Disillusionment w/ Supplement Industry

[bruce_leet19]

I had a conversatiopn w/ a friend of mine who knows nothing about health/fitness/bodybuilding. It is seriosuly frightening how little people who don't pay attention to health know about being healthy.

We got on the topic of building muscle and i told him it all comes down tto diet and training. SO he asks me "Why do oyu havea cabinet full of bottles then?" (I have a ton of like half empty everything, from NO2, no xplode, various creatines, gakic, various test boosters, some PHs/aas, blah blah blah)

I stopped fora sec and said "Man, 95% of it is all bull****". Ive been thinking about that for a while now.

PHs/AAS, and o, say creatine, aside - it really is all so much crap! People say it alot around here, training and making gains all comes down to discipline in how you train and how you eat.

It's fun to look at supplements and read their tantalizing claims! Oh how GREAT it would be to get that AWESOME pump fomr this new NO product! or get 10% stronger on one dose of GAKIC! Why you might even say it sounds too good to be true!!!!... damn straight. All these supps get wrapped up in a pretty little bow and marketed to people who are looking for a damn PILL to make you bigger and stronger.

I work ina supp store. Every day some guy will come in and say hes been working out for 2 years, and he hasnt gotten bigger in a year. I ask "Well how much are you eating?" They say "Nah i dont have time to eat. Which of these products (pointing at T-Bomb 2 and Pump-Tech) is going to make me bigger??" I just feel like slapping him right then and there - but no - instead i slowly explain to him what the word "calorie" means.

I dunno, i know some companies are trying to put out quality products that will help peole attain their fitness goals, but really, anyone can attain any goal with proper food and training. thats my opinion.

[bruce_leet19]

second page no replies.

so no one agrees? disagrees?

[misterwaterfall]

Yea its true, but if you think about it, most people dont know about supps because they dont matter to them. The guy that came into your store wanting to get bigger and not eat just doesnt know much about the sport, or probably anything at all for that matter.

[KD1]

Yeah PHs and Protein is about all that works for me. Well NO gives me 'on-cycle' pumps which is kinda cool. Pre-workout stims like Amp+Heat give me great workouts.

[bruce_leet19]

it seems like it's such a 'smoke and mirrors' industry, i dont know why but it is really starting to piss me off >

probably cause ive been suckered in so many times! :P Guess this just shows that i've learned my lesson.

[T h E o R e M]

the fiztogen strap is a perfect example of the lengths they goto for a quick buck, and these items are produced only because theres always been a demand for a quick fix. whether its dietary suppliments or something else...we the consumers must be more intelligent sometimes, all it takes is small amount of will to learn better

[FreakFactor]

Three rules to have good results from supplements:

1. Have reasonable expectations.
2. Diet and training are dialed in.
3. Read user reviews on these forums and gain some knowledge about the product.

[dwm230000]

Three rules to have good results from supplements:

1. Have reasonable expectations.
2. Diet and training are dialed in.
3. Read user reviews on these forums and gain some knowledge about the product.

Good post. I think many people would be better served to research what is on the label of a product prior to purchasing. Learn how the ingredients work and what doses of each would be needed to be effective. It would stop a lot of unnecessary purchases. I wish people would get out of the "you need to try it to knock it" mentality. That is really unnecessary in most cases.

[Lonny]

Some supplements make training easier and/or enjoyable. I don't consider most fat burner stuff crap as some of it is really good, and has its place and purpose.

[Atlanta Muscle]

You're right. (still taking my fish oil and green tea extract)

- it really is all so much crap! People say it alot around here, training and making gains all comes down to discipline in how you train and how you eat.

[Skigazzi]

A lot of supplements are based on perceived affect, like NO products, they give a physical response that makes you think its making you bigger, so people buy it...test booster with stimulants in it, make it feel like its working so people buy it..etc etc...we (board members) are probably the smartest consumers there are and know better...if everyone knew better the industry would be cleaned up fast, or only innovative people would succeed.

Protein, Creatine, EFAs, vitamins, antioxidants, and if you wanna go there, PHs, these all work, and nothing else is needed.. (Ive never used a fat loss supp so I can't intelligently comment on them).

[Oak the Toke]

hmmm.......while I very much agree with what you said.........

I have a ton of like half empty everything..................................some PHs/aas, blah blah blah

why do you have half empty bottles of PHs, and AAS. Your only 21 and shouldn't have any of these half empty in your cabinet, which implies that you possibly used them when you were even younger.

you're kinda contradicting your own point and making yourself look like either a hypocrit or an idiot. sorry, my man. not trying to pick a fight or insult, just thought it seemed kinda ironic.

anyways, i'm sure you get hooked up like mad with stuff at the store you work at.

take care,
oak

[olava]

he gets free stuff cause he works in a supp store. Maybe that's why he has all the bottles?

