Friday Tri: Supplements

I don’t believe in supplements. I don’t take vitamins. After several years of continuing improvement as an athlete, I feel like I can say confidently for myself that I don't need any and that claims about their efficacy are vastly overstated and mostly just to get people to spend money. I know there are a lot of athletes out there who disagree with me, but I see so many supplements being hyped by athletes who, as far as I can tell, do it because they need the sponsorship money. I feel bad, but it also makes me a little angry. I see people who believe the advertisement and think that spending money on a supplement will make them go faster. It won't, much.

Mostly, if you want to go faster, you should train harder and eat better. Proper scientific studies don’t show benefits to sports supplements except for the basics like Gatorade and possibly (as new evidence comes in) a combination of carbs and protein while working out in a form similar to chocolate milk. I do not see any proof that Electroylytes are needed, either, even in extreme circumstances like 50 mile races, which I have done. I used to use them, but don't bother anymore. I'm not convinced Gatorade needs salt in it, either. It's just convenient for me and I don't see any harm in salt (which is a whole nother rant about Americans being told they eat too much salt--some Americans are sensitive to it in blood pressure, many are not, and then there are those of us with low blood pressure who need MORE salt.)

I do drink Gatorade if I'm going to be working out for more than an hour or so. (I think the idea of G2 or whatever is just plain silly. Either you need extra calories while working out or you should just have water, but if you like the taste, go ahead. I suppose it won't hurt, though I personally think artificial sweeteners are the devil.) The scientific studies I have seen seem to bear out the idea that if you want to perform well (like in a race, or to get a PR), a sweet drink in your mouth will increase your brain's ability to force you to go faster. Strangely enough, this is not true with an artificially sweetened drink. Your brain is smart enough to tell the difference. In the study I read, if people put a sweetened drink into their mouth and spit it out, the brain was fooled, however, and tended to force the body to put out as much energy as if you swallowed the drink. Those who had artificially sweetened drinks did not show any improvement over water.

I also eat sports gels, though I don't often eat sports bar anymore. They seem to require too much energy for digestion unless you are going to be going at a walking pace for a long time. But I never EVER drink Gatorade or gels or bars when I am not working out. They are not real food. You will always be better off eating real food than fake food, unless it's going to make you throw up (which it can for a long workout for me, or when I am really ill). Don't tell me you can't figure out how to pack some portable good food, either, unless you have a serious problem with chewing and swallowing. I keep a pack of nuts in my purse at all times for emergencies, and if you know you're going to need to eat, throw a banana or an apple into your bag--they are the ultimate portable snacks and require no work at all.

I sometimes take in a protein drink, but only if I've been working out for 4 or more hours and really feel like I won't get in enough protein to build up my muscles. I say this as a vegetarian who would prefer to be vegan. A lot of days, the only protein I get is in the form of green veggies, beans, nuts, and soy milk or tofu. I don't normally worry about not getting enough protein, except in really extreme circumstances. In general Americans get WAY TOO MUCH PROTEIN. If you are a regular American meat-eater, you do not need to add extra protein to your diet in almost any circumstance (I can't think of any off the top of my head, but I will try to remain open-minded on this). A protein drink for breakfast isn't healthier than some carbs for breakfast. Our country has this bizarre obsession with extreme diets. Carbs are not bad for you. Carbs are your main source of fuel as an athlete and a regular human. Sugar is not really bad for you, either. Neither is fat. Just get a good balance of all of them and you will be fine. I suppose if you want to argue about fats, you will convince me that olive oil is better than Crisco, but you do need fat in your diet to feel full and to properly digest some foods.

I think that eating well is the way to make sure your body gets the nutrition it needs.  When people tell me they want to lose weight, I often find myself giving them the bizarre advice (they think) that they should concentrate more on making sure they get enough of the good stuff (10 fruit and vegetable servings a day) than on not eating the bad stuff. Wouldn't you feel a whole lot better if you spent every day reminding yourself that you NEED to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of--don't eat that chocolate cake? The biggest problem I see with supplements in general is that people seem to use them as an excuse to eat crappy food the rest of the day. Don’t use vitamins as an excuse in your mind for you not to eat well. Just because you are taking a pill does not mean that you can forego your healthy vegetables, fruits, and fats.