Nutritional Supplements

Supplements, Diet Shakes, Pills & Protein Powders Are Not Magic!

Advertisements promise that dietary supplements will melt fat, grow muscle and fight fatigue. This portrays the product as "magic" instead of a supplement to a fit lifestyle with proper nutrition. A dietary supplement is meant to supplement an otherwise balanced diet with regular exercise.

In 1994, Congress changed the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulation of nutritional supplements. The supplement industry is now largely unregulated and has grown to sales of $6 billion a year. They have since flooded the marketplace with anti-aging megavitamins and so-called supplements tied to claims that are short on facts and long on fiction.

First, the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, water, vitamins and minerals is necessary to get and maintain the best fitness results. It's impossible to find a dietary supplement that will deliver the vast number of benefits that will be realized through regular exercise. Many nutritional supplements are marketed using misleading or downright dishonest claims and can be marketed without FDA review for safety. The benefits of these supplements are based on little or no scientific evidence. In addition, ingredients can greatly differ from product to product due to lack of regular control. Most people are looking for a "quick fix" to achieve their health and fitness goals. In addition, the manufactures of supplements would lead consumers to believe that these supplements work for everyone. Some of the popular dietary supplements may be helpful in a specific situation for certain people, but most will not deliver the benefits achieved through a regular fitness program at Fitness USA.

Do you need supplements? Do they work?
Supplements are not substitutes. They do not replace the thousands of nutrients in whole foods, which are needed in a balanced diet. There are 13 vitamins that are utilized in a variety of biological activities. Fifteen minerals help regulate cell growth and functions. Most experts favor a healthy diet as the source for these substances. If you do decide to take a vitamin-mineral combination, check the label to ensure that the combination is limited to 100% of the recommended daily value or less. Taking extra vitamins or supplements will not help you derive more energy. The fear of not getting enough vitamins is unfounded. Ten years ago, an over-the-counter amino acid taken to treat insomnia harmed 1,500 people and caused 38 deaths. On a lesser magnitude, there have been several reports of negative side effects from a host of supplements.

Feed Muscles With A Balanced Diet or Creatine?
Creatine supplements work by helping the body replenish adenosine triphosphate, known as APT, which is a key source of energy for muscles. The more muscles are used, the more energy they require. The body makes creatine, but it can also be found in protein-rich foods. When the body reaches a maximum level and the muscles are saturated with creatine, the balance is excreted in urine. Users who try to supersaturate with massive doses will fail to achieve any greater results.

Fight Depression with Exercise or St. John’s Wort?
Exercise is an effective treatment for mild depression. Indisputably, the best strategy to managing stress is to battle it with regular physical exercise. Visit Fitness USA and you’ll be certain to diffuse stress and its harmful properties. You will become more fit overall, physically as well as mentally. Physiological responses to exercise include natural increases in adrenaline, known to counteract stress. With regular consistent exercise at Fitness USA, tension eases, as strength, endurance and flexibility are improved, factors that make stress management a reality for you, for life without the use of St. John's Wort!

Long-term scientific studies are needed to determine the true value of these substances in the overall picture of physical and mental health. Until then, substituting supplements for natural nutrients is not the answer. To improve your nutritional health, you must live with a well balanced diet. To achieve your fitness goals, you need regular exercise. Nothing enhances your body like the well-proven gains of regular exercise at Fitness USA.

At Fitness USA, The Real Magic Is Exercise!