I started bodybuilding in Sept. 1984. At that time I was told by my coach that I needed to take supplements to help with my training and weight gain. I barely weighed 100 lbs. and had to drink a milk shake from Baskin Robbins after each work-out otherwise I’d lose weight and become even skinnier.
I sold supplements in my gym and even represented Beverly International Supplements by posing for their ad in their catalogue. I truly believed that everyone needed vitamin packs, amino acids and protein shakes to become healthier. I continued to sell and take additional supplements as they became available believing that these products would make me healthier.
Please note that the vitamin/supplement industry is not as closely regulated as the pharmaceutical companies. Supplement companies can produce and sell products easily. Every time you flip open a magazine you’ll come across an ad for supplements, juices or shakes that claim to do one thing or another. In our quest to become ever healthier, we fall for these claims and buy these products.
I had taken supplements for 20 years. At my yearly physicals, my family doctor always prided himself in knowing that my test outcome would show optimum results. I was always in perfect health.
In 2000, I had my regular physical and was surprised when my doctor called me to ask me if I drank alcohol. I was puzzled because I rarely drink alcohol or any beverage other than water. He explained that my liver enzymes were that of someone who drank alcohol daily. He then asked me to explain my daily routine and to describe whatever supplements I consumed. I told him that I ate breakfast and took a vitamin pack, liver tablets, amino acids after a work-out, drank a protein shake in between meals and took a fat burner before a cardio work-out. He asked me to go to the cabinet that I stored these items and to hold a trash can up to it and dump all the bottles out. He was serious. I did as instructed.
The next day, I lie on my couch trembling and nauseous. I was weak. I was addicted to those supplements. They were affecting me negatively. That lasted 3 days. I then went back to the clinic after several weeks to repeat the liver enzyme test and my levels had dropped a few points. This indeed was the cause. I was instructed not to even take a Tylenol tablet or aspirin.
It took about a year for my liver enzymes to return to normal. In that time I learned that the liver is a filter and any excess supplements that are not needed are stored there. I came so close to damaging my liver permanently.
Please do not take supplements unless you need them. Be careful of medical doctors who sell supplements.
Today, I take a calcium supplement because I am in the earliest stages of osteopenia, because I’m over 50 I take fish oil gels for heart health and low grade aspirin to help with blood thinning. Except for my hormone replacement pills that I truly need, I don’t take any other supplements.
By the way, because I’m lactose intolerant.instead of milk, I add 1 scoop of strawberry flavored protein powder to my cereal each morning.
Please click on the following links to read my eye opening articles on supplements and the supplement industry.
http://cspinet.org/nah/09_07/supplements.pdf http://cspinet.org/nah/09_07/mfj_supplement.pdf
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1 comment:
Mona, you make excellent points, thanks for all you do for us who are trying to get fit.
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