I
don't know how many times in my life I've said the words,
"a supplement is the extra, it is never going to be
a solution." Regardless of the number, I know I haven't
said it often enough to stop people from asking me the "which
supplement" question..
The ads are out of control.
If the ads were really based on truth, supplements would
increase the size of women's breasts, turn undersized men
into prospective porn kings, melt fat, dissolve cellulite,
and even reward the hopelessly dull with magnetic personalities.
They'll turn sexual duds into great lovers, they'll turn
weaklings into strongmen, and they'll even give you and
your loved ones the bodies of the Hollywood stars.
If
supplements worked as promised, men would be combing the
streets like cavemen looking to fulfill their "desires,"
and our society would be filled, not with overfat underfit
working men and women, but with superheroes enjoying the
rewards of their "revolutionary formulas."
What's New in
Supplement Land?
Ephedrine's been "pulled"
from the shelves. Sort of. While retailers and fitness outlets
were told to stop selling ephedrine products (after a 90-day
period in which they were allowed to crank ephedrine sales
to the max), you can still walk into any pharmacy and buy
Primatene tablets, 12.5 mg of ephedrine hydrochloride, over
the counter without anyone batting an eye.
The supplement companies have
rallied after their massive "last chance" campaigns
by creating ephedrine-free formulas, most of which have
replaced ephedrine with synephrine. Some companies have
gone a step further and clumped together every legal stimulant
they can find. By mixing yohimbe, l-tyrosine, mega-doses
of caffeine, and some less popular herbs such as wormwood
and prickly ash (hey, I didn't name them, I'm just reporting),
they've created new "proprietary blends." Because
these herbs aren't "popular" in sports nutrition
products, they just blend into the list of long named compounds
we've never heard of. Most people won't bother to look up
the side effects of herbs such as wormwood. If they did
they might find brain damage, psychosis, and irreversible
damage to the central nervous system.
The government is becoming very
actively involved in "cracking down" on supplements.
It's absurd. Steroids
run rampant, you can buy any drug on the internet, and Tommy
Thompson (who happened to knock off a few pounds by dieting)
decides he's going to stop the uncontrolled distribution
of androstenedione. This is the compound that Mark McGwire
was rumored to have been using years ago. It's such old
news a crackdown today just adds to the absurdity of the
situation and further illustrates the impotence of the government
in controlling drugs, supplements, or anything else that
finds its way through black and gray markets. While I'm
not a fan of random use of any hormonal manipulators, I
certainly think education should come way before a "crackdown."
The
FTC does manage to shut down a handful of those marketers
who go overboard with dubious claims. Thankfully they squashed
the absurd marketing of the "Skinny Pill," a diuretic
aimed at kids, and "The Greatest Vitamin in the World,"
a load of bunk put out by Don Lapre, the "pitch man"
who neglects to tell his audience of his mulitiple bankruptcies
when he pitches his "make lots of money" programs
on infomercials.
Yes, the land of supplements
is a massive maze and although new products arrive almost
weekly, I'm clutching tight to my affirmations that we don't
"need" supplements, and no supplement, in and
of itself, will do very much of anything good.
To begin dissecting the maze,
I'll divide supplements into three groups.
1. The worthless
2. The micro
3. The macro
The worthless are those
that may use some sort of plant compound mixed with unfounded
hype to promise miraculous results from the ingestion of
whatever sea-organism or south american spore can be purchased
inexpensively and disguised as miraculous. Seaweed is sold
as a cellulite cure, plant spores promise to cure cancer,
and leaves of some South American trees promise to restore
hormone levels in testosterone starved men. Some of the
"worthless" might also fall into the category
of dangerous. As an example, the "seaweed" products
are high in iodine which can adversely affect thyroid levels
and herbs that constrict the blood vessels can contribute
to risk of a cardiac incident.
The micro are the vital
micronutrients that can play a role when mixed into an overall
nutritional regimen, and most of which can be found in food.
Many of these are overhyped via overblown claims. Prior
to the FTC putting a stop to it, you might have witnessed
as an example, Bob Barefoot promising that "coral calcium"
cured everything short of bad breath, and no doubt if he
thought of it, it would've cleared up halitosis as well.
