Newington, CT’s Top Personal Trainer Answers the Supplement Question
Dan F. one of Newington Connecticut’s top Personal Trainers answering the supplement question you’ve always wanted to know! What exactly is in this powder I am taking? The answer?….”I Don’t Know!” This answer isn’t to be coy, or cute, it is the sad truth about our industry. We really don’t know what is going into that magic elixir you swear by. The reason for that is… SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT, and I repeat ARE NOT regulated by any officiating body. So what this means, is that unlike food or prescription drugs, supplement manufacturers can literally write whatever they want that label!
As Newington CT’s Personal Trainer I can explain what most supplements are supposed to do…
…I can’t guarantee that you are actually getting the supplement that is listed on the label. Because supplements fall into a proverbial grey area, there is no telling what you are actually consuming! Scary huh? Even more…. What about supplements that are FDA approved? Well the only time the FDA steps in and approves a supplement is when that supplement has had enough complaints, that they decide they need to step in and test it. So, while the FDA will approve that, that supplement won’t kill you, there were still enough complaints about that supplement that they had to step in to test it! “Well, I buy my supplements at whole foods, stop and shop, or CVS; so it has to be safe! Surely these big box stores would never sell anything harmful.” WRONG! These stores are in the business of selling products and they sell whatever will make them money. Do they have some unspoken moral responsibility to your well being? I’m sure you’d like to think so, but the only thing they answer to is the almighty Dollar! They are technically not doing anything wrong by selling unchecked supplements. They are perfectly legal!
If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Newington, CT that knows supplements, look no further!
Now I know, supplements can be expensive. And the 50lb bag of protein that is being sold for $10 looks really appetizing to the wallet. But have you ever stopped to ask, “Why is an unregulated product being sold for so cheap?” The simple answer is…. IT IS NOT REGULATED!!!! Meaning that what is on the label is not in the bag itself. They can fill that 50lb bag up with tons of extremely inexpensive filler and sell it for a super low price and let it fly off the shelves!
So, right now you probably think that all supplements are horrible. That is not the case! While there are NO MAGIC PILLS, supplements are great and will absolutely supplement your progress; assuming you are actually consuming that supplement. Well, what are you supposed to do if you can’t trust GNC or the Grocery Store? You do research! You want to look for a product that is 3rd party tested to evaluate and confirm that what is listed on the label is actually in the product! It would also help to find a product that has already been approved by some of the Major Sports Testing Committees out there. If you can find a product that is approved for NCAA, World Anti-Doping, and International Olympic Committee, then you can be sure that the product is safe and effective. And if you ever have any questions feel free to ask a top Newington CT’s Personal Trainer about your supplement choices, and always ask if they are 3rd party tested, and what organizations have approved them! If they can’t answer that question, then the supplement may not be the best!
Daniel Fischman is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and head Personal Trainer at Horizon Personal Training Centers of Newington CT. He has over 10 years experience training everyone from athletes to general population. He specializes in injury prevention and pre/post rehab modalities as well as tactical strength and conditioning. whatever your goal is Dan has the safest, most effective, and most efficient answer for you! Personal Trainer serving West Hartford CT & surrounding towns.
