A lot of people fail to recognize that the billion dollar supplement industry is not regulated by the same standards as ordinary food and drugs that we consume on a daily basis.
While conventional foods must go through a regulated process before hitting the shelves, the Food & Drug Administration doesn't ensure the potency, purity or biologic activity of the ingredients in dietary supplements.
So what is the difference between what the FDA deems a drug and a supplement? Drugs are considered unsafe until proven safe. Supplements are considered safe until proven unsafe. The FDA is not responsible for the safety of supplements, the companies that produce them are.
The question then becomes, do you want to pay to be a part of some supplement company's research project?
Recently, an American soldier suffered cardiac arrest and died after taking the energy boosting workout supplement Jack3d made by USPlabs. Jack3d (pronounced Jacked) contains 1.3 dimethylamylamine (DMAA), an ingredient that causes a rise in blood pressure which can lead to cardiovascular problems such as a heart attack. The US Military has banned Jack3d from all of its bases. The FDA is currently working to remove these products from the market as well.
This is why eating whole foods is the most appropriate method of fulfilling daily nutritional needs. Although some supplements can be used to fill deficiencies in our diets (which is why they're called SUPPLEMENTS!), athletes need to be extremely careful about using products such as Jack3d. If the claim on the package is too good to be true, it probably is! Or, there is an adverse side effect to them. Parents, beware of what your kid is ingesting and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me for more information!
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