Are there micronutrients that
in supplemental form can help people maintain health, optimize
fat metabolism, and help the body function more efficiently?
Absolutely, but it's important to note they play into a
very large picture. Some of the compounds I've mentioned
as having legitimate consideration as supplements for those
seeking fat loss are Acetyl L-Carnitine, Calcium, and Alpha
Lipoic Acid. Some that can play a role in muscle development
are creatine and L-glutamine. I want you, however, to recognize
that while these nutrients have value, supplemental use
without a concern for training and eating will have virtually
no discernible effect. Even if you do train and eat right,
the contribution of independent "micro" supplements
will be minimal at best. Are there isoflavones, antioxidants,
and polyphenols that can help to ward off cancer? Research
indicates that there are, but that doesn't mean we've found
a cure. It might more importantly indicate that eating a
wide variety of natural foods including fresh produce might
offer far more long term protection than any tablet or capsule.
When it comes to identifying
the "micro" supplements, the challenge, for most
people, is two fold.
1. Most people have difficulty
distinguising advertising from science, research from
hype
2. It's difficult to discern
how much of these nutrients are being ingested through
food, and whether supplementation would prove efficacious
or wasteful
I entered the supplement business
almost accidentally, and with no intention of ever going
into the commercial marketplace with complete product lines.
When I started learning of the deceptive advertising, the
fraudulent product labeling, and the misrepresentations
being made in the field of sports nutrition, I decided the
only way I was going to feel comfortable endorsing a nutritional
product was to create my own, and I decided it's best to
focus on the third group . . . The MACRO!
Macronutrition is made up of
those nutrients that have calories, nutrients that can serve
either as building blocks for new tissue or can meet metabolic
energy needs as caloric fuel. Proteins, Carbohydrates, and
Fats. As I came to better understand the nutritional challenges
most people were facing in trying to acquire lean, fit,
bodies, I realized they were looking for the "micro-solutions"
to MACRO shortcomings.
If you've ever heard me suggest
any supplements as being valuable, you've heard me refer
firstly to the valuable oils that are rich in the Omega
6's and Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids. Essential fats are
components of food, and even in supplemental form, fat is
a "macro" nutrient. Secondly, you've heard me
suggest that the category of supplements that have the most
real world value are the nutrient formulas, the meal replacements
. . . the "macro" nutrients!
If you've been with me for any
period of time, or you've attended any of my seminars, you
know how vital I feel it is to eat frequently if the goal
is a lean, toned, healthy body. If you've ever tried to
eat six meals a day, unless you're living a burden free
life, you no doubt found it difficult. That's why in the
realm of supplementation, if we're going to "fill in
the gaps" in our nutritional programs, the primary
concern must be the MACRO!
The
first product I developed was my EAT!
formula. After having lab assays done on some of the
best selling meal replacement formulas, I was dismayed by
the discrepencies between the label claims and the actual
contents. I decided I would create a formula that would
serve my clients for those times a meal was not accessible
or convenient. I worked hard for over a year to create the
optimal formula and then spent several months trying to
perfect the taste. EAT! has evolved since then, and although
I never expected it to become a major player in the supplement
field, I am pleasantly shocked by the volume of EAT! we
sell. It reinforced my belief that if you present quality
with customers' best interests in mind, the customers remain
loyal. EAT! combined the MACRO and the full array of the
"micro" to offer a real-world supportive alternative
that for most of my clients solved the "how can I eat
this often" dilemma.
What does EAT! contain? What
any good meal replacement formula should contain. A significant
serving of protein, a slow release carbohydrate, and a complete
mix of those micronutrients that act as players in the metabolic
symphony. Since it's specifically for individuals who exercise,
it also includes additional L-glutamine for muscle preservation
and, based on consistently impressive research, some added
phosphatidylserine (PS), which together with calcium and
Vitamin C, can work to control potentially negative cortisol
eruptions (no, that doesn't mean you should run out and
buy a bottle of PS - it's a tiny player in a complex puzzle).
