The Bottom Line:
1) In the sports nutrition
industry, it is buyer beware. There are lots of rogue manufacturers out there
who care more for their bottom line than your well being. Do your homework and
search for reputable companies with a long track record of product quality and
ethical standards. There are some out there.
2) Ignore the outlandish
claims, no matter how appealing. Once again, stick with establishing companies
with a track record of product integrity. Only use sports supplements that are
backed by clinical studies showing that they are both safe and
effective.
3) Be particularly cautious about sports supplements that
claim to burn fat or give you energy. They generally contain metabolic
stimulants, and often those stimulants are poorly characterized. Most have not
been proven to be effective, and some have the potential to do more harm than
good.
4) Fat burning supplements are often cross marketed as weight
loss supplements. They are just as dangerous for dieters as they are for
athletes.
5) Don’t assume that just because the ingredients supposedly
come from a natural source (geraniums, Bael trees or dendrobium orchids, for
example) they are safe.
Keeping your health in Focus,
Mary Beth Potrykus
These statements have not been evaluated by
the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose,
treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Thank you Dr. Stephen Chaney for providing this valuable information.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Fat burning supplements--Hype or Help
OxyElite Pro and Aegeline
In case you thought that was an isolated case, the same sports supplement manufacturer has recently been involved in a second case that sounds all too familiar.
• The FDA recently advised consumers to stop using OxyElite Pro after reports of 24 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis (a very rare disease) in users of that sports supplement in Hawaii. Two of those patients required liver transplants, and one of them died.
• In this case the manufacturer stopped domestic distribution of the product, but argued that the product is safe. They claimed that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro were being sold in the US market.
• On October 11, 2013 the FDA sent a warning letter to the manufacturer stating that the active ingredient, aegeline, was not a lawful dietary ingredient. The manufacturer replied that it was a natural constituent of the citrus fruit tree Bael. (I’m not sure why that makes it safe. I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat a lot of Bael fruit.)
• As of a few days ago England, Denmark, Spain, Australia & New Zealand have warned consumers in those countries not to use OxyElite Pro.
It’s too early to tell how this story is going to turn out, but my money is with the FDA.
Craze and DEPEA
And, in case you thought the problem was with a single rogue manufacturer, there is a developing story around yet another popular sports supplement, Craze, made by a different manufacturer.
• Researchers from the NSF, Harvard and the National Institute for Public Health in the Netherlands recently published a paper claiming that Craze contained DEPEA, a methamphetamine-like compound.
• The manufacturers claimed that the researchers did the chemical analysis incorrectly and their product actually contained a close analog of DEPEA that is found in dendrobium orchids. (Again I’m not sure why that makes it OK. I don’t think people eat a lot of dendrobium orchids either).
Stay tuned. I’m sure this story will have some interesting twists before it’s finished.
Check in November 7th for the conclusion of this insightful information.
*Thank you to Dr. Stephen Chaney who has provided this information.
In case you thought that was an isolated case, the same sports supplement manufacturer has recently been involved in a second case that sounds all too familiar.
• The FDA recently advised consumers to stop using OxyElite Pro after reports of 24 cases of acute non-viral hepatitis (a very rare disease) in users of that sports supplement in Hawaii. Two of those patients required liver transplants, and one of them died.
• In this case the manufacturer stopped domestic distribution of the product, but argued that the product is safe. They claimed that counterfeit versions of OxyElite Pro were being sold in the US market.
• On October 11, 2013 the FDA sent a warning letter to the manufacturer stating that the active ingredient, aegeline, was not a lawful dietary ingredient. The manufacturer replied that it was a natural constituent of the citrus fruit tree Bael. (I’m not sure why that makes it safe. I don’t know about you, but I don’t eat a lot of Bael fruit.)
• As of a few days ago England, Denmark, Spain, Australia & New Zealand have warned consumers in those countries not to use OxyElite Pro.
It’s too early to tell how this story is going to turn out, but my money is with the FDA.
Craze and DEPEA
And, in case you thought the problem was with a single rogue manufacturer, there is a developing story around yet another popular sports supplement, Craze, made by a different manufacturer.
• Researchers from the NSF, Harvard and the National Institute for Public Health in the Netherlands recently published a paper claiming that Craze contained DEPEA, a methamphetamine-like compound.
• The manufacturers claimed that the researchers did the chemical analysis incorrectly and their product actually contained a close analog of DEPEA that is found in dendrobium orchids. (Again I’m not sure why that makes it OK. I don’t think people eat a lot of dendrobium orchids either).
