Supplements popular among students
Jessica True
People may be ignoring messages from their own bodies. The media is filled with advertisements for diet and workout supplements. Dr. Maureen Zimmerman, Registered Dietitian and part of the nutrition faculty of Mesa Community College says, “Weight loss is tricky for both men and women. The brain-belly communication system is complex and it is near impossible to outsmart.”
” The body is designed for life and it will do everything possible to get you to eat. Due to these strong messages, most people eventually capitulate and eat. This is why most diets fail,” Zimmerman said.
“The body then has a clever way to get you to eat more to compensate for what you did not eat while dieting,” Zimmerman said.
There are many kinds of work-out supplements ranging from fluid replacement supplements to fat burners, muscle enhancers, and energy enhancers.
“Nutritional supplements do not go through the rigorous approval process that pharmaceutical drugs are subject to, so athletes need to be aware that they may be taking a supplement that has not been thoroughly assessed for safety or efficiency,” Zimmerman said.
Some supplements interact with other medications such as prescription and over the counter drugs. Some have even been found to contain banned substances.
“I encourage athletes to use real food to enhance their performance. Recovery drinks can be made at home, very inexpensively and they will help athletes to replete glycogen better than any supplement.”
Zimmerman encourages students to take a sports nutrition class in order to become more educated with nutrition in general.
“Students should take a sports nutrition class, FON 210 which MCC’s offers, to learn how to apply nutrition science to practical eating.”
“You should certainly know what you are doing if you are going to experiment with supplements. Some supplements have no efficiency at all and are a waste of financial resources,” Zimmerman said.
Dr. Jeff Messer of the department of exercise science believes if done correctly dieting can be effective.
“Dieting can be dangerous, however, a dietary intervention properly designed and diligently followed could be a very effective component of a broader approach to systematic weight management.
