Many young male athletes and non-athletes are very interested in gaining weight and having a ripped physique like they see in the popular muscle magazines. Most young weight training novices get started in lifting to increase their muscular size and strength. Some see this increase in size and strength as a way to better their athletic performance potential. Some to look better at the pool. And some to impress their friends.

Most weight training enthusiasts want to gain muscular weight much faster than their normal maturation process allows. Mother Nature regulates how fast you mature physically. This process, no matter how hard you try, cannot be speed up.

Many years ago, the only way to get weight training equipment was through mail order catalogs. Once you got your weights and began lifting, you noticed that training results came very slowly. You did not instantly get the same physique as the guy whose was pictured with the equipment that you ordered. So…there must be something else that the guy in the picture was using to get ripped. What is his secret?

Now equipment manufactures had another way to make money! They could sell the nutritional supplements needed to go along with their equipment to make you like the guys in the advertisement. That was the secret - you had to use their equipment and their nutrition supplements to get bigger!

There is a large amount of misinformation and fraud in the area of nutrition and supplements. I strongly urge anyone interested in seeking sound advice to consult the services of a Registered Dietitian, (R.D.). They will give information that is sound and scientifically safe.

I personally do not recommend any supplements to our athletes here at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. I encourage our players and students to develop sound long term eating habits. I would rather see them eat more fruit, vegetables, and grains, than pop a pill or potion. I do know what the long-term effects might be for the use of any supplement. I am not qualified nor am I willing to risk a player's health later on in life, regardless of the impact it might have on his performance.

Do athletes need nutritional supplements?

The active athlete requires a significant number of calories. The key is to make sure you are eating enough calories to generate maximum gains in strength and size, and recover completely from exercise, practice and games. Most high school athletes do not come close to doing a very good job with. Most do not even eat a nutritious breakfast. To reach your full potential physically you must develop a disciplined approach to eating and sleeping.

Dan Riley, Strength Coach, Houston Texans offers the following self-test to all his athletes when they are considering using any type of nutrition supplement. "If you cannot answer YES to ALL OF T HE BELOW you will make it more difficult to maintain or increase your bodyweight".

DO YOU…

__ Eat a breakfast seven days week?
__ Consume at least ¼ of your daily caloric requirements at breakfast?
__ Eat at least three meals a day at approximately the same time?
__ Consume a nutritious snack at mid-morning and mid afternoon?
__ Eat three to five pieces of fruit a day?
__ Eat at least one vegetable a day?
__ Consume 60% of your calories from carbohydrates?
__ Consume only 25% of your calories from fat?
__ Eat from all five-food groups?
__ Consume 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day?
__ Consume your necessary daily caloric intake before the day is over on game day?
__ Consume 300 grams of complex carbohydrates immediately after a game/practice to expedite the recovery process?
__ Eat a post-game or a post-practice meal high in carbohydrates (and calories if necessary)?
__ Eat enough calories every day during the season or during heavy workout periods to maintain you bodyweight?
__ Drink at least 8 (8 ounce) glasses of water per day?
__ Go to bead about the same time each night?
__ Wake up at approximately the same time each morning?
__ Avoid the habit of sleeping in?

Most muscle and fitness magazines are owned and supported by a nutrition supplement company. They will use large Arnold Schwarzenegger type men to get you to buy their supplements. It is a great adverting tool. What is the high school athlete going to believe in?

There are a variety of risks ranging from muscle cramps to mad-cow disease. The origin practice can be traced by to the ancient Olympians. The ancient Greeks believed in-order to run fast like the deer he had to eat deer meat. To be strong like the bear, he had to eat bear steaks. Now if you want to hit baseballs like Barry Bonds you need to use the food supplements from BALCO. Or play football like Bill Romanowski, who uses over 300 food supplements that he takes from BALCO.

During the 1997 college-wrestling season, three wrestlers died while working-out. Minnesota Viking offensive linemen, Corey Stringer died from heat stroke related illnesses. Last year, baseball player Steve Bechler, of the Baltimore Orioles died using a food supplement to lose weight.

All of the above deaths were a combination of high heat stress, poor dietary habits, dehydration and some kind of food supplement use.

Could these events have been avoided? Yes! High school athletes, coaches, parents and administrators should take a stand against the use of food supplement usage in their athletic programs. Many of the leading college and professional strength coaches like John Thomas, Penn State, Ken Mannie, Michigan State, Mark Asanovich, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dan Riley, Houston Texans are all in agreement that athletes need to go back to mom's home cooking and hard work in the weight room, and not the team with the best pharmacists.