I?m hoping this post serves as a good reminder that most supplements are a complete waste of money and even worse, can be dangerous! More often than not, the product?s claims are inaccurate. For example, boron has been touted as a ?steroid alternative? has actually been shown to decrease testosterone levels. Original studies were performed not on athletes but postmenopausal women! Keep in mind that supplements do not have to be effective to be sold and the celebrity athlete on the cover is getting paid big bucks to back the product. Also, ?natural? means very little. There are poisonous substances that are ?natural.? With that said, perhaps 1% of them are worth taking a closer look.
Creatine
Creatine has been around long enough with enough people taking it that if there were negative side effects they would have probably been exposed by now. Creatine has been shown over and over to increase strength and performance in repeated bouts of intense effort. Absorption is increased by up to 50% when taken with carbohydrates.
Caffeine
Caffeine supplementation has been shown to improve performance. This is especially true when it comes to endurance. Caffeine seems to have a ?glycogen sparing? effect which increases availability of fats for fuel.
Why I gave up Coffee
With that said, I quit drinking coffee earlier this week. I know there are some reported health benefits to drinking coffee but these are the main reasons I decided to give it up?
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- Health and Physical ? For me, I believe it?s healthier to get my energy from the right lifestyle, not coffee.
- No Dependence ? I started becoming less and less comfortable with depending on an external substance (coffee).
- My Personality? I like to challenge myself sometimes and take the hard road (e.g. quitting coffee).
Initially, I had difficulty concentrating after quitting coffee. This almost caused me to grab a cup. However, after more thought, this very reason motivated me more than ever to quit.
One of my favorite professors of all time (What?s up Prof. Lamonda!) once said, ?Nothing burns fat like physical exercise.? This was coming from someone who had a better understanding of the physical body than most. While we?d all welcome an extra boost to our training, 9 times out of ten you?d be better off saving your money and focusing your energy on your training and nutrition. With all that said, let me know which supplements you take and find beneficial?And let me know if you have any experience giving up coffee. I need help!
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