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Omari McEachirn
Professor Douglas
UWRT 1101
16 November 2015
Use of Supplements
The use of supplements is one of the most controversial things to exist. A supplement has
a very simple definitionsomething that completes or enhances something else when added to
it. But this definition alone creates a slippery slope. In order to justify the use of supplements, we
must first find out what types of supplements there are and what purpose does it serve.
Dietary supplements are additives that are intended for indigestion that can also add to
the nutritional value to a diet. A dietary supplement may contain a vitamin, a mineral and/or a
botanical (What is a Dietary Supplement? Web.) These are very popular around the globe. Some
examples of dietary supplements are Nature Made Vitamins, Muscle Milk protein powder and
iron tablets. As do everything in this world that we as humans use, side effects may be expected,
such as dizziness, drowsiness and possible death.
These are the types of supplements that people are generally acceptable about. Although
supplements can somewhat be avoided, these types of supplements are design to only enhance
your standard way of living. These can also aid people who are incapable of producing certain
vitamins. For example, vegan vegetarians tend to have low levels of iron. They tend to take an
iron tablet in order to maintain a healthy iron level.
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Anabolic steroids can also be another form of supplements. An anabolic steroid is a
synthetic steroid hormone that acts like testosterone and promotes growth of the musculoskeletal
system. These supplements are used to treat weight loss for those who arent capable of gaining
weight. Also, this is done by athletes and non-athletes who are trying to get their physical
appearance in shape as well as their performance. Anabolic steroids are popular in males,
especially teenagers (The Use And Abuse Of Anabolic Steroids in Men. Web)
This supplement is frowned upon and banned from all sports because they consider this
to be an inhumane use of the supplement. For example, body builders can illegally get access to
steroids in order to make their muscles get bigger and to progress faster than others who are
trying to build muscle the correct way. Basically, its considered cheating.
The problem with supplements is that some people who use them dont necessarily need
to use them. For example, I use to use laxatives in order to use the bathroom when I didnt even
need it. Now, I have become dependent on laxatives in order to use the bathroom. Also, steroids
can become an addictive thing and cause people to face possible death. An article written by coauthors Arvind and Sonia Malik stated that The abuse of all types of supplements to improve
sport performance and physical fitness has spread to regularly gym users.
The most appealing supplements are those that claim to help build muscle, improve
endurance and reduce body fat.(British Journal Of Sports Medicine 1). Also this is a concern
because there is a risk of contamination or adulteration. The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health
and Education Act requires manufacturers and distributors to evaluate and confirm the safety of
their products, but the FDA does not approve DS for safety before they are marketed (Military
Medicine 737).
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A possible way to fix this problem is to basically wipe out the production of harmful
supplements. This would lead to the assurance of natural occurring and organic ingredients in the
products made. Living a raw life would be an optimal lifestyle for everybody. With that being
said, when people hear the words natural and organic, people tend to think its going to be
more expensive. That isnt always the case. There are plenty of organic products sold in stores
that arent breaking your pocket. Although something may cost more than another product, you
will be paying for quality, not quantity. A problem with this solution is what is necessarily a
harmful supplement? Something may cause harm (allergic reactions, side effects, etc.) to one
person while it may cause no harm to another person. So that would be hard to eliminate any
supplements at this moment. In the future, I believe pharmacist will be able to create a
supplement for everyone to be able to take and not have any side effects or complications or new
technology that will make the use of supplements obsolete. Of course, that would lead to perfect
health but it wont necessarily lead to immortality.
Another way of solving this issue is to avoid supplements by all means. Unless you arent
able to produce certain hormones or vitamins in your body and its a life threatening situation,
stay away from them! Also do your research on the products you purchase. Some questions you
may ask while doing your research is How is this product benefiting me? Does this product
use natural and/or organic material? Is the distributing company reputable/credible? This
will not only inform you on what you are consuming, but will also eliminate unnecessary
spending. The problem with this is that people have their own opinions. Some people may
believe they must live and die by supplements while others can live without it.
Supplements at the end of the day have me on the fence. I firmly believe that people who
absolute need supplements in order should use them. With moderation, anabolic steroids could
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lose its bad reputation. The main goal for people is to be informed! Some people are just trying
stuff out without doing their research. Know what you are getting yourself into before you
actually do it. But of course, people will still do what they want to do. A wise woman named
Shameless Maya said three powerful words that I live by everydaydo you boo.
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Works Cited
"Dietary Supplements: MedlinePlus." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library
of Medicine. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Jones, Donnamaria R., Korey B. Kasper, and Patricia A. Deuster. "Third-Party Evaluation: A
Review Of Dietary Supplements Dispensed By Military Treatment Facilities From 2007 To
2011." Military Medicine 180.7 (2015): 737-741. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Malik, Arvind, and Sonia Malik. "Prevalence Of Nutritional Supplements In Gyms." British
Journal Of Sports Medicine 44.S1 (2010): i44. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
"U.S. Food and Drug Administration." What Is a Dietary Supplement? U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, 8 June 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Zaccardi, Nick. "The Use And Abuse Of Anabolic Steroids in Men." The Use And Abuse Of
Anabolic Steroids in Men. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
