Work Out Supplement Information

There's money to be made in the work out supplement market. It's a poor shopping center that can't afford at least two health and nutritional supplement stores! As master runners and consumers the question we have to ask ourselves is "Which supplements work?"

I've taken a lot of running supplements through the years but now I'm down to a few basics.

The key question we need to ask in terms of a work our supplement is "Does it work? What measurable or noticeable effect do these vitamins and dietary supplements have on my running activity - and life in general?"

Daily Multivitamin

Urban lifestyles and food store supply chain logistics mean that we are often dealing with "less than fresh" food - even if we make healthy dietary choices. Tomatoes that look good in the grocery store have to be picked before their prime so they can survive shipping.

A good choice for a multivitamin contains 100% of the recommended daily intake as established by the United State's Food and Drug Administration. For US residents, the FDA requires most multivitamins to meet pharmaceutical grade testing and standards. Other countries (like Canada) don't offer much legislative protection to vitamin and supplement consumers.

Your best protection is sourcing your multivitamins from a recognized brand or house brand. Jamieson Laboratories, a major vitamin and supplement manufacturer, does their own testing on the ingredients they sell.

Gary Leong owns Jamieson Laboratories. Mr. Leong has states that he values the integrity of his brand, quality of each vitamin ingredient, and overall product quality.

Buy from retailers that have a reputation for quality in the marketplace. Don't pay too little - you may be buying a 'counterfeit' or adulterated product!

Glucosamine and Chrondroitin

These are a key work out supplement helping to rebuild joint cartilage and reduce leg and joint pain. Studies have shown that glucosamine and chrondroitin work, and are effective for arthritis sufferers.

I'm not aware of any specific studies involving runners, but I know that glucosamine and chrondroitin have been effective in helping me to recover from running injuries and pain above the knee joint. Running friends have reported the same: for knee joint pain, the best relief they have found has been Glucosamine and Chrondroitin.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are key supplements used by many athletes and active people. Studies and personal experience have shown that these supplements are indeed effective for the maintenance of healthy joints.

Glucosamine and chrondroitin are expensive ingredients. Recent analysis of products supposedly containing these ingredients have found short-falls and even total absence of glucosamine and chrondroitin. Buying from a reputable source is your assurance of quality.

Vitamins C & E

Vitamin D

"A four-year clinical trial involving 1,200 women found those taking the vitamin had about a 60-per-cent reduction in cancer incidence, compared with those who didn't take it, a drop so large — twice the impact on cancer attributed to smoking — it almost looks like a typographical error." (Martin Mittelstaedt, Globe and Mail, April 28, 2007)

Vitamin D costs pennies per day, so it make sense to include it in our daily supplements.

Creatine

Other Choices in a Work out Supplement

Other supplements where research has not proven specific benefits include:

• Ginseng, thought to reduce muscle damage and inflammation.
• MSM, widely taken to reduce joint pain and inflammation and promote cartilage formation.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids to reduce post exercise muscle inflammation.
• Carnitine, which is supposed to enhance fat burning efficiency.

Summary

My regular supplements are a good multivitamin, vitamin D & C, and glucosamine with chrondroitin. The money saved on the exotic and expensive supplements goes to buying fresher foods and produce - still one of the best sources of nutrition!

That's your introduction to work out supplements! And don't forget...

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