Like most of the 2017 Home Run Derby participants, Charlie Blackmon, the bushy-bearded Rockies outfielder, was in awe of Yankee slugger Aaron Judge’s Ruthian blasts during the showcase event. “Hits the ball a long way,” Blackmon said Friday of Judge, before Blackmon and the Rockies got pounded by the Mets at Citi Field. “He makes […]

Ah steroids, the cause of so many professional athletes’ falls from grace, so many stripped Olympic medals, so many beefcakes at the gym with balloons for biceps. But behind their bad reputation, steroids are actually responsible for some pretty remarkable physical and psychological changes. And that’s what this is about: the chain reaction set into […]

Beware Performance-Enhancing Substances One of the most remarkable things about the great golfer Bobby Jones was that he never played golf as a professional. He was a lawyer by trade and won all of his 13 major championships as an amateur. Now, nobody today is expected to walk out from behind an office desk and […]

“Adverse events” are unfavorable or unusual reactions/effects/illnesses that can occur with the use of some dietary supplements, just as they can with over-the-counter and prescription medications. Examples of adverse events include anxiety, headaches, increased blood pressure, vision problems, and stroke. Such adverse events may be due to one supplement taken alone or to combinations of […]

Protein supports muscle growth and repair. People often turn to protein supplements (such as whey, casein, and soy) to optimize those effects, especially after a workout. However, whole foods, not dietary supplements, should be your first choice for protein. Whole-food protein sources such as lean meats, fish, dairy products, legumes, nuts, and seeds are just […]

Most energy drinks are now labeled with Nutrition Facts instead of Supplement Facts, but that doesn’t automatically make them safe. The most popular energy drinks contain about 80–120 mg of caffeine per serving (8 oz.)—about the same amount of caffeine in an 8-ounce coffee. Caffeine isn’t necessarily a bad thing. When used appropriately, caffeine can […]

Some dietary supplements on the market can contain unsafe ingredients and might even contain ingredients not listed on the label. If you are currently using or considering using a dietary supplement, ask yourself these questions to minimize your risk of consuming potentially harmful products. Is it a high-risk dietary supplement? High-risk product categories include: Bodybuilding […]

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific definitions for conventional foods and dietary supplements, but protein powders can fall into one or the other. There are no definitive guidelines for protein powders, and a product’s category (and, thus, label) depends on how the manufacturer intends the product to be used. If it’s intended to […]

On April 26, 2017, sixteen-year-old Davis Allen Crepe consumed a large diet soda, a large latte, and an energy drink within a short time frame. Two hours later he went into cardiac arrest and died. In June of 2014, sixteen-year-old Lanna Hamann was vacationing with family and friends in Mexico when she went into cardiac […]

IF YOU’VE SPENT at least 10 minutes in a hardcore gym or ever skimmed the headlines of the local sports page, you’re probably aware that anabolic steroids have a reputation for giving athletes a (completely jacked) leg up over their peers.  But how much of an advantage do anabolic steroids really offer? And what’s the […]