5 Supplements That Are A Waste Of Your Hard Earned Money

Keep in mind that none of my views are scientific fact.  And I also feel that science can back pretty much anything if enough money is thrown at it.  Here are 5 supplements that “may” have had promise but just don’t work! Save your money!

1. 1. CLA

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), is a naturally occurring free fatty acid found mainly in meat and dairy products, in small amounts.

The Skinny on CLA:

CLA Claims that it can help with building muscle & losing fat.  The main purpose of this product is for fat loss. For CLA to work you would really need about 4-5 times the recommended dosage.  And along with that I just don’t think it is a great product.

Load up on EFA’s, (Omega 3,6,9 my fav is NutraSea Fish Oil).

2. Soy

Soy protein is a complete protein that ranks right up there with the best in the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). Soy protein is generally very low in or free of fat, cholesterol, and lactose.

Soy protein is approved for those who are lactose intolerant, and can be used as a meat substitute. Much more than just an ingredient for a protein shake, Soy protein can be used for cooking instead of flour, producing high protein foods that are extremely low in fat, a bodybuilder’s dream come true! Soy protein is derived exclusively from soy beans.

The Skinny On Soy :

It’s not that Soy is really that bad, it just isn’t very good!

Even though Soy sounds beneficial here are a few things to consider.

-It tastes like crap

-It is highly estrogenic (which means unless you want nice boobs don’t consume a lot of Soy).

-Did I mention it tastes like crap! (oh and generally mixes like crap).

Focus on getting your protein sources from Whey, Milk, Egg, Nuts, etc.  Leave Soy out of your list.

3. Carb & Fat Blockers

Carb blockers, also known as starch blockers, are generally composed mainly of bean and wheat germ extracts — particularly white kidney beans — that are said to inhibit a digestive enzyme that breaks down starchy carbohydrates, such as potatoes, bread and pasta. This supposedly prevents the carbs from being absorbed by the body; instead, they are said to pass through the digestive tract and be eliminated. Most pills claim to inhibit between 30 and 45 grams of carbs from being absorbed.

Fat blockers commonly contain chitosan, which is similar to dietary fiber, but is derived from the exoskeletons of shellfish. Like fiber, they pass through the digestive tract without being digested, but it also purportedly absorbs between 6 and 10 times its weight in fat along the way, all of which is then eliminated in the stool.
The Skinny on these products is that they DON’T WORK.  If  something blocks absorbtion of fat etc it will guaranteed to block other things that your body needs, ie NUTRIENTS.

Ditch this product.  If you have bought “Flush The Fat” I have some great swamp land in florda for you to buy!

4. Growth Hormone Boosters (GH)

Growth Hormone is the master hormone, because it is released by the master gland–the anterior pituitary gland. While GH is not necessary or critical to one’s survival, it seems to play an important evolutionary role in human development. During puberty, GH levels dictate a person’s height and bone size. After puberty, GH continues to regulate the body’s metabolism.
The Skinny on GH:

Here is the deal, for the most part GH is awesome.  Real GH. Not supplements that “may” increase GH.  I just haven’t seen any proof via customer reviews or personal use that these products work!

Now there are some that looks promising, notable Helix 24 from RivalUS.  And when I get more feedback I will be the first to post it up.

5. Generic Zinc & Magnesium

ZMA is a scientifically designed anabolic mineral formula.* It contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6, and is an all-natural product that clinical testing suggests may significantly increase anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength in trained athletes.*

The skinny on ZMA:

ZMA works.  I swear by it.  I sleep better, I wake up better.  How much does it contribute to testosterone I am not sure. But it does make me feel better!

I am not knocking ZMA, I am knocking GENERIC cheap Zinc & Magnesium products and here is why.

• Non-chelated forms are generally less bioavailable
• Most cheap Zinc/Magnesium products contain CALCIUM FILLER.  Calcium blocks the absorption of Zinc & Magnesium rendering your cheap ZMA to be useless ZMA

Go for quality.  I prefer Optimum Nutrition, PrimaForce.

Well there ya go.  There are a TON of supplements on the market.  Hopefully this will help you in your choice as to what is worth adding to your supplement stack.

Rob King

This entry was posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 11:28 am and is filed under Product Reviews, Supplements. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted by Rob King | in Product Reviews, Supplements | 5 Comments