Supplments in general

lesleyloo7879

I have not read any debates about probiotics, cleanses and supplements. I know there is no quick fix that is not the question. How do you feel about them? Can they help your body at all or is it all a scam? If you do use any have you noticed any effects?

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Certain supplements, like protein powders, fish oil capsules, or vitamin D tablets can help people get enough of a nutrient in which they may be deficient.

Other supplements aren't really beneficial, but cause no real harm. The one that comes to mind here is Vitamin C for immunity. People take large amounts during cold/flu season thinking that it will "strengthen their immune system." It doesn't really do that;however, your kidneys for the most part filters out the excess and you pee out what you don't need. It's not really harmful unless it's an insanely large amount.

There are some other supplements that are harmful, in my opinion. There are herbal supplements that are not regulated and that can be harmful in certain dosages or have drug interactions. There are also supplements sold by MLM companies that make wild, sweeping claims of curing certain diseases, or having magical weight loss properties, or claiming to "detox the body of toxins." All of the supplements falling under these two categories can be harmful to both the mind and the body.

lesleyloo7879

I have also seen some that are all natural metabolism booster ect ect. I go in and look but never have bought any cause I no idea if the stuff would even work. Magical weight loss properties ...lol It is right up there with my six year old unicorn named Sparky.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

lesleysmith7879 wrote: »

I have also seen some that are all natural metabolism booster ect ect. I go in and look but never have bought any cause I no idea if the stuff would even work. Magical weight loss properties ...lol It is right up there with my six year old unicorn named Sparky.

Anything that claims to "boost your metabolism" is a scam. Many of the supps that make those types of claims either contain caffeine (which will provide some energy and has a negligible and temporary effect on metabolism, but a cup of coffee works just fine) or contain some stupid ingredient that has been disproven, such as garcinia cambogia or raspberry ketones.

Mycophilia

Greatest source on supplements, period.

senecarr

lesleysmith7879 wrote: »

I have also seen some that are all natural metabolism booster ect ect. I go in and look but never have bought any cause I no idea if the stuff would even work. Magical weight loss properties ...lol It is right up there with my six year old unicorn named Sparky.

Metabolism and immune boosters both have in common that the worst thing they could do is actually do what they claim. Metabolism and immunity are both complex systems that would lead to serious health issues if ramped up.
Luckily the biggest effect of most things claiming to boost either is usually just cash loss.

RoxieDawn

OP there is actually a debate or two in this forum "Nutrition Debate) about probiotics, etc..

I personally do supplement to help me along in life. No probiotics though. I used amino acids, protein powder, daily vitamins, oh my dose of caffeine a day.

Anything marked "metabolism boosting", cleansing, weight loss jump start/kick start, etc... I stay clear of. I only supplement where I fall short, for example my protein needs for my current goals..

lemurcat12

Mycophilia wrote: »

Greatest source on supplements, period.

Agreed.

It's not possible to debate "supplements." Some have quite strong evidence for their benefits, some are less certain, but there may be reason to try them for certain purposes, others are scams.

hko718

Vitamins, protein (if needed to meet protein goal), 5g creatine a day crew.

jmt08c

I rely heavily on pre workouts to get me through my after work gym sessions which usually run 1.5-2 hours. Also use creatine mixed with whey isolate for post workout, but that's it. I think aminos for intra-workout are beneficial but too costly in the long term if your diet is on track.

rhtexasgal

As someone with ulcerative colitis in remission, I still have autoimmune issues and always will. I have to supplement certain things because my body cannot always absorb enough through the food I eat. I have spent too much money with repetitive bloodwork to figure out WHAT I have to supplement with.

And then, there is the research into the supplements themselves. For the longest time, I did not know that regular vitamin D is much different from vitamin D3. I also did not know until after some research that in order for my body to best absorb my vitamin D3 supplement (which the body can absorb better), it is best paired with vitamin K2 ... so I found a supplement that has both. After 3 months of supplementing with this, my blood markers for vitamin D went up to normal range.

There is also a difference between folic acid and folate. They are supposed to be the same supplement but folic acid is a synthetic form often added to foods while folate is naturally from food. So I take the folate supplement over the folic acid. However, after research, I determined that vitamin C helps the folate absorb better ... you see where this is going.

I have files I have saved at home from medical journals and peer-reviewed articles from some major universities that uphold this info and I often have to refer to it when I get my latest bloodwork in. All of this is to say that each person is different due to lifestyle and health. It is important not to blindly purchase vitamins and other supplements just because it is the latest thing. If you are putting it in your body, research it until you feel comfortable that it might be the right thing for you.

And you guys are right about those metabolism products ... they are crap! And don't get me started on those touted colon cleanses. If someone wants a "clean" colon, they can go buy a few bottles of magnesium citrate off the shelf at pharmacies. It's the same kind of stuff doctors prescribe as colonoscopy prep. That will guarantee a good cleanse and some alone time on the porcelain throne.

jgnatca

senecarr wrote: »

Metabolism and immune boosters both have in common that the worst thing they could do is actually do what they claim. Metabolism and immunity are both complex systems that would lead to serious health issues if ramped up.

