To Supplement or Not

Do you think fitness and/or health care professionals should recommend supplements?

I don’t think fitness and health care professionals should be recommending supplements of any kind unless they are qualified to do so, for example, if they hold a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s certification and/or license to prescribe individual diet plans based on their client’s goals.

With recommending pro hormone supplements, here is my opinion on that as well. 

I do not think hormone supplements such as testosterone, and fitness professionals of any level or discipline should not recommend some of those other banned substances because they are considered illegal to use in most states in the union 

 You are putting yourself at risk legally if someone takes these supplements based your recommendation. I have seen and heard of the many pro hormone supplements that advertise and market their product as ergogenic aids to dupe the consumer along with celebrity endorsements to further validate their claim.

 I believe with a sound diet and fitness plan you can attain the same benefits as the pro hormone supplements without the adverse effects. The process for practicing this methodology is slow but healthier and maximizes the benefits of your hard training and diet adherence.

 

The supplement question that I receive a lot is regarding the differences between whey and soy protein and their effectiveness in increasing lean muscle mass. 

The debate regarding whether whey or soy protein is better for non athletes and athletes for building lean muscle mass can be simplified to knowing that according to current research it was hypothesized that whey protein would be more effective compared to soy protein during resistance training. It was also hypothesized that protein supplementation, independent of source, would be more effective than resistance training alone. (Burke, et al, )

Also results across studies suggest that consuming additional dietary protein during resistance training, independent of source, may be responsible for the greater increase in lean tissue mass.

It was speculated that whey protein would lead to superior gains over soy protein. However, their findings did not support this hypothesis. One possible explanation for the lack of greater gains in the whey protein group was the duration of the resistance-training program. (Burke, et al) 

On a general note, the most asked question concerning protein supplementation is how much to take once you decide what type and brand one chooses.

According to my research findings, future studies will need to determine precise recommendations, current research indicates that as long as energy intake is adequate a daily protein intake of 1.2–1.4 g/d for individuals participating in regular en- durance exercise and 1.6 –1.8 g/kg for their counterparts involved in strength exercise should be sufficient and based on this finding, the client has to figure in their chosen protein supplementation with this formula along with the dietary protein he should be ingesting on a daily basis.(Lemon,2000)

Burke, N., C., Burke, D., G., Candow, D. G., & Palmer-Smith, T. (2006). Effects of Whey and Soy Protein Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training in Young Adults. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 16, 233-244

Lemon, P., W.R. . (2000). Beyond the Zone: Protein Needs of Active Individuals [Journal]. Journal of American College  of Nutrition Vol.19.