Stay tuned. I’m sure this story will have some interesting twists before it’s finished.
Check in November 7th for the conclusion of this insightful information.
*Thank you to Dr. Stephen Chaney who has provided this information.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Fat Burning Supplements-Hype or help?
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Effective?
Because sports supplements are considered to be foods rather than drugs, the FDA cannot require sport supplements manufacture to prove that their products are either safe or effective. As a consequence, most sports supplement manufacturers don’t conduct clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of their products. Their claims are based on animal studies and testimonials. However, in most cases there is no objective evidence that their supplements actually work.
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Safe?All stimulants carry some risk. Even small amounts of caffeine can be problematic for some individuals, and many sports supplements contain massive amounts of caffeine. But, it is not caffeine containing sports products that are the most worrisome.
Many sports supplement manufacturers are firm believers in the “better living through chemistry” motto.
• They start with an herbal ingredient that has stimulant properties
• They label it a fat burner, prepare their claims and they’re ready to go to market
Case Study #1: Jack3D and DMAA
• After a couple of marines died after using Jack3D prior to a workout, the US military ordered that the product not be sold on their bases. The manufacturer continued to make the product. GNC stopped selling it on military bases, but continued to sell it in all its other stores.
• Eventually the FDA stepped in and recommended that Jack3D not be sold. The manufacturer claimed that the active ingredient, DMAA, was found in the geranium extract they used in their product. Since that was a food ingredient, they claimed the FDA did not have jurisdiction.
• The FDA denied that claim based an extensive testing of geranium extract. At that point the manufacturer stopped making it (They have since resuming making the product with yet another poorly tested stimulant). GNC said they would stop selling Jack3D “as soon as their inventory was used up”.
• The FDA finally had to raid the GNC warehouses to get the product off the market.
Check in tomorrow for the rest of the story.
This information is provided by Dr.Stephen Chaney (Health Tips Professor)
Because sports supplements are considered to be foods rather than drugs, the FDA cannot require sport supplements manufacture to prove that their products are either safe or effective. As a consequence, most sports supplement manufacturers don’t conduct clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of their products. Their claims are based on animal studies and testimonials. However, in most cases there is no objective evidence that their supplements actually work.
Are Fat Burning Sports Supplements Safe?All stimulants carry some risk. Even small amounts of caffeine can be problematic for some individuals, and many sports supplements contain massive amounts of caffeine. But, it is not caffeine containing sports products that are the most worrisome.
Many sports supplement manufacturers are firm believers in the “better living through chemistry” motto.
• They start with an herbal ingredient that has stimulant properties
• They label it a fat burner, prepare their claims and they’re ready to go to market
Case Study #1: Jack3D and DMAA
• After a couple of marines died after using Jack3D prior to a workout, the US military ordered that the product not be sold on their bases. The manufacturer continued to make the product. GNC stopped selling it on military bases, but continued to sell it in all its other stores.
• Eventually the FDA stepped in and recommended that Jack3D not be sold. The manufacturer claimed that the active ingredient, DMAA, was found in the geranium extract they used in their product. Since that was a food ingredient, they claimed the FDA did not have jurisdiction.
• The FDA denied that claim based an extensive testing of geranium extract. At that point the manufacturer stopped making it (They have since resuming making the product with yet another poorly tested stimulant). GNC said they would stop selling Jack3D “as soon as their inventory was used up”.
• The FDA finally had to raid the GNC warehouses to get the product off the market.
Check in tomorrow for the rest of the story.
This information is provided by Dr.Stephen Chaney (Health Tips Professor)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
What's in (or not in) your protein?
What's in (or not in) your protein?
31% of Protein Powders & Drinks Fail ConsumerLab.com Review
ConsumerLab.com set out to find what's really in a scoop of “protein powder,” and the results weren’t all that impressive. In some products they found a lot less protein and/or a lot more carbohydrates than expected, and even more alarming, some contained high qualities of lead. ConsumerLab.com purchased, tested and reviewed the quality of a broad range of protein powders and drinks used for everything from bodybuilding to dieting. Nutrition Business Journal has reported that Americans spend over $3 billion each year on sports nutrition powders and formulas.