Dad and I had a good talk about this recently. Dad pointed out that an over-enthusiastic immune system is part of his disease (COPD). The buildup of mucus obstructs his airways.

@lesleysmith7879 I steer clear of anything claiming to provide "energy" or a "boost". I translate that claim to mean either "caffeine" or "speed", both of which have their own side effects.

Cleanses. Pah. Snake oil.

More "supplements" with ambiguous health claims; echanacea, garcinia cambogia, melatonin and glucosamine.

As for the rest of the supplements, I am taking a few due to the results of my own blood-work. But that would be highly individual. I advise everyone in the northern hemisphere to take Vitamin D, and young women to take Folic Acid (to prevent a certain kind of birth defect).

AnvilHead

A couple good article about cleanses/detoxes from scientific/evidence-based sources:

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-detox-scam-how-to-spot-it-and-how-to-avoid-it/

https://sciencebasedpharmacy.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/the-detox-delusion/

singingflutelady

@jgnatca autoimmune disorders are also caused by overactive immune system that think various body tissues are foreign invaders and attack/damage your body.

tomteboda

senecarr wrote: »

Metabolism and immune boosters both have in common that the worst thing they could do is actually do what they claim. Metabolism and immunity are both complex systems that would lead to serious health issues if ramped up.
Luckily the biggest effect of most things claiming to boost either is usually just cash loss.

As someone with systemic lupus erythmatosis (SLE, aka lupus) I have to agree. The very last thing people want is a hyperactive immune system. Right now I'm resting after only 1.5 hours of activity because my immune system is beating up on my heart. Honestly, when your immune system goes all HULK SMASH it's a real pain.

singingflutelady

tomteboda wrote: »

senecarr wrote: »

Metabolism and immune boosters both have in common that the worst thing they could do is actually do what they claim. Metabolism and immunity are both complex systems that would lead to serious health issues if ramped up.
Luckily the biggest effect of most things claiming to boost either is usually just cash loss.

As someone with systemic lupus erythmatosis (SLE, aka lupus) I have to agree. The very last thing people want is a hyperactive immune system. Right now I'm resting after only 1.5 hours of activity because my immune system is beating up on my heart. Honestly, when your immune system goes all HULK SMASH it's a real pain.

@tomteboda tell me about it! The only reason I am functioning at all (but still have fatigue, pain, etc) is being immunosuppressed through a biologic I get every 6 weeks via iv and azathioprine which is an organ anti rejection drug. My entire GI system are my immune system's victim of choice as I have Crohn's but the whole body is effected. Gotta love autoimmune diseases!

ReaderGirl3

lesleyloo7879 wrote: »

I have not read any debates about probiotics, cleanses and supplements. I know there is no quick fix that is not the question. How do you feel about them? Can they help your body at all or is it all a scam? If you do use any have you noticed any effects?

I don't use anything, except for a D3 supplement, because I'm deficient (per blood test results), and my doctor told me to take it. I was taking fish oil, but my doctor told me to stop. I've heard good things about probiotics, but I've never taken them because I'm in good health and don't need to fix anything.

speerickson

Probiotics help, I see a direct correlation between when I take probiotics and how my food digests. Detox supplements I would say are a scam, but they won't necessarily harm you, the same goes for many other supplements as well. A lot of it comes down to how much you're willing to spend and if you think they will help or not. I am a firm believer in whey isolate, preworkout, aminos/bcaas, and a few others.

CipherZero

I always start from the premise on a supplement that it's worthless unless and until I can find significant studies that can show otherwise.

All supplements I take are for a very specific purpose:

• Fish oil, for the autoimmune disease I have;
• D3 because it's still winter where I am
• Multivitamin because SWMBO gives me crap otherwise
• Creatine monohydrate 5g for weight lifting (stopped this because reasons)
• Psyllium powder if my fiber is low for the day

The rest of them? Screw it.

applsz76

Check www.consumerlab.com. They scientifically test certain supplements. And it is true science, not sponsored meatheads in a lab coat creating the data to support claims. Since the FDA has no hand in supplements, there are many false labels, claims, and worthless products. Food should ALWAYS be your first choice and the supplement on if needed. Vitamin D3 is poorly absorbed in supplement form. There's a little amount in foods and the sun is our major source. Cleansing products are just hype. Eat a well balanced whole food diet rich in nutrients and fiber, ensure you drink plenty of water, ad exercise. That will do the cleansing your body needs. The PH debate is hillarious, we need to alkalinize our bodies due to all of the acidic toxins we eat. An altered PH level in your body can land you in the hospital with serious consequences, If you were acidic, you would certainly know it!

ninerbuff

90% of the supplements on the market are uneeded if one's diet is well balanced. The supplement business is strong because of people who get talked into buying them by some fitness magazine or unreliable source for info.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition