Weight Training Supplements: Which to Use and The Ones to Avoid

 Weight training supplements are a hot commodity these days. Not only that, but big business as well. Just walk into any health food store and you’ll see what I mean. The problem is in which ones to choose. The slick marketing campaigns associated with these weight training supplements blur the real question, which ones work and which do not? This article will attempt to answer this question by breaking it down to which ones should be used for preteens and which ones can be used by 15 year-olds and up.

 Weight Training Supplements for Preteens

 To start off, weight-training supplements are rarely necessary for preteens due to the fact that secondary sex characteristics haven’t developed yet. Hence, the body isn’t producing testosterone at this point. In this case, eating a well balanced diet, supplementing with a multivitamin and mineral, and antioxidants, will bring good, solid results until puberty kicks in and testosterone production is in full swing. A protein powder may be added as well if the need arises. The lineup is as follows:

· Balanced diet

· Multivitamins and minerals

· Antioxidants such as garlic, vitamin C, vitamin E, and Omega-3 fatty acids

· Protein powders (If needed)

 These supplements will not replace a good meal, but will add nutrients to the body needed for weight training. The antioxidants will help eliminate free-radicals produced as a byproduct of exercise. In choosing a protein supplement, be sure it is as pure as possible. Some of the most popular are the “whey” proteins.

Teenagers 15 and Over

In addition to the above-mentioned supplements, teens 15 and older can add meal replacement products, mass gainers (if needed) and creatine monohydrate to their arsenal.

Meal Replacement Products

Meal replacement products have several advantages such as they:

• Contain all nutrients needed for growth
• Can be consumed quickly
• Can be added “between meals” for added nutrition

Mass Gainers

Mass gainers (weight gain powders) are good weight training supplements for the “hard gainers” needing extra calories. Just remember that these differ from protein powders and contain extra carbohydrates and calories for added weight gain. If you gain weight easily, these should be avoided because they will cause excess fat to form.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate (CM) is one of the most popular products on the market for building muscle mass in the shortest amount of time. This is because of the way it is metabolized in the body. It provides quicker recovery time for workouts, draws water into the muscle, thereby making them appear larger, and has no discernable side effects.

On the flip side of the CM coin are those that express concern over its usage. According to some experts, there’s really not enough research to substantiate CMs popularity. These same experts say that CM may cause long-term liver and kidney damage and that there needs to be some type of Federal approval on it before it’s accepted. So, just a word of caution here, CM can be useful for weight training, but may come with some risk.

Now that we’ve covered the “good” supplements, I want to talk a little about the ones that are not so good. These include anabolic steroids, pro-hormones (both of which are illegal), testosterone boosters, protein bars, fat burners, Nitric Oxide pump-type sprays, and fad supplementation.

Anabolic Steroids

Please listen when I say that taking anabolic steroids is BAD! Not only are you sacrificing your body for the sake of short-term gains, the long-term indications are even worse. First off steroids are not even supplements. They are male HORMONES produced in the body after puberty. Taking exogenous testosterone can cause heart disease and cancers. Liver damage is another short-term side effect of steroid use, especially through the oral route. And again, these are ILLEGAL! There is no use for steroids in weight training and the temptation to use them should be met with a resounding NO!

Pro-Hormones

“Prohormones are precursors to parent hormones such as testosterone, nor-testosterone, nandrolone. These hormones are converted to parent hormones via liver enzymes. The dione prohormones use 17beta hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase for conversion. The diol prohormones use 3beta hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase for conversion” (Muscle Building.com, n.d.)

The six pro-hormones available today are illegal in the United States. They were banned back in 2005. This was a good thing because people were taking them and trashing their livers along with other adverse side effects. So, again just say NO to pro-hormones.

Testosterone Boosters (Tribulis Terrestris)

 Teen weight lifters do not need weight training supplements such as “testosterone boosters”. The production of testosterone during adolescence is sufficient for muscle development at this developmental stage. Testostertone boosters are available for older weight trainers that may experience a decrease in this hormone due to the aging process.

Protein Bars

Protein bars should be avoided for teens because most contain a large amount of sugar. This is where the bars differ from the protein powders. If you need to eat one, limit it to once a day and make use of the meal replacement products for quick fixes.

Fat Burners

Another weight training supplement to avoid are the so-called “fat burners”. These are nothing more than thinly veiled caffeine pills. Caffeine is not a bad thing, but too much can be detrimental to your health and well being. Just be sure to read the product label on anything you are unsure of.

Nitric Oxide – “Pump Sprays”

These pump sprays are widely used for “pre-workout” prep and most of them also contain caffeine in sufficient quantities.

Fad Supplements

Stay away from the weight training supplements that make wild claims of incredible gains. Most of these are scams! If they delivered as they promised, I can almost guarantee a federal investigation. The thing is, these products are considered “health food” and are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). So, they can claim anything and not have to answer to any governing body.

To recap, weight-training supplements will not replace a well-balanced diet. They only add to or supplement nutrition that may be missing. When in doubt about what age you should start using weight training supplements, read the manufacturers recommendations on the product labels. Most of these will tell you not to be used by persons under a certain age. When in doubt, ask an expert. (One of the best resources for information is the one working behind the counter at your local health food store). Eat a good diet, don’t skip meals, use weight-training supplements as aids in nutrition, and you will be well on your way to achieving your weight training goals.

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