Are The Supplements You're Taking A Waste Of Money?

Written by Katherine Crawford M.S.

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:14

by KatherineCrawford,M.S.

Who wouldn't want to take a pill and watch fat magically come off or the muscle magically appear? The supplement industry knows we all want a quick fix and because of this there are way too many ineffective supplements on the market.

But how can you tell what works and what doesn't work? How do you avoid spending hard earned money on concoctions that don't work?

To save you some headache, here are some supplements that are a potential waste of money:

1. NO increasers: NO, or nitric oxide, is a gas that increases the elasticity of your blood vessels. And Arginine is touted as a potent NO booster. It's also touted as a growth hormone potentiator. In reality, Arginine will NOT significantly increase muscle mass or growth hormone output.

2. Carnitine: In the mitochondria of your cells, carnitine transports fat cells to be oxidized. Taking supplemental carnitine, however, will not significantly increase the amount of fat your body burns. You are far better off spending your money on wholesome foods.

3. Cell hydrators: Cells grow whenever they are hydrated. And creatine is a cell hydrator and volumizer. Creatine, however, does not work as good as the supplement companies claim. It does have an effect on your body, but don't expect massive gains here.

4. Testosterone boosters: ZMA is the main supplement in this category. The problem with this supplement is that you can't simply take a pill and watch your hormone levels elevate, the body is too smart for that. Once hormones go up, your body will naturally bring them right back down.

5. Casein protein: Compared to other protein powders, casein is a good choice because it digests at a much slower rate. And just like carbohydrates, your body does better with slower digesting sources of protein. This supplement, however, has been overhyped. You are far better off eating a solid source of protein with lots of vegetables.

The fitness industry is not going to stop promoting supplements. The key here is to not be hypnotized by the marketing and to stick to the facts. In the end, you are far better off spending your money on high quality food.

About the Author:

Get free advice on the top exercises for flabby arms specifically for women immediately by going to Katherine Crawford's M.S. website Sleeveless in 7. And discover how to get toned and thin arms ASAP by visiting her blog about how to get rid of unsightly arm flab that wiggles right now!

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