Today's USA Today had a front page article that cited research in both the US and South Korea that determined "Craze", a workout supplement has meth-like compounds in it. The article went on further to stated that another supplement from a different company had similiar chemical compounds and those were identical to powder seized in a drug bust earlier this year. In the drug bust, the chemicals were potent enough to be classified as synthetic "designer" drugs and again compared to meth!
Remember when I wrote on eating foods as close to how God made them as possible? Supplements are not regulated or controlled-whether in their development, their manufacturing or in their advertising. I learned this lesson the hard way-I took a pre-workout supplement for about 3 months during my tour in Iraq. I felt great on it-could increase my poundages each work-out, mix and match strength workouts with Crossfit and sports, and was putting on muscle mass in my early 40s like I hadn't in years. Well, my bubble was burst while on leave in San Diego and getting a blood draw for some other medicines. My liver function numbers were super-elevated and there was no other likely cause. Whatever was in this product was killing my liver. While the enzyme numbers came down, it took almost twice as long as I had been on the supplement for them to return to my normal numbers (Below average BTW, so we knew something was way wrong when they spiked).
So what's the point? Be very cautious if taking supplements at all, and don't believe any advertisement-most bodybuilding and many fitness magazines are owned by supplement companies! Eat whole foods primarily and in variety, lift hard, laugh often, and love.
Oh yeah, and get "under the bar" instead of hanging out in bars! Squats, military presses and barbell rows tomorrow-can't wait.
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