ConsumerLab.com found problems with the quality of five of the 16 protein products it selected for testing and confirmed these findings in a second independent laboratory:
•a protein powder from a popular brand was missing 16 grams of protein per scoop — the majority of the protein it promised. Instead, it contained an extra 16 grams of carbohydrates (including an extra 3 grams of sugar)
•a powdered meal replacement shake was contaminated with 12.7 mcg of lead per serving (far more than permitted inCalifornia
•a popular protein energy meal with spirulina had an extra 6.7 grams of carbohydrates (including an extra 4 grams of sugar) and an additional 25.7 calories per serving
•a protein powder — from a "GMP certified" facility — claiming "0" cholesterol really had 10.2 mg
•a protein supplement claiming 5 mg of cholesterol actually had 14.2 mg
The cost of an equivalent serving of protein from products approved for quality by ConsumerLab.com ranged from just 61 cents to over $5.
“What sets these products apart from other types of supplements and energy foods is protein — typically about 10 to 30 grams per serving,” said Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of ConsumerLab.com. “They can be a convenient way to get specific types of protein to build and maintain muscle, but some protein powders come with unwanted surprises, like lead contamination, extra carbs, or even less protein than advertised.”
The new Protein Powders and Drinks Review provides results and comparisons for 27 products — 16 selected by ConsumerLab.com and 11 that passed its voluntary Quality Certification Program. Products include those made with whey protein (concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates), casein protein, soy protein, rice protein, and pea protein.
Products reviewed in the report are Atkins Day Break, Body Fortress Whey Isolate, Dymatize Nutrition Elite Casein, EAS 100% Whey Protein, Endurox R4, Genisoy Soy Protein Shake, GNC AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60, GNC Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein, GNC Total Lean - Lean Shake 25, GNC Total Lean - Lean Shake, Jay Robb Whey Protein, Marked 100% Whey Protein Complex Gourmet, Marked Mass Gainer Gourmet, Metagenics UltraMeal Rice, to name a few.
ConsumerLab.com found problems with the quality of five of the 16 protein products it selected for testing and confirmed these findings in a second independent laboratory:
•a protein powder from a popular brand was missing 16 grams of protein per scoop — the majority of the protein it promised. Instead, it contained an extra 16 grams of carbohydrates (including an extra 3 grams of sugar)
•a powdered meal replacement shake was contaminated with 12.7 mcg of lead per serving (far more than permitted in
•a popular protein energy meal with spirulina had an extra 6.7 grams of carbohydrates (including an extra 4 grams of sugar) and an additional 25.7 calories per serving
•a protein powder — from a "GMP certified" facility — claiming "0" cholesterol really had 10.2 mg
•a protein supplement claiming 5 mg of cholesterol actually had 14.2 mg
The cost of an equivalent serving of protein from products approved for quality by ConsumerLab.com ranged from just 61 cents to over $5.
“What sets these products apart from other types of supplements and energy foods is protein — typically about 10 to 30 grams per serving,” said Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of ConsumerLab.com. “They can be a convenient way to get specific types of protein to build and maintain muscle, but some protein powders come with unwanted surprises, like lead contamination, extra carbs, or even less protein than advertised.”
The new Protein Powders and Drinks Review provides results and comparisons for 27 products — 16 selected by ConsumerLab.com and 11 that passed its voluntary Quality Certification Program. Products include those made with whey protein (concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates), casein protein, soy protein, rice protein, and pea protein.
Products reviewed in the report are Atkins Day Break, Body Fortress Whey Isolate, Dymatize Nutrition Elite Casein, EAS 100% Whey Protein, Endurox R4, Genisoy Soy Protein Shake, GNC AMP Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60, GNC Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein, GNC Total Lean - Lean Shake 25, GNC Total Lean - Lean Shake, Jay Robb Whey Protein, Marked 100% Whey Protein Complex Gourmet, Marked Mass Gainer Gourmet, Metagenics UltraMeal Rice, to name a few.
If you want a brand you can trust and a person you can trust, I'm here. Email me at Marybeth@mamabearproductions.net
Mary Beth
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Busy, busy people.
Did you know the average American goes on a diet 4 times in one year? Why? The diet was too restrictive, the products didn't have a pleasant taste, it didn't work with their schedule, and/or once they attained their goal weight they didn't know how to maintain their weight-but they wanted to keep their results.
We develop tools to make people have no excuses. For example:
Most people I know are busy. Working, commuting, getting their children to their sports, and just spending a lot of time in their car. Pretty stressful, right? If you're like me, you want something that is quick and easy, tasty, and that is good for the body and mind. Something that will get you the results you want and keep those results.
What can you do? Go here and take 13 minutes to watch the video. It will be worthwhile.
