Whether sports and fitness supplements will enhance performance or make no difference is on the minds of many students at the University of Florida, reported The Gainesville Sun. Correspondent Larry Truong checked in with several students who were making New Year’s resolutions to get in shape and hit the gym, and changing their diet or adding supplements to further their efforts.
CJ Hamilton, a pre-med food science major, said he didn’t see much of a difference when taking creatine and protein. Contrast that with Pete Otovic, a student at UF Veterinary School, who took protein and creatine when training for track and saw significant gains in speed and muscle.
More controversial, according to Tara Kalajian, a graduate assistant for personal training at UF Recsports, is a pre-workout supplement called N.O.-Xplode. Formulated with an array of amino acids and vitamin B12 to create and increase levels of nitric acid in the body, the product is designed to offer an energy boost before workouts. Kalajian encourages athletes to follow a healthy diet and consider taking fish oil supplements and drinking green tea for antioxidants. “Taking supplements without direction is dangerous,” she said. “You’re going to benefit much greater from a wide variety of food.”