Please stop wasting your money on shitty supplements. Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash Supplements. It’s a multi-billion-dollar industry. Pills and powders fly off of shelves, and supplement companies and their marketing masterminds get richer by the day. You want the cold, hard truth? Most supplements are just very expensive lies. You should be very cautious about claims plastered on supplement labels. Some supplements do have a place as part of a healthy diet and fitness routine. Supplements also have a place when nutrient deficiencies are present. They can help fill gaps in your diet and — gasp — supplement your health and performance. Supplements are no replacement for real food, however, and some of them are flat-out ineffective (and potentially dangerous). In this article, learn about three common fitness supplements that don’t work at all — and three that do. 3 Supplements That Don’t Work Fat Burners  Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash It would be so awesome, right? It would be phenomenal and exciting and super convenient if you could pluck a bottle of pills off of a shelf, take one every day, and watch your body fat melt away. But that would be too easy. WAY too easy. Fat burners promise to speed up your metabolism or increase your body’s thermogenesis, essentially helping you burn more calories while doing nothing. Sorry, but it’s just not that easy. Fat burners generally contain a single ingredient or combination of ingredients with thermogenic properties. Common examples include caffeine and green tea extract. Fat burners also commonly include soluble fiber and protein, two nutrients that help you feel full, which can suppress your appetite. What the research says:
The caveat: There isn’t one, sorry. Other than perhaps prescription medications (which come with all sorts of disclaimers and side effects anyway), there are no pills out there proven to burn excess fat. Branched-Chain Amino Acids  Image by Melanie Simon from Pixabay Surprise! Despite their unending popularity, branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements don’t have the robust scientific backing you might expect. BCAAs include leucine, isoleucine, and valine, three essential amino acids you must get from your diet. These three amino acids are indeed important and studies have shown them to positively affect fitness in a few ways. However, BCAAs fail as a supplement when you consume enough protein from food and/or you drink protein shakes. That’s because all three BCAAs are found in high quantities in protein-rich foods. What the research says:
The caveat: If you don’t get enough protein on a daily basis, a BCAA supplement can help you consume essential amino acids you aren’t getting from food. They’re also a good low-calorie option for people in a cutting phase who need the amino acids but struggle to consume enough from food on their cut. But really, you should just try to eat enough protein. Carbo-Loaded Post-Workout Shakes  You may as well drink a milkshake. Image by Jerneja Ribnikar from Pixabay I’m not here to diss carbs. Carbs are great — I love carbs! But, most people get enough carbohydrates already. Many people consume too many carbohydrates, leaving insufficient caloric room for protein and essential fatty acids. What the research says:
The caveat: People who struggle to consume enough calories on a daily basis may benefit from high-calorie, high-carb shakes. Similarly, people intentionally trying to put on weight (such as bodybuilders in the off-season) can use post-workout shakes as a tactic for gaining mass, especially when food feels unpalatable. Other than these two uses, carbo-loaded shakes are virtually worthless. You could just eat some rice or an apple, or enjoy a milkshake if you really need or want a lot of carbs. 3 Supplements That Actually Do Work Whey Protein  Photo by Joseph Greve on Unsplash If there’s one supplement nearly all fitness professionals would recommend, it’s whey protein. In fact, I don’t know a single personal trainer who wouldn’t recommend whey protein to their clients, except in the case of dietary restrictions. The fact of the matter is that the standard American diet (aptly acronymed SAD) doesn’t include much protein. Most people fill their daily caloric intake with carb- and fat-heavy foods, most of which are overly processed. Without ample protein, your body can’t perform the processes it needs to support muscle growth and health. What the research says:
The caveat: If you’re getting enough protein from whole food sources, whey protein supplements are still a waste of money. Your body simply doesn’t use protein it doesn’t need. You also need to be careful, do your research, and understand what you’re paying for. Check the number of servings in a container and how many grams of protein per serving, and read the ingredients list for any shady additives. Creatine  Photo by HowToGym on Unsplash Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in the entire industry. It’s an increasingly popular ergogenic aid for athletes, bodybuilders, and recreational exercisers alike. This sports supplement is a molecule found in muscle cells, and it helps produce energy during high-intensity exercise or heavy weightlifting. Creatine is also found in high-protein foods such as eggs, beef, and fish. What the research says:
The caveat: In clinical trials, creatine monohydrate is the form of creatine given to study subjects. This means that any creatine supplement that doesn’t use creatine monohydrate may not produce the same results as what’s seen in clinical trials. Take care when checking product labels. Beta-Alanine  Photo by Candace Mathers on Unsplash A nonessential amino acid, beta-alanine is thought to reduce fatigue and improve physical performance and capacity. It’s a nonessential amino acid, meaning your body can produce beta-alanine on its own, but supplementing may help your body put beta-alanine to better use. In your body, beta-alanine combines with another amino acid called L-histidine. Together, these two amino acids make up carnosine, a molecule that’s highly concentrated in your brain and muscle tissue. Carnosine helps regulate the acidity of your muscles, which is really important during exercise, because the more a muscle contracts, the more acidic it becomes — leading to that familiar burning feeling you get during workouts. Basically, carnosine prolongs the physical capacity of your muscles. And without beta-alanine, you wouldn’t have carnosine. (As for why you should supplement with beta-alanine instead of carnosine, it’s because consumed carnosine will break back down into its individual components — beta-alanine and L-histidine — before recombining. It’s just really inefficient. Also, most people have ample free circulating L-histidine and don’t require supplementation). What the research says:
The caveat: Beta-alanine probably needs to be taken at high doses (four to six grams) for long periods of time (at least four weeks) to have a profound effect on fitness performance. Smarter Sweat Takeaways  Photo by Adam Nieścioruk on Unsplash Supplements are a tricky game. They can even be dangerous. It’s critical that you thoroughly research supplements you’re interested in taking. Make sure to analyze the ingredients label and look up any ingredients you’re not sure of. Search clinical databases for evidence that the ingredients in the product even work. Watch out for uber-high doses of ingredients that can be harmful, such as caffeine. Check for nutrient-drug interactions between supplement ingredients and any medications you take. If you have health conditions, ask your doctor before starting a supplement regimen. Finally, remember this: Supplements do not build strong and lean physiques. Proper nutrition and consistent, periodized training do. By Amanda CaprittoAmanda is the co-founder of Smarter Sweat. She's a certified personal trainer, health coach, and functional fitness coach. She also owns another business, where she writes about all things fitness, nutrition, travel and lifestyle. Did you like this post? Read more like it:
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About Smarter SweatSmarter Sweat is a fitness company built from the ground up by fitness experts Amanda Capritto and Ashley Phantz. Amanda and Ashley are both dead-set on cutting through the clutter of the fitness industry and providing raw, real, utterly honest information about fitness and wellness. Archives
February 2021
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