By:  Tony Cates, CPT

Let me start off by stating that supplements should only be used once a sound, whole-foods diet has been established according to the individual’s metabolic type, and then maintained for a long enough period that it has become habitual. They should not be used as a crutch to poor eating or a ‘shortcut’ to improved results.

About two years ago I applied for a job at GNC to sell vitamins and supplements. I went in with the idea that I would be able to help advise people if they had questions on the products, as well as include nutrition and exercise tips if necessary. I was also expecting to be trained on all the products if I were to be hired. Through the process, I ended up being interviewed by four different people, at three different locations in the Madison, WI area. What I found out is that the employees are not trained on the actual products, but rather, trained on how to sell them and meet the numbers GNC is expecting. Two of the interviewers even said they liked their job because it essentially made them feel like doctors, being able to ‘prescribe’ different things to people. They also explained how there are certain products that earn the sales people extra commission; which is essentially how a product with a completely mediocre ingredient profile, such as USPlabs’ Jack3d, becomes one of the top-selling pre-workout supplements. GNC employees recommend the product due to the fact that they will earn more money off the sale and the customer thinks it is a good product because they feel something when they take it, regardless of whether or not it actually has beneficial muscle-building properties. Needless to say, I turned down the job simply because I could not stand to associate myself with them.

For the rest of this post I will include vitamin and supplement store employees, as well as any other people who think they know, and can recommend, “good” supplements. If you are like most people, and do not completely understand the ingredients in supplements and how to read the label, or even if you do understand most of it, pay attention.

Nearly anyone that recommends a supplement for you because it is “better” than other supplements of the same type, (i.e. pre-workout X is better than pre-workout Y, or protein A is better than protein B) has conclusively demonstrated that they know far less than they think they do, and that they do not deserve to share an opinion on the matter. Although the intentions may have been good, they lack the basis of knowledge truly needed to be able to recommend an appropriate supplement.

First off, many supplements list a “Proprietary Blend” of ingredients, rather than the specific amounts. Therefore, given that the person can actually understand the role each ingredient plays in the body in relation it to an individual’s goals, they still have no idea how much of each ingredient is actually present. In addition, even if the ingredient amounts were known, every person is biochemically different; meaning that the exact same product is likely to react differently in everyone. Therefore, it is impossible for the local GNC employee or a workout buddy to be able to honestly and knowledgeably recommend the best product for you.

I would suggest for anyone wanting to start taking some type of supplement but unsure of which to choose, to ask someone knowledgeable, or better yet, learn yourself, what each ingredient is designed to do in the body and how they will work towards helping achieve your goals. Then realistically all you can do is make an educated choice and decide for yourself whether you want to stick with it, or try something new next time.

And please, it is fine to share what has worked for you, but don’t say one is better than another for someone else, unless you completely understand all of the ingredients and amounts, as well as the how they will react with the person’s biochemical make-up.

Tony Cates is a business management major at Edgewood College in Madison, WI.  He is a certified personal trainer and the S&C Coach for Edgewood College Men’s Basketball.  He can be reached at catestony@gmail.com or (608) 852-7433.

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