'The drugs don't work': And neither do sports suppliments
A paper published last year in the BMJ carefully considered the evidence underpinning sports performance products. It concluded: 'The current evidence is not of sufficient quality to inform the public about the benefits and harms of sports products. There is a need to improve the quality and reporting of research, a move towards using systematic review evidence to inform decisions.' Despite this, health and fitness magazines continue to proclaim that I and others should embrace supplementation. These adverts are particularly prevalent for whey protein and creatine.* Creatine is a naturally occurring substance that helps supply energy to all cells in the body. Of course, oxygen is also a naturally occurring substance that helps supply energy to all cells in the body, but it doesn't mean I carry an oxygen tank while running. Not yet anyway. There remain colossal problems behind research involving the use and effectiveness of creatine and other supplements. Companies suc...