That's Fit

If you've been exercising for quite some time now, you may be toying with the idea of trying some nutritional supplements. You may be somewhat skeptical, and for good reason. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, affording manufacturers a great deal of wiggle room with respect to marketing and advertising.

Then how are you supposed to know which supplements to take and which to avoid? My first suggestion, as always, would be to speak with your physician. After you get the OK from your doc, talk to people who have taken certain supplements to find out whether or not they were happy with their results. Bear in mind, however, everyone's body is different; what works for them may not work for you, and vice-versa.

Another great method of inquiry is to research websites such as this one, as well as magazines and legitimate health and fitness forums. Coincidentally, Men's Health just published a list of five supplements that they feel are almost completely worthless. This is definitely a good place to start.

1. Liquid Creatine. Unlike the very effective powder version, liquid creatine has almost no effect on muscular development. As a matter of fact, according to the article, a study presented at the 2003 Experimental Biology Meeting showed that while creatine powder increased creatine levels in muscles by about 30 percent, liquid creatine was totally ineffective, equivalent in performance to the placebo.