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Sports supplements, or ergogenic aids, are
dietary products taken by people looking to improve their
sports performance. Supplements are of varying types. They
can be synthetic, or natural herbs. Sports supplements can
usually be bought over the counter and through the Internet.
Sports supplements can be used for building muscle, losing
weight, building stamina and increasing strength.
Sports supplements are often perceived to be a quick fix
or easier means to achieve desired outcomes. I personally
use a combination of food based vitamins, minerals and glyconutrients
along with organic, home-grown garden foods.Athletes often
use supplements to get fit after an injury. But are sports
supplements all good, carrying no draw backs or side effects?
The answer is probably no. People who use supplements tend
to have mood swings, high blood pressure, heart disease, urinary
and bowl problems, blood clots, sleep disorders and there
is an increased possibility of cancer in the later stages
of life. People injecting steroids in a group environment
and sharing the same needle run the risk of catching diseases
like HIV or hepatitis.
So this begs the question of why sports supplements are not
regulated. Well, they are, but in this age you can buy them
from countries in which there are no such regulations. You
often hear of customs officials catching people importing
supplements that are not otherwise available or only available
by prescription.
Major sport supplements can be broken down into the following
categories: Protein powder mixes; Anabolic steroids; Human
growth hormones; Fat burners; Creatine; and Androstenedione.
Protein powders are in my oppinion the safest. These are
quite popular for delicious shake mixes that allow an athlete
to increase their daily protein intake, which is good for
the body since muscles are made up of protein. This can be
very nice for vegetarian athletes that are looking to get
the right amount of protein into their diet. I am not a vegetarian,
but I still enjoy a scoop of protein mix in the morning. If
you are already eating plenty of protein, like tuna sandwhiches
or egg for breakfast, then this might not be necessary for
you.
Anabolic steroids are hormones that help stimulate body muscle
growth resulting in bigger and stronger muscles. Steroids
are usually compared with male testosterone, which is produced
naturally in males and in a smaller quantity in females.
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