I should also mention, EAT! is of course free from simple
sugars.
With EAT!
as the mainstay, I next developed some specialty products,
all purely "benefit" driven. Rather than confusing
people with the "micro" and attempting to sell
through pseudoscientific double talk, I decided to create
three new products:
GROW
- for those seeking muscle growth
GROW! is essentially the
EAT! formula plus more. It has creatine monohydrate
added and some additional L-glutamine. It does contain
some simple sugar, just enough to fuel intense training
and enhance the delivery of creatine monohydrate into
muscle tissue.
BURN
- for those with fat loss as a primary goal
BURN! is a protein formula
with very low carb content. It's ideal for those "protein
days" that I strategically integrate into my programs
to kick up fat release. Caffeine, for those who are
not slaves to Starbuck's, actually does have the ability
to amplify fat release a bit, so BURN! has a moderate
dose of caffeine, and of course, the same vitamin-mineral
mix as EAT!
RELOAD
- a recovery formula to optimize performance
I share this with you to point
out that when people are trying to buy "supplements"
to achieve some result, when they're counting on the worthless
and the micro to bring salvation, they're setting
themselves up for certain disappointment. Years ago, when
a woman came into my office for a consultation and removed
from her purse a wild assortment of pills and capsules,
I told her that she might try eating food instead of attempting
to build it. In essence, hoping micronutrients will "work"
is the same as hoping molecular bits of food will act as
the foods themselves. I believe "supportive supplementation"
is very much the same as "supportive eating."
It's about getting the right mix of nutrients into your
body to optimize metabolism and performance. As a result,
I did, in putting together my formulas, "build food,"
or at least a replacement for it.
Do you need to buy my products
to succeed with your fitness goals? Of course not! You don't
"need" any supplements at all. If in reading this
article you come to better understand how to "shop"
for supplements, and you locate items in the local health
food stores that meet your needs, they can certainly fit
into your overall nutritional strategy assuming you understand
their true value and protect yourself from believing unfounded
hype.
For those who may have interest
in trying my products, I do have a very special offer which
I'll reveal after a few more thoughts related to my product
line.
Although I was initially hesitant
to venture into supplement land, it's been a rewarding journey
for me. I just get frustrated when people seem to only focus
on tiny pieces of the puzzle and expect that I'll reveal
the "miracle compound." The miracle compound isn't
likely to arrive, but again . . . there's no need for a
miracle if you'll just mix common sense with legitimate
science.
I studied the research and created
what I believe are the best goal-specific products on the
market. I could never sell these through regular channels,
as the quality of ingredients I use prevent me from selling
to a wholesaler who will then sell to a distributor who
will ultimately sell to a retailer and onward to the consumer.
In order to sell in the maintstream, you're forced to cut
costs just to be a player. Because I supply product directly
to the consumer, I can use the precise nutrients at the
precise dosages I feel would be most valuable without worrying
about "mark up ratios."
In addition to being goal specific,
all four of my formulas, EAT!, GROW!, BURN, and RELOAD!
fit into the regimen of anyone following TRANSFORM!
EAT! serves as the standard
meal replacement
GROW! is ideal for the
Strength & Growth Phase
BURN! is the perfect
protein supplement for the Fat Liberation Phase
RELOAD! is perfect for
refueling after any intense workout
Now, I'm thrilled to announce
I have standardized all of our formulas in 2-pound containers.
We will not have GROW!, BURN!, or RELOAD, back in stock
until mid-April, but I'm offering a first-time-ever special.
Each of the products will have a $39.99 price tag. If you
order any four containers (in any combination) you can pay
for only three! In other words, if you order EAT! and/or
pre-order GROW!, BURN!, or RELOAD! now, and are willing
to wait until April for delivery, you can order four containers
for the price of three! That's any four 2-pound containers
in any combination for only $119.97!
To take advantage
of this offer, click here
or call Holly at 1 800 552-1998
RELATED ARTICLES:
Supplements That Really
Play a Role in Fat Burning
Ephedrine
Synephrine
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