Do Supplements Really Work?

In the vast majority of cases, athletes don't need supplements. This is because the intensity with which the exercise is performed and the weight they manage to lift is enough to exercise the muscles the way they want.

Firstly, we must know that ergogenic aids, that is, those supplements to improve sports performance, don’t help us if we don’t exercise constantly and with planned goals. Our muscles need stimuli to strengthen, just by using a simple supplement we won’t get anything.

A very important factor is the diet, good nutrition with a physical activity that’s performed constantly. This will provide us with all of the natural supplements we need.

Now, there are special cases such as people who train every day with too much intensity or simply those athletes who compete at a professional level. These people also need a balanced diet, with food supplements to complement it.

How to know if supplements really work?

The purpose of supplements is to improve the performance of those who exercise. This improvement may consist of optimizing the practice of the sport itself, or in improving the recovery times and processes of the body so that the next day we can get back on top again.

However, there are many differences between brands of products of this type that say that food supplements work perfectly and those that actually do work. Here, we’ll show you how to choose between them.

Firstly, don’t believe everything on the labels. There are many supplements that work legally, while others promise impossible results, such as incredible muscles in less than a month of treatment.

For this reason, you should always contact a good nutritionist to advise you on this. They know better than anyone the scientific evidence behind food supplements. This is very important because the scientific evidence does not ensure the standard of the product, but it ensures the operation in most cases.

There is also the option of products without scientific evidence, and these are usually products that are close to achieving scientific evidence. They could also be products that work from the placebo effect. That is because you think they work, you start to see more results.

You have to be very careful with these products. They may contain illegal substances that lead to the elimination of a competition, or substances that may put your health at risk.

Different types of scientific evidence

There are different types of scientific evidence for food supplements, which are classified mainly in the following four groups:

• Group one: these are products with evidence that has been agreed by the scientific community. There are not too many products in this group, which is surprising given the supply of supplements on the market, which may vary depending on the organization that publishes it.
• Group two: studies have been conducted on its possible efficacy, but they are not sufficient to achieve scientific evidence.
• Group three: are those that have limited efficacy in some studies, or that simply do not have efficacy. It’s better not to take supplements of this type.
• Group four: these are prohibited substances. Either because they put the consumer’s health at risk, or because they test positive for anti-drug control.

In conclusion, there are nutritional supplements that work correctly and have been proven by the scientific community. However, with proper diet and constant training, they aren’t necessary to strengthen your muscles.