost. The question is how long will such products be safe to consumers. Similar energy boosting, fat loss products have been pulled because of new safety issue discoveries. Long time product Hydroxycut was recalled in May of this year because of serious liver injuries, and the energy booster ephrine was so powerful to our hearts that the FDA started to regulate it in 1997. Fortunately for businesses producing such products, there are no regulations for nutritional supplements. Hence, the lines of safety and legality are very blurred.

It can take almost a decade for a cancer drug to be certified for market to treat the disease with published risks. Supplements have the loophole that can make claims the product may help promote proper health and athletic output, but not cure any conditions related to disease. Treatment is regulated, but prevention is at the risk of the consumer. Trickery of the supplement companies to make us buy their preventive products come in their 8-page ads in fitness magazines showing us not only the supposed results from before and after photos of test subjects, but also touting scientific-like results with wonderful graphs and diagrams just to provide validity to the claims.

From my biochemistry experience, sure the idea of increasing athletic performance for which these products claim are very interesting, but often their sample size and duration of testing are too small and too short to be scientifically valid. What should also be a concern to the consumer is the legality of such products.Especially for athletes that are competing in sanctioned sports.

Advertisements in magazines like Exercise for Men Only are showing the new wave of muscle building products–pro-hormones–often not found in your local GNC. Plus, what should also raise an eyebrow to safety for your body and not only the law is the labels that sometimes show images of powerhouse barnyard animals—horses and bulls; for example. Many, but not all sanctioned sporting associations, even those for the gay athlete, have some of these pro-hormones on their testing list of banned items. The Gay Games for example in the physique competition will test their participants even if they don’t demonstrate bullish like qualities.

Still, many of us might never compete in a sport or at a level to be tested. We just want a little bit of an extra edge in our fitness routine and to feel like results are possible at any age. To feel better about ourselves. To look more physically attractive. I myself have cautiously tried some of the energy enhancement and muscle increasing products on the market often for vanity—creatine, NO Explode, and an occasional energy drink is on my program now. It is natural for humans to experiment, but be wary of unnatural effects hidden behind the promises. In our instant fix world applied to a healthy diet we sometimes can mess our bodies more then enhance and prolong a healthy lifestyle.

Don’t let yourself get burned by these evolutionary options.

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