For what it’s worth, I’m too much of a simpleton to use supplements.
For me they add too many variables to worry about like:
The quality of the ingredients. Supplement companies claim others use off the floor shavings. Is the product I’m using a high quality one or simply more expensive than the rest? Does the product use the specific type used in the study or an ineffective variation?
Forget quality! Do the products actually contain the amounts claimed on the label?
Am I using the latest protocol? Because expert X swears that any other protocol than his own is suboptimal and might actually be a waste of money.
If I’m not making any progress is it because of my training program, diet, or supplements?
Assuming you’re not bothered by any of the issues I just mentioned then more power to you. I figure that by ditching supplements (except for protein powder and fish oil) I’ve made my life easier. This way if I’m not making any progress my problem will have to be either with my training or diet.
Plus with the money I save I can buy myself extra tight $100 Affliction t-shirts and $300 True Religion jeans! kidding
Redgladiator…Your UK Biotest provider.
Seriously though, when I first started training, I was an absolute supplement whore. I was an advertisers dream. Now it’s just all about the basics and eating, sleeping, training… Repete as needed.
I don’t buy many supplements aside from protein powder. I did buy some NO Explode because I didn’t have much energy for my workouts. Part of me thinks “I need this stuff to get to the next level” and the other part of me says “ten years from now this stuff will all be deemed worthless and you wasted thousands of dollars, won’t I feel stupid”…
It will probably all come down to this: If it isn’t a supplement which is already made naturally in your body then it probably doesn’t work. Only time will tell:)
There is the placebo effect which is beneficial sometimes.
