Bigger-Stronger-Faster With Supplements?

-By Megan Eaton

Liverpool, NY. A growing trend towards bulking up faster and keeping energy levels high has some lead some teenage athletes to choose dietary supplements over healthy meals. In fact, one in five teenagers acknowledged use of some form of a supplement to get their daily protein and vitamins. "I was drinking five protein shakes a day," admitted Brian Clegg, varsity lacrosse player for the Liverpool Warriors.


INTENDED USE
But to have a protein shake in place of a well-balanced meal was not the supplement's original intended use."A dietary supplement is anything that augments a person's food intake-not in place of, but in addition to," according to Kevin Duerr, a dietary supplement consultant at the healthy foods store Naturetyme.

Athletes do need more protein than the average person. "They train two times a day, they have to recover from training sessions and in order to recover from the training sessions they have a greater requirement on vitamins and minerals, "according to Timothy Fairchild, a faculty member of the Syracuse University Exercise Science Department who specializes in energy metabolism. But the body can only use what it needs. Any unused or excess protein is converted to fat, not muscle.

THE DANGER ZONE
Too much protein could overwhelm and shut down a person's kidneys and liver, according to Dr. Robert Dracker. A pediatrician, Dracker said he has encouraged his patients to stick with a healthy diet to fulfill their body's needs. "I think natural products in their diet will probably be the safest approach and the most effective for their body," Dracker added.


Safer, because dietary supplements are not FDA regulated. That means some of their additives may be negative for the body. They can also be illegal for some athletic competitions. For example, one common additive in protein shakes is caffeine, according to Fairchild. College basketball’s NCAA regulations prohibit too much caffeine in the athlete's bodies prior to a game. So drinking a shake before a game to boost energy can keep a player on the bench for a season.

EASIER, BUT FASTER?
There is also no proof that supplements will induce faster body mass, according to Dr. Dracker. He said the only way to truly increase muscle is through a regular workout routine.

Young athletes might see supplements as their ticket to bigger, stronger, and faster results. But for now, the medical evidence has suggested otherwise.