Here are the good muscle building supplements from the bad and the ugly.
anabolic steroids
androstenedione
Caffeine
Clenbuterol
creatine
DHEA
ephedra/ephedrine
GHB
hGH
HMB
L-carnitine
protein
anabolic steroids
SOURCES: Hormone drugs available by prescription; also commonly obtained by bodybuilders through the black market.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Used in conjunction with vigorous strength training, steroids can significantly increase lean muscle mass and create an “Arnold-Schwarzenegger” look.
Jean-Claude Van DAMMMM!, you look good!!!
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
It can cause breast development, acne, and serious health problems such as heart disease, liver tumors, and infertility. Banned by the NFL, NCAA, International Olympic Committee, and bodybuilding competition. But there are always loopholes in the system.
androstenedione
SOURCES
Health food stores, although there is increasing pressure to reclassify andro from a “supplement” to a “drug.”
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Same muscle building effects as anabolic steroids.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Banned by the International Olympic Committee, the NCAA, the NFL, and the men’s and women’s tennis tours. The limited studies to date have yielded mixed results: most show little or no effect on muscle strength. Same potential health risks as steroids.
Caffeine
SOURCES
Coffee, tea, lots of carbonated drinks, and over-the-counter “stay awake” pills.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Stimulates the central nervous system; You can cause your body to burn more fat during resistance exercise, and by doing so save energy to use for a final “kick.”
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Relatively safe and moderately effective if taken in reasonable doses; it can cause heart irregularities, tremors, and other health problems if taken in high doses (equal to 10 cups of coffee). The NCAA and the Olympics prohibit the use of high doses.
Clenbuterol
SOURCES
Asthma medications available only by prescription.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Studies in cattle indicate that these drugs can reduce fat and increase lean muscle mass.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Although the effectiveness of these muscle-building agents has not been proven in humans, many elite athletes seem to believe that these drugs work. Side effects have not been determined.
creatine
SOURCES
A naturally occurring substance found in meat and sold in supplement form in health food stores.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Increases strength by providing muscles with more fuel.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Creatine causes weight gain due to fluid retention. There are no studies on the side effects of long-term use by adolescents.
DHEA
SOURCES
Another so-called testosterone booster available as an over-the-counter supplement.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Taking DHEA will increase your body’s supply of testosterone, in effect doing what steroids do.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Not a single study has shown that DHEA has any muscle building effect. As a teenager, you have more natural DHEA than you need, so supplements are a waste of money.
ephedra/ephedrine
SOURCES
A stimulant found in numerous over-the-counter products, from decongestant cold remedies to the herb ma huang.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Like caffeine, ephedra stimulates adrenaline production, increases metabolism, and supposedly helps burn fat. Ephedra is sometimes packaged with caffeine and aspirin to create a so-called fat burning stack.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Ephedra has never been shown to have a substantial benefit on athletic performance. Taking too much can lead to irregular heartbeat, seizures, and convulsions. The FDA has reported 17 overdose deaths from ephedrine since its release on the market.
GHB
SOURCES
A drug developed as a potential treatment for uncontrolled sleep, GHB has earned an unsavory reputation as a recreational and “rape” drug.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Bodybuilders have long believed that GHB can help build muscle by increasing levels of human growth hormone.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Many athletes have suffered life-threatening complications or even death from GHB. Last December, Phoenix Suns forward Tom Gugliotta took a GHB-style supplement, collapsed on the team bus and nearly died in a Portland hospital emergency room.
hGH
SOURCES
A prescription drug used to treat certain developmental problems; Human Growth Hormone (hGH) can also be obtained on the black market.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
hGH injections, when taken in high doses that cost more than $4,000 per month, can build muscle and strength. In fact, hGH was the most popular illegal substance used by sprinters and strength athletes at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
True hGH has a number of undesirable side effects including, in adolescents, premature fusion of the growth plates, which can permanently stunt growth.
HMB
SOURCES
Derived from protein, HMB was originally developed to help breed leaner cattle; it is now also sold as a supplement.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
HMB supposedly builds muscle by preventing the breakdown of protein. It can also reduce body fat.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Numerous studies have failed to find any significant effect from taking this supplement.
L-carnitine
SOURCES
An amino acid sold in supplement form.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Some marketers claim this helps you lose weight and build strength; others say it can reduce lactic acid, a byproduct of exercise that limits the amount of hard work your muscles can perform.
POTENTIAL DISADVANTAGE
Your body can produce all the L-carnitine it needs. Supplements are often contaminated with another form of carnitine, which actually reduces beneficial L-carnitine in the body.
protein
SOURCES
Protein supplements come in powdered form.
CLAIMED BENEFITS
Supplements like whey protein are touted as quick and easy sources of high-quality protein needed to help rebuild muscles depleted from strength training.
DOWNWARD POTENTIAL
It is expensive. You’ll probably get all the protein you need with a normal diet of chicken, fish, eggs, milk, and beef. There is no advantage to taking protein supplements, unless you use them instead of high-fat sources, such as cheeseburgers.