Herbal and dietary supplements are big business, a whopping $20 billion dollars is spent on them yearly.  Sadly, many people blindly use supplements without complete understanding of it's uses, its mechanism of action, what the drug's side effects are, or what the long term consequences of taking it is.

In my field of work, people ask me about supplements and question whether they should be taking them.  What's funny is how people read the words "healthy," "burn fat," or "natural" on a package and automatically assume they should take it.

Many supplements that assist in weight loss or muscle maintenance contain harsh stimulants, testosterone boosters, or estrogen blockers that result in long term damage to one's health.  Such said hormone manipulators are sold over-the-counter and are really anabolic steroids and should not be used (unless directed by a physician).

I've explained several adverse effects here and here, and my great friend Karen De Coster wrote an excellent piece on such hazards of supplement abuse here.

Supplements can have their place in a healthy lifestyle and should only be used if intended to benefit health and longevity. Here's a great piece from Diethack helping you to understand 7 Vital Things You Must Know About Herbal Supplements.

What do I recommend to clients to keep them healthy, strong, and achieve their goals?  I begin with a good multi-vitamin, calcium with magnesium and zinc, fish oil, and vitamin D.  Intense exercise is very demanding on our bodies and serious strength training and conditioning athletes may see greater improvements by supplementing with creatine and CLA.

Whatever you do - know what you are doing. Know what you are putting into your body and it's effects on the body as a whole, it's organs, and organ systems; not just what it does to your muscles or fat. Because, in the end, your health comes from within.