- Personal trainer Hayley Madigan isn’t against supplements, but there are some common ones she avoids.
- Madigan told Business Insider why she doesn’t use products like energy drinks or protein bars.
- There is no one-size-fits-all approach to taking supplements.
Personal trainer Hayley Madigan knows that certain supplements can help you feel and perform your best.
But there are some things Madigan, 34, will never accept.
According to the American Medical Association, more than half of U.S. adults take supplements, and the market is expected to reach approximately $308 billion worldwide by 2028, up from $191 billion in 2020, according to Statista. ing.
But experts say you should aim to get the nutrients your body needs from food. Supplements like protein powder and creatine may be especially helpful for active people like Madigan, but not everyone needs to take them. You may also feel worse than before. If you are not sure what supplements you need, ask your doctor.
Madigan, who is based in Portsmouth, UK, told Business Insider why she avoids products like energy drinks and pre-workout supplements.
Madigan avoids energy drinks and pre-workout supplements
It’s not uncommon to see people entering the gym drinking energy drinks or pre-workout drinks, but not everyone gets along with them.
Madigan used to take pre-workout supplements to boost her energy. This is because unlike regular energy drinks, it also contains ingredients designed to improve training performance.
However, Madigan said she avoids such high-caffeine supplements because they tend to lower energy levels and cause anxiety and unwellness.
“I found myself crashing after the pre-workout effect wore off, and I tended to feel even more fatigued,” Madigan said. “So now I train in the morning and have my morning coffee instead of before my workout.”
Madigan isn’t the only personal trainer to stop taking pre-workout supplements. Celebrity trainer Luke Worthington previously told BI that he made the same decision after realizing he was training when he should have been resting.
Protein bars often contain artificial sweeteners
Protein bars are a convenient way to get more protein, but they are often highly processed and contain a variety of artificial ingredients. Research suggests that ultra-processed foods are linked to a variety of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Also, if a person is sensitive to certain ingredients, it can have a direct negative impact on their health.
“I don’t even eat protein bars anymore because the artificial sweeteners in them were having a negative effect on my stomach and digestion,” Madigan said. “I prefer adding more ‘real food’ throughout the day rather than consuming large amounts of artificial supplements.”
Research shows that eating too much artificial sweeteners can lead to gas and bloating, and research on rodents shows that artificial sweeteners can have a negative impact on “good” gut bacteria. I am.
everyone is different
While it may be tempting to try supplements that others are taking, there is no one-size-fits-all approach as we all have different requirements.
Vitamin B12 helps keep our body’s blood and nerve cells healthy. Madigan thought you might need to take supplements if you can’t get enough in your diet (supplements are found in foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products). However, she said that was not necessary because blood tests showed that the levels in her blood were high to begin with.
