Beware! Supplements offer great reward, and great risk

Date: 25-06-2003 Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamUnited States

Whether you’re an athlete seeking to boost athletic performance or in need of getting more calcium in your diet, there is likely a nutritional supplement for you. Walk into a GNC or any other store selling health products and there will be at least something that can improve a person’s lifestyle.

Not getting enough vitamin C? Try GNC Vitamin C 2000 for healthy bones and teeth. Feeling lethargic?Have some Royal Jelly where each capsule contains 62.5 mg of a jelly that is the primary source of food eaten by queen bees. Need an extra boost of energy to get through your workout? NVE Stacker 2 can provide the needed rush.

Good pills

Medical advances have made it possible for millions of Americans on the go to replenish their bodies and possibly improve their overall health by simply downing a couple pills or capsules. Nutritional supplements allow people to maintain their overall health and accomplish physical feats that would not otherwise be possible.

Athletes with the skills to make his or her varsity team but lacking strength can buy GNC Pro Performance Protein Bars at $1.69 each and add the necessary muscle. People having trouble shedding pounds can take a dietary supplement named Metabolife 356, which works by stimulating the cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

Dangers lurk ahead

The benefits of nutritional supplements can be huge, but the results can also be deadly. In the past few years nutritional supplements have been linked to the deaths of professional athletes such as Baltimore Oriole pitcher Steve Bechler on Feb. 17 of this year and Minnesota Vikings’ offensive lineman Korey Stringer in 2001. Both players’ deaths were from heat stroke and both took supplements containing ephedra.

Ephedra is an ingredient found in several weight-loss and energy-boosting products. It is the ingredient that causes the cardiovascular and central nervous systems to speed up.

The tragedies of ephedra extend beyond the professional ranks with over 800 ephedra-related injuries, including 50 deaths, reported to the Federal Drug Administration. Most cases dealt with over-exertion of the heart leading to heart attacks or high blood pressure.

In the aftermath of Stringer’s and Bechler’s deaths there has been moves made to curb the sale of ephedra-based products. Some stores have voluntarily demanded to see identification proving consumers are 18, and recently Illinois became the first state to ban the substance.

GNC, which bills itself as having "the largest selection of nutritional supplements on the market today" on its Web site, has taken it one step further and ended the sale of ephedrine products as of June 30.

"It is because of a lack of consumer demand not from outside pressure," said GNC Public Relations Director Stephanie Mangini about the decision.

Be careful

Unfortunately, the danger doesn’t end with ephedra. Since they have no affiliation with the FDA, supplements are not federally approved. They haven’t been subjected to clinical trials, and little is known about their chemical makeup or side effects. Even with the uncertainty surrounding the $17.7 billion business there is tremendous demand, particularly from athletes.

In the ultra competitive arena of sports, athletes can and will do anything to get an advantage. In addition to ephedra, athletes have been consuming supplements with androstendione and creatine in large quantities in order to gain an edge. Androstendione, or andro as its most commonly referred as, created a stir in 1998 when it was reported that Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals had taken a supplement containing the substance.McGwire has since said he has stopped taking the substance.

It works by converting itself into testosterone, which increases muscle mass. Creatine is a natural compound in the body comprised of three amino acids and adds muscle mass by upping the amounts of each. It can be taken in several forms but is most commonly taken in powder form mixed with juice or water.

This supplement has a laundry list of risks resembling that of steroids, it includes potential breast enlargement, testicular atrophy in men, breast shrinkage and deepened voice in women, growth retardation in teens, diarrhea, dehydration, and muscle tears. The similarities between creatine and steroids are so close that there is a Web site named www.legalsteroids.com.

Health & Fitness tip: Before taking a supplement check with your doctor as to its safety. Supplements can interact with medicine you may already be taking and may not always be healthy for you, though they can do a lot of good if used carefully.