[bruce_leet19]

yeah, people return stuff, we have to 'throw them out'...so... yea i get stuff.

almost 22, ive done one ergomax cycle. at least i waited till i was 21 like a good little boy ;p went fine, i had all my ancilleries (sp) probably wont do any again, having shrunken balls at the end of cycle was, ermm, i dunno - creepy.

[UnionHooligan]

yeah, people return stuff, we have to 'throw them out'...so... yea i get stuff.

almost 22, ive done one ergomax cycle. at least i waited till i was 21 like a good little boy ;p went fine, i had all my ancilleries (sp) probably wont do any again, having shrunken balls at the end of cycle was, ermm, i dunno - creepy.

That's how i feel after my Superdrol cycle the strength gain i got was great but i don't know if it if worth the Elevated B/P and shurnken package. Haveing no desire for sex the last week was freaky. The last week on cycle and first week after my soilder would not salute. It was kinda scarey to be honest. I knew that was a possible side but until it happens you don't really know it will bother you as much as it does.

[UnionHooligan]

Also while you are on cycle it goes by so quick a week feels like a day but on PCT a day feels like a week. It feels as if time is standing still and you will never get back to normal. I also was a lil whiney the first 3-4 days off. You realize it and try to control it so no one else will notice it.

[eazy_mas]

I had a conversatiopn w/ a friend of mine who knows nothing about health/fitness/bodybuilding. It is seriosuly frightening how little people who don't pay attention to health know about being healthy.

We got on the topic of building muscle and i told him it all comes down tto diet and training. SO he asks me "Why do oyu havea cabinet full of bottles then?" (I have a ton of like half empty everything, from NO2, no xplode, various creatines, gakic, various test boosters, some PHs/aas, blah blah blah)

I stopped fora sec and said "Man, 95% of it is all bull****". Ive been thinking about that for a while now.

PHs/AAS, and o, say creatine, aside - it really is all so much crap! People say it alot around here, training and making gains all comes down to discipline in how you train and how you eat.

It's fun to look at supplements and read their tantalizing claims! Oh how GREAT it would be to get that AWESOME pump fomr this new NO product! or get 10% stronger on one dose of GAKIC! Why you might even say it sounds too good to be true!!!!... damn straight. All these supps get wrapped up in a pretty little bow and marketed to people who are looking for a damn PILL to make you bigger and stronger.

I work ina supp store. Every day some guy will come in and say hes been working out for 2 years, and he hasnt gotten bigger in a year. I ask "Well how much are you eating?" They say "Nah i dont have time to eat. Which of these products (pointing at T-Bomb 2 and Pump-Tech) is going to make me bigger??" I just feel like slapping him right then and there - but no - instead i slowly explain to him what the word "calorie" means.

I dunno, i know some companies are trying to put out quality products that will help peole attain their fitness goals, but really, anyone can attain any goal with proper food and training. thats my opinion.

i agree with you

but it is better to take the natural thing that supplement IMO

[uhockey]

Three rules to have good results from supplements:

1. Have reasonable expectations.
2. Diet and training are dialed in.
3. Read user reviews on these forums and gain some knowledge about the product.

Good post. I think many people would be better served to research what is on the label of a product prior to purchasing. Learn how the ingredients work and what doses of each would be needed to be effective. It would stop a lot of unnecessary purchases. I wish people would get out of the "you need to try it to knock it" mentality. That is really unnecessary in most cases.

Some supplements make training easier and/or enjoyable. I don't consider most fat burner stuff crap as some of it is really good, and has its place and purpose.

A lot of supplements are based on perceived affect, like NO products, they give a physical response that makes you think its making you bigger, so people buy it...test booster with stimulants in it, make it feel like its working so people buy it..etc etc...we (board members) are probably the smartest consumers there are and know better...if everyone knew better the industry would be cleaned up fast, or only innovative people would succeed.

Protein, Creatine, EFAs, vitamins, antioxidants, and if you wanna go there, PHs, these all work, and nothing else is needed.. (Ive never used a fat loss supp so I can't intelligently comment on them).

All true.

Nothing is a magic bullet, but some products definitely assist one in attaining their goals. Some people are not genetically blessed......for thes people, assistance may not be mandatory, but it's helpful.

[AsiaRugmuncher]

I had a conversatiopn w/ a friend of mine who knows nothing about health/fitness/bodybuilding. It is seriosuly frightening how little people who don't pay attention to health know about being healthy.