The body is what the body is fed. The mind is what the mind is fed. ~David J. Schwartz, Ph.D
I'm here to help. Email me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net and we can set up a time to talk about what you can do to be optimal you.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
www.mamabearproductions.net
We develop tools to make people have no excuses. For example:
- No time? Make a protein smoothee. Takes about 2 minutes.
- Don't have time to exercise? We have an application to provide you with a few simple exercises that you can do at home.
- Don't know what to eat? Simple healthy recipes online to simplify your life.
Most people I know are busy. Working, commuting, getting their children to their sports, and just spending a lot of time in their car. Pretty stressful, right? If you're like me, you want something that is quick and easy, tasty, and that is good for the body and mind. Something that will get you the results you want and keep those results.
What can you do? Go here and take 13 minutes to watch the video. It will be worthwhile.
The body is what the body is fed. The mind is what the mind is fed. ~David J. Schwartz, Ph.D
I'm here to help. Email me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net and we can set up a time to talk about what you can do to be optimal you.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
www.mamabearproductions.net
Friday, May 31, 2013
Medicine or vitamins
Recently my father (who is a young 89) has been in a nursing facility receiving physical therapy after a fall, then surgery, and dealing with pulmonary edema/pneumonia. He has been on more prescriptions in the last month than he has the last 20 years.
In my conversation with a physician's assistant, he was concerned that my dad was on too much medicine and it may be hindering his recovery from the pulmonary edema. In our conversation he referred to vitamins as medicine. Really?
Here's the thing...I know there are vitamins (supplements) that are synthetic, just like prescriptions/medicine, but my dad is taking Shaklee products, which are whole food supplements. Better quality than the food he is receiving at this facility. Why? Well I'm pretty confident in saying this facility is serving genetically modified food. Whereas Shaklee's products are above organic grade.
All in all I was glad to speak with this person as I reduced the number of prescriptions (the true medicine, not vitamins/supplements), my dad is receiving, by 3.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
By the way, if you know someone who wants whole food supplements and may be tired of being a victim to the medical maze, I'm here to help. They may reach me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
www.mamabearproductions.net
In my conversation with a physician's assistant, he was concerned that my dad was on too much medicine and it may be hindering his recovery from the pulmonary edema. In our conversation he referred to vitamins as medicine. Really?
Here's the thing...I know there are vitamins (supplements) that are synthetic, just like prescriptions/medicine, but my dad is taking Shaklee products, which are whole food supplements. Better quality than the food he is receiving at this facility. Why? Well I'm pretty confident in saying this facility is serving genetically modified food. Whereas Shaklee's products are above organic grade.
All in all I was glad to speak with this person as I reduced the number of prescriptions (the true medicine, not vitamins/supplements), my dad is receiving, by 3.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post.
By the way, if you know someone who wants whole food supplements and may be tired of being a victim to the medical maze, I'm here to help. They may reach me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
www.mamabearproductions.net
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Fast Food
Have you heard of healthy fast food? That is what I call Shaklee 180 Smoothees, meal bars, and snack bars.
Shaklee 180 is not just about losing weight, it's about getting the body in balance.
I am inspired by Anita, my Shaklee 180 customer. She has had several health issues, which include, psoriatic arthritis and IBS.
Since Anita has been on the program (she started April 2, 2013), she has:
Go here to learn about this unique and amazing program. Then email me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net and we can set up a time to discuss how this program may work for you.
One last thing....There are amazing incentives when new customers sign up with this program by May 31, 2013.
Arnold Glassgow says "Our body is the baggage we must carry through life. The more excess baggage, the shorter the trip." Extend your trip.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
Shaklee 180 is not just about losing weight, it's about getting the body in balance.
I am inspired by Anita, my Shaklee 180 customer. She has had several health issues, which include, psoriatic arthritis and IBS.
Since Anita has been on the program (she started April 2, 2013), she has:
- Lost 16 pounds and 15 inches
- Her psoriasis is clearing up
- Arthritic pain is reduced
- Because of this, she is sleeping soundly at night which hasn't happened in years
- No symptoms of IBS
- Energy has increased
- Can walk up the steps to her place of employment without being winded
- Co-workers have commented her skin is glowing
Go here to learn about this unique and amazing program. Then email me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net and we can set up a time to discuss how this program may work for you.
One last thing....There are amazing incentives when new customers sign up with this program by May 31, 2013.
Arnold Glassgow says "Our body is the baggage we must carry through life. The more excess baggage, the shorter the trip." Extend your trip.
Many blessings,
Mary Beth
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