Does everyone on here HATE supplements???

notsorrymrsjackson

everyone just says they are only good for taking your money if someone asks about them..

Escape_Artist

I don't hate supplements. I just think they are unnecessary.
They are a waste of money when you think about it. There are very little supps that you cant already ffind in your day to day foods

evileen99

That's going to depend on what type of "supplement." The ones that say they'll boost your metabolism and burn fat? Absolute crap. Vitamin D supplement for a deficiency? A-OK

jim180155

"Supplements" is a big word.

If you mean protein powders, I don't hate them. I have a protein smoothie most every morning, and I usually eat a protein bar in the afternoon.

If you mean vitamins, I wouldn't waste my money. Although they can be good for people with special needs, research has shown that they are of no benefit to most people and in some cases can cause harm.

If you mean meal replacements, yech! I'd rather eat food.

If you mean some highly marketed "wonder sauce" like Beach Body products, then again, I'd save my money.


Note: I'm probably forgetting a few good examples, but my point is, it all depends on what you mean by "supplements."

Forty6and2

You'll notice that most supplements are meant to be paired with calorie restriction and exercise, which is why they work. They work because you are creating a calorie deficit, thus losing weight. As for appetite suppressants, they are making you feel less hungry which creates a calorie deficit, but they're not long-term solutions.

Forty6and2

Also, some of them can be quite dangerous. I have read several horror stories about people landing in the hospital due to supplements, even ones prescribed by doctors.

vismal

everyone just says they are only good for taking your money if someone asks about them..

I would agree most supplements are garbage. That being said there are some of value. Protein supplementation is useful for people who struggle to meet their daily protein goals. Whey protein is also dollar for gram one of the cheapest options of obtaining protein. While protein powders are no better then whole food, they offer convenience that whole food does not. I can't very well keep a chicken breast in my work bag if I need a quick snack when I have no time to eat a full meal.

Creatine monohydrate has been studied exhaustively for a few decades now and their is peer reviewed research supporting it's benefits.

Most Americans do not intake the recommended amount of omega 3 fatty acids so supplementation is a good idea for some. Same with vitamin D. While the supplementation of a multivitamin lacks definitive research towards health benefits, they are reasonably inexpensive so one could argue taking one "just in case" to prevent vitamin/mineral deficiency.

All told creatine, a multi vitamin, additional vitamin D, and fish oil could be obtained for under 15 dollars a month. None of those supplements come with too good to be true claims either. There is plenty of expensive snake oil available on the market today. Know that if a supplement existed that would cause dramatic fat loss, or muscle gain with little to no side effects it would be almost certainly be purchased by a major pharmaceutical company and turned into the next billion dollar drug. Any time something sounds too good to be true, you can rest assure that it most certainly is!

Linnaea27

I don't hate them. I use various supplements when I feel I need them-- just not the fad diet weight loss kind. I take vitamins and minerals and herbs if I feel I need to. For example, I take calcium for part of each month because it reduces the severity of my PMS; I take vitamin D in winter because it helps me not be depressed; I take magnesium from time to time because a naturopath friend told me I needed to-- I had symptoms of magnesium deficiency. Plus it helps my digestive system function properly.

I did take CLA for a while, taken in by the claims of belly fat reduction. It didn't seem to do anything. I also tried Garcinia, since when I started losing weight I was super hungry all the time-- I wanted an appetite suppressant. It didn't work either, big surprise.

So it depends what they are and if it's something you aren't getting from your food, or if it's for treatment of some health issue.