We got on the topic of building muscle and i told him it all comes down tto diet and training. SO he asks me "Why do oyu havea cabinet full of bottles then?" (I have a ton of like half empty everything, from NO2, no xplode, various creatines, gakic, various test boosters, some PHs/aas, blah blah blah)

I stopped fora sec and said "Man, 95% of it is all bull****". Ive been thinking about that for a while now.

PHs/AAS, and o, say creatine, aside - it really is all so much crap! People say it alot around here, training and making gains all comes down to discipline in how you train and how you eat.

It's fun to look at supplements and read their tantalizing claims! Oh how GREAT it would be to get that AWESOME pump fomr this new NO product! or get 10% stronger on one dose of GAKIC! Why you might even say it sounds too good to be true!!!!... damn straight. All these supps get wrapped up in a pretty little bow and marketed to people who are looking for a damn PILL to make you bigger and stronger.

I work ina supp store. Every day some guy will come in and say hes been working out for 2 years, and he hasnt gotten bigger in a year. I ask "Well how much are you eating?" They say "Nah i dont have time to eat. Which of these products (pointing at T-Bomb 2 and Pump-Tech) is going to make me bigger??" I just feel like slapping him right then and there - but no - instead i slowly explain to him what the word "calorie" means.

I dunno, i know some companies are trying to put out quality products that will help peole attain their fitness goals, but really, anyone can attain any goal with proper food and training. thats my opinion.

This is true. I was training/taking supps and was like wtf im not gaiing weight etc etc... Then i studied personal training and learnt lots. I work in a hospital and now have proper meals same time every day and proper training (big compound exercises) and soon enuff BAM, weight/size came with it.

People are now asking me "what do you take what do you take" i just say EAT and 9 times outta 10 they say "oh, i dont have time" or "i just cant eat that much" so i just say "dont complain then"

[eeson]

Yeah I'll agree on this one. Only thing I rely on these days is r-ALA, but I'm insulin resistant so it actually does something for me. It's more of a medical use than anything though as I'm actually 'deficient' in something in a way...

Other supps can make workouts more enjoyable. I guess if you're enjoying the workout u can push yourself harder and then get some results that way.

At the end of the day though the only thing that is gonna put mass on your body is food.

[ericpeavey]

You're right. (still taking my fish oil and green tea extract)

IMO the only supps that work are:

creatine mono
protein (duh)
green tea/egcg
fish/flax
sesamin/cla

and of coarse X factor

[v4lu3s]

I think there is a reason why they call them "supplements"

they are there to supplement a good diet and good training regimen.
For most people if they were able to eat and lift right they would feel pretty happy with what they can achieve, adding the extra little kick that some supps offer is just a bit of icing if they help...or a way to empty your pocket if they don't.

[KSB3203]

I agree. Im fairly new to training. The first couple of months I though I will just buy a supplement and train and it will do all the work. Well a year and some cash later I finally starting reading the forums. At the begining of the year I switched back to Fish Oil, Mono, multi and protein and got my diet in check. I have lost 12lbs and strength has gone up. I was one of the uniformed people hoping there was a magic pill up until I started reading and got interested. All the claims you read sound awsome but you have to know that they are not going to put on 30lbs in a month.

[Carlito1980]

I totally agree nutrition and training are the key.Some supplements do actually work and will help add or lose lbs.But only to a certain point.Most guys in the gym ask"what are you taking?"That to me is an insult because they expect to hear about some pill that will instantly build muscle.They go to the gym 3 times a week do only the "fun"exercises"in a half-ass manner,maybe talk to thier buddies for 5 minutes between sets,go to MC D's afterwards ,supersize thier fries to get thier calories,take the weekends off for BBQ 's and beer chugging.Then when they make thier comeback to the gym ,lash out at those who have been busting ass in the trenches,by claiming "this guys is on steroids!""I've been working out too ,how come i'm not growing like you?"

[Pieterdb]

I totally agree nutrition and training are the key.Some supplements do actually work and will help add or lose lbs.But only to a certain point.Most guys in the gym ask"what are you taking?"That to me is an insult because they expect to hear about some pill that will instantly build muscle.They go to the gym 3 times a week do only the "fun"exercises"in a half-ass manner,maybe talk to thier buddies for 5 minutes between sets,go to MC D's afterwards ,supersize thier fries to get thier calories,take the weekends off for BBQ 's and beer chugging.Then when they make thier comeback to the gym ,lash out at those who have been busting ass in the trenches,by claiming "this guys is on steroids!""I've been working out too ,how come i'm not growing like you?"

Damn that must be so frustrating :/