The purpose of supplementation is to compensate for any dietary or nutritional shortcomings in an individual’s normal daily eating routine.

One of the most commonly asked questions by individuals who are embarking on a weight gain or body building programme is; –

What supplements do I need?

The question they should really be asking is; –

Do I need supplements?

To answer this question effectively we must first clarify the purpose of supplementation.

The purpose of supplementation is to compensate for any dietary or nutritional shortcomings in an individual’s normal daily eating routine.

This means that the requirement for dietary supplementation is as individual as each person and the balance and quality of their respective diet.
With this in mind I have listed some of the more widely accepted advantages and dis- advantages of supplementation.

ADVANTAGES

CONVENIENCE

Allows for a large calorie intake without the associated bulk from foods containing a high proportion of fibre or fat.

PSYCHOSOMATIC

Quite literally the mind body link. There is much research into the positive effective of belief. In short if you are taking something that you believe will make you bigger, stronger, faster and more energised then it is most certainly possible that you will elicit a positive benefit from it.

ERGOGENICS

These are supplements that enhance physical performance. They can, as indicated above provide a psychological improvement to performance but more importantly there are a number of tried and tested products on the market that have proven to enhance an individual’s performance or response to training. These range in nature from the carbohydrate drinks and bars that are quite readily available in your local supermarket through to more specialised products like Creatine and Glutamine.

OPTIMUM NUTRITION

With more and more publicity being given over to the negative effects of today’s methods of processing foods. More recently with the concerns expressed about genetically modified food products it is more important than ever before to ensure that we are obtaining all the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients required for optimal health. Some supplements are able to provide this in a convenient and cost effective manner.

DISADVANTAGES

COST

A large proportion of the supplements available today are very well marketed and extremely overpriced. Anything obtained in supplement form to improve health or performance can be obtained through a well balanced diet at a fraction of the cost.

SUBSTITUTION

One of the major problems with supplementation is that it quite often leads to substitution and as a result of this a deficiency in many important nutrients and micro -nutrients.

Related Blog Articles:
Know Your Supplements – Creatine.
Know Your Supplements – Protein.
Know Your Supplements – Glutamine.