Deep down inside, who wouldn’t want to find a magic pill that could give them the body of their dreams? Well, the fitness industry is aware of this and as a result, there are an infinite amount of nutritional supplements on the market.
And do you truly know how to figure out what works and what doesn’t?
So let me save you some money by shedding light on some dietary supplements that aren’t as good as they say:
1. Arginine: The supplement companies claim two things about Arginine. One, that it increases vasodilation-the expansion of blood vessels. Two, that it increases growth hormone. The problem with taking large doses of a single amino acid is that it can block the absorption of others. Moreover, even if Arginine did increase growth hormone production, the body would decrease its own internal production.
2. Carnitine: In the mitochondria of your cells, carnitine transports fat cells to be oxidized. Taking supplemental carnitine, however, will not significantly increase the amount of fat your body burns. You are far better off spending your money on wholesome foods.
3. Creatine in monohydrate form: This is probably one of the most overhyped supplements out there. Just because it works a little doesn’t mean you can promise the stars to people! It does help you increase power and retain a little more muscular water, but it won’t help you gain 10 lbs of muscle in weeks.
4. Testosterone boosters: ZMA is the main supplement in this category. The problem with this supplement is that you can’t simply take a pill and watch your hormone levels elevate, the body is too smart for that. Once hormones go up, your body will naturally bring them right back down.
5. Protein powders: Protein powders will never be able to rival whole foods. After all, whole foods in the right combinations have the slowest digestion rates you can get. And slower digestion rates translate into better protein synthesis.
There is lots of money to be made by selling supplements. So expect many more supplements to be hitting the market again and again. The key is to not buy into the hype and stick to what has worked for centuries: regular food.
