The supplement industry is huge. It claims that it wants to help people like you and I reach our goals. While I believe some people in the supplement industry really do want to help us, I believe most of them are after our money and nothing else. That's why I started writing “The Average Guy's Supplement Guide” and will be releasing it in mid-December 2014. I want to educate people on what works and what does not work. Today I want to teach a little about supplements in general and the reason so many people take them.
Endorsements: The Psychology Used
The majority of the “muscle” magazines on the market are really just one giant advertisement disguised to look like a magazine. They show you a picture of some professional bodybuilder holding their supplement. They don't make any claims (most of the time) that the bodybuilder actually uses their supplement, but the suggestion is obvious from the fact that they are clearly endorsing the product by being in an advertisement for the product.
One of my favorite bodybuilders is Kai Greene. I have seen many advertisements where Kai is involved with Carnivore Protein. I will admit that I have looked up this protein and checked its price. I did this purely because Kai was in the advertisement. This approach by the supplement companies is powerful and psychological. Making me believe my “idol” is using their product can easily lead to sales.
Our Insecurities: Playing on Our Fears
The supplement companies know we want to add muscle and get lean. That's the goal for most people who train. As a result they play up the ability of their products to get us there. They show us some hot woman in a bikini who hasn't got an ounce of fat on her and we believe that their product can do that for us as well. We see the before and after pictures where the skinny guy has a ton of muscle and we believe that their product can do that for us. We buy into it because we are afraid of putting time in the gym and not getting the results we want.
Are They Worth the Money?
The key question for the average guy (or girl) is “Are supplements worth the money?” The answer is that most of them are not worth the money. A quick visit to Examine will show you that there are also dangers in taking supplements. Supplements taken together often render each other useless by battling for uptake. There have even been supplements that are to be taken in such small doses that it is difficult to measure a safe dose. The risks just are not worth it. Like anything else, it is better to stick to the basics. The basics, to me, are:
Protein supplements
BCAAs
Multi-vitamins
Fiber
Everything else should be looked on with skepticism. Yes, you can try things out (we love the idea of the Experiment of One), but do so with caution. Make sure your choices are educated ones. Don't take something just because you've heard it is great. Do your research.
Assistance With Supplements
“The Average Guy's Supplement Guide” is being released in mid-December 2014 and will be an amazing resource for you. It contains a list of many supplements, an explanation of what they are supposed to do and a description of whether or not they work. It also has interviews with some of the top fitness people in the world where they offer their take on supplements. It even includes interviews with some local level bodybuilders who tell you what they think about supplements. You are going to want to get your hands on one when it is released.
