LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Fitness |
by Rick Moore |
It always seems that when a new member joins the gym, he or she has many questions about their workouts and the supplements they should take. No great surprise. Many of you know my stance on supplementation. I'm not a big fan of the supplement industry in general. It's not regulated and it's hardly ever checked upon until something goes wrong. Then it hits the front pages of the newspapers.
Many of you pop pills that have vague promises that they "might" (the keyword) cure your appetite, eliminate insomnia, improve your ability to think, cut anxiety and stress, improve muscle strength, and just plain increase your quality of life. It's easy to promise results, but many don't deliver. We as a nation are spending billions of dollars a year in hopes of finding that "miracle pill." And the scary part is, many people take these supplements without telling their doctor. That is, until something bad happens. Why is it that we as Americans are so pill-happy? We pop a pill to go to sleep, another to wake us up, another to lose weight, another to relieve stress. The list goes on, to the point that pills are running our lives. Whatever happened to willpower, where you rely on yourself to do the work? Take the recent probe of the FDA's case against the herbal supplement, kava. No, it's not a type of coffeeit's an herbal sedative that is promoted to relieve anxiety, stress, and insomnia. Uh oh. What's going on here? I've got customers who take thiswhat could possibly be wrong with kava? I even came across an article that says kava can be purchased in designer snack foods like corn chips. That's great. You can get fat and relieve stress at the same time. It's a fat-happy snack! What could be better? Well, it seems recently that Canada has urged its consumers not to take kava until the question of its safety is settled. Switzerland has halted sales, as have the British. Germany is out to make kava a prescription drug. In the U.S., the National Institute of Health has suspended two kava studies. It seems that kava can cause liver damage, and serious liver damage at that. We're talking about adults and children having health problems from this stuff. Kidshard to believeare popping supplement pills like kava, as much as adults. Pardon me parents, but where are you when your kids are taking products that really aren't tested for their effectiveness or safety? Where is that adult supervision that you take for granted? It seems that two 13 year olds had to be hospitalized after using kava. One overdosed on it, and the other had a drug interaction problem. Why are these kids taking an item to relieve anxiety and stress? These are 13-year-olds. Did you know that under current federal law, nobody has to prove that dietary supplements are safe, or work as advertised. The FDA's 9 million dollar budget for this sort of thing is only used to investigate problems reported to them. They also try to curb use of products that are deemed potentially dangerous. Imagine, waiting by the phone for the call to come, so they can investigate. I sure feel safer already! I find it ironic that I just read an article in the current issue of a leading health and fitness magazine that declares that kava is safe, and was not associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms. Yet other articles I've read practically come out and say it's life-threatening. The fitness article also mentions that kava should not be taken when pregnant or nursing. Why is that? It doesn't explain. Sometimes these magazines will compile info that could be a couple of months old before it's printed, and I really think that this is the case with this magazine's article. Did you know that kava is a member of the pepper family? Its history is traced back to the South Pacific, where it was used in a ceremonial drink. Kava was introduced in pill form approximately 2 years ago, and sales have shot up to $30 billion a year. Not bad, eh? And then the Europeans started to receive reports of people developing liver problems. Folks, that's serious. I've come across articles that say kava can interfere with some prescription drugs, such as anesthetics and tranquilizers. Surgeons have even started warning patients to discontinue kava use several days before surgery. And it shouldn't be taken with alcohol, ever. Why take the chance? If you're using kava, I highly suggest that you consider the evidence and ask your doctor what he or she recommends. You may need to have a blood test to check your liver function. What's the next supplement we have to worry about? Well, since the FDA doesn't regulate supplements, I guess we'll have to wait and see. If you're suffering from anxietyand who isn'tit might be a good idea to join a fitness center to work out your frustrations through exercise. I guarantee exercise will work. I'm not so sure of "supplements." Finally, I'd like to thank the many people who sent me their condolences on my mother's passing, which I wrote about in my last column. It's great to know that people do care and are willing to share their feelings. Thank you all.Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. Visit his club, Rick's Fitness & Health, in Milton, Delaware or www.ricksfitness.net, or call 302-684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 12, No. 02, March 8, 2002 |