These supplements are a waste of time and money

health

by amy eisinger

Some diet experts say it may be pointless to mix powders or take pills before a workout.

Rob Hobson, a British registered sports nutritionist and author of The Detox Kitchen Bible, says that while some supplements can give you a boost, others can be a complete waste of time. he said. daily mail.

The experienced nutritionist explained that while it’s not uncommon for people to want to get their legs up at the gym, there are only a limited number of supplements that have been proven to provide real benefits.

In fact, Hobson advised that you may not need fancy powders or pills at all. Eating some fruit and drinking a cup of coffee before your morning workout may be enough to make you feel great.

Here are two supplements you can skip and two you should take instead.

Skip: Pre-workout supplements

Think of these as “kitchen sink supplements,” says Hobson. He said a lot of ingredients are “thrown into the mix.”

Pre-workout supplements contain a variety of ingredients, but they typically claim to improve performance, increase stamina and energy levels, and even help build lean muscle.general material Contains caffeine, B vitamins, and amino acids (protein building blocks) such as citrulline, taurine, and creatine.

Supplements containing caffeine may temporarily boost your mood. It’s well established that consuming small amounts of caffeine before a workout can improve athletic performance, but other benefits may be limited.

“Many of the other elements are less necessary, especially for people who go to the gym,” Hobson explained.

Hobson also pointed out that while these supplements may contain beneficial ingredients such as creatine, they only work if taken consistently.

“Taking it intermittently before a workout won’t help,” Hobson points out. “Efficacy studies show that doses may be too low.”

Skip: Fat Burning Supplements

Next on the nutritionist’s “don’ts” list are fat-burning supplements. These can be “the ultimate waste of time,” Hobson warns.

Any over-the-counter medication that claims to help you lose weight or burn fat faster is likely a fake.

“The claims about these supplements are that they may speed up metabolism or increase fat oxidation,” Hobson explained. “But neither is supported by reliable, science-based research on the ingredients found in supplements.”

If you read the label, you’ll see that it contains ingredients such as green tea, caffeine, and conjugated linolenic acid, which have been shown to have moderate weight loss effects in some studies. But Hobson points out that it’s not something to be too excited about.

“While we rely on supplements to manage weight and body fat percentage, we still don’t understand the importance of diet, exercise, and lifestyle, and how these factors can be manipulated to achieve more sustainable performance goals. You don’t learn anything,” he explained.

what to take instead

It’s not all a waste of time and money. If you want to make your training more effective, Hobson suggested eating a banana and drinking a little coffee. Although unappealing, bananas provide calories and good nutrients, and coffee provides a caffeine boost.

Hobson revealed that if you’re considering investing in supplements, there are two that may help you reach your goals. It’s creatine and protein powder.

Protein, an essential macronutrient for building muscle, has well-established benefits. Experts advise that you should aim to consume around 20 grams within two hours after exercise. Whey protein powder may be the most common, but you can also try plant-based versions, usually made from soy or pea protein.

“There’s a lot of well-conducted research looking at the performance benefits of protein powders,” Hobson told the Daily Mail. “These findings show that these findings not only help improve strength and performance, but also aid in muscle growth, repair, and recovery after exercise.”

Creatine, on the other hand, is an amino acid found naturally in muscle, but when taken in synthetic form, it may help you build muscle faster. “This is also one of a limited number of supplements featured in the sports nutrition and performance guidance set forth by the American College of Sports Medicine,” Hobson said.

Creatine may also help athletes recover faster and even heal after intense training.

“Benefits include increased sustained energy for high-intensity exercise, increased muscle mass and power, which translates into improved performance,” says Hobson.

Hobson advises taking creatine in small doses daily for best results.