The dietary supplement market is a 30+ billion dollar industry chock full of companies that make some pretty far-fetched claims about their products.
I’ve seen advertisements for products that claim to “increase natural testosterone production by over 800%” or “gain 7 pounds of pure muscle in 1 week.” I mean, a company wouldn’t put that on the label if it were not the truth, right?
Well, I wish that were the case.
I am sure you’ve seen similar products with equally ridiculous claims. These products can be easy to spot and avoid, but what do you do about a product with claims that, at first glance, seem to be exactly what you are looking for? How do you go about determining if, in fact, the claims are true before you make your purchase?
Richard Krieder, PhD., offers some valuable insight into this issue, and gives us some questions to ask ourselves as we evaluate product claims. In his chapter “Evaluating the Scientific Basis of Marketing Claims”, Dr. Krieder explains that anyone can feel confident in making a supplement purchase by asking and answering these 3 specific questions:
- Is the scientific rationale sound?
- Is there scientific evidence that shows actual affect on sport performance, training, or health?
- Is the product or ingredient legal and safe?
These questions may seem to require a lot of time, effort, and blood/sweat/tears to answer, but I promise this process is quick and easy to do, and is worthwhile if you care about what you put into your body and you really want safe and effective supplements. So, let’s dive into “supplement claim evaluation 101”.
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Is the Scientific Rationale Sound? Does it Make Theoretical Sense?
At first this may seem like quite a bit to ask, but I promise it is not as intense as it may sound. You do not need a PhD. to evaluate supplement claims. Having a basic understanding of how the human body functions and then doing some reading when you come across something that is unfamiliar (or asking someone in the industry that you trust) is enough to avoid the products that are not only a waste of money, but potentially unsafe and illegal.
Einstein once said “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” He also said “It should be possible to explain the laws of physics to a barmaid.” I think the supplement industry should be the exact same way.
A supplement company should be able to easily explain the theory of how and why their specific supplement, or specific ingredient, works. If they cannot do so, they are either:
- Working with very new ingredients (something I would avoid until published research shows some benefit)
- They do not know their product well enough
If the product or ingredient claims to have an effect on aerobic or anaerobic work capacity, training volume, or exercise intensity or exercise duration, then the theoretical rationale should have something to do with the ingredients having some effect on the primary energy systems (ATP-PC, Glycolysis, or Oxidative Metabolism).
If a product, for example, claims that a specific kind of lipid (fat) increases anaerobic sprint capacity, then do a quick pubmed.gov search to see if ingesting fat has any impact on anaerobic metabolism (hint..it probably has no benefit).
A complete understanding of the specific mechanisms of action is not necessary. If there is evidence to support this claim, then move on to the next question. If there is no evidence or the theory is not scientifically sound, it most likely will be an ineffective supplement, and not live up to the claims.
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Is there Scientific Evidence (Patents or Published Research) that shows actual affect on sport performance, training, or health?
In this step, it is your goal to see if the specific ingredient or product you are interested in has been tested in any scientific studies or if the product has any patents listed. From there, you will need to pull up an online abstract or patent to see if the product claims match the results of the studies.
One of the easiest ways to fake scientific legitimacy is to cite a study involving the product or product’s ingredients even if the study showed no benefit. Every supplement company says their products are grounded in science, but there is a distinct difference between a product that has been used in a study that was conducted on rats twenty years ago and published in an obscure foreign magazine and a product that cites multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, peer-reviewed and published studies that shows an actual performance or health benefit.
Make sure the products you buy do not just make claims and cite a study or two. Instead, make sure that the product claims (as well as the product/ingredient dosage) are the exact same as what the research shows. A single study is not enough evidence to support the use of a product or ingredient, in my opinion. I want to know what the entire (or at least majority) body of evidence shows, and then make my decision.
I am not typically a pessimist, except when it comes to the supplement industry. I honestly believe that 10% or less of all supplements on the market live up to the claims on the label. There are some really good products and ingredients out there, but you have to dig a little into the research to figure out what will actually be of benefit to you.
One of the best tools I have found to help me determine the level and quality of research on a specific ingredient is examine.com. In a very short time, you can see a summary of just about all the research conducted on a specific ingredient. Once you’ve worked through this step, you can proceed to the next step.
One of the easiest ways to fake scientific legitimacy is to cite a study involving the product or product’s ingredients even if the study showed no benefit.
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Are the Product Ingredients Safe, Legal, and Cleared by your Sport’s Governing Bodies?
This question may seem a little silly, but I wouldn’t include it if it were not relevant and important. Currently, the way the industry is set up, anyone can develop a product and get it into the market quickly and easily without much, if any, regulation. This is where analytical lab testing and third-party testing come into play.
Do you remember a decade or two back when ephedra and ephedrine were really popular? You can’t find ephedra in supplements anymore because of potential hazardous side effects. The FDA stepped in after reports surfaced of health complications associated with ephedra supplementation. This sort of thing happens with specific ingredients often.
For many companies, the potential to make quick cash outweighs the risk of potential fines or jail time or, more importantly, potential harm to customers. Do not expect a supplement company to look out for your ultimate health and safety. The burden of proof to find a safe product lies completely on YOU!
Some products may be safe, but are not permitted by your sport’s governing body. It is your responsibility to check to see what ingredients and what doses are not permitted. Caffeine, for example, is cleared by every major sport governing body (WADA, IOC, USOC, NCAA, etc.), but the “legal” dose may vary. If you do not participate in a regulated sport, then this specific section may not apply to you, but it is still good information to know.
Summary
Running a product’s claims through this 3-fold test is a pretty reliable way to determine if the “juice is worth the squeeze” when it comes to your bank account. If the product claims
- Make sense from a scientific and theoretical standpoint
- Have some scientific evidence in the form of legitimate research to support the supplement’s efficacy
- The product and/or ingredients are safe, legal, and permissible by your sport’s governing body
Then you can be confident in your purchase. If the claims don’t stand up to the test, then save your money, and take your time to find a product that you can be completely confident in.
References
Krieder, R.B., Leutholtz, B.C., Katch, R.I., & Katch, V. (2009). Exercise & Sport Nutrition. Santa Barbara, CA: Fitness Technologies Press.
www.examine.com
About Kevin Kuhn:
Kevin Kuhn, M.S.Ed., CSCS, MFS is a Kinesiologist and Sport Nutrition Coach in Dallas, Texas. Before moving to Dallas in 2012, Kevin was the head strength & conditioning coach for the Indiana Invaders professional running club in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kevin specializes in athletic performance with great interest and experience in running-specific strength & conditioning, corrective exercise, and exercise and sport nutrition. Kevin has been certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and as a Master Fitness Specialist by the Cooper Institute.
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