A recent survey by Men's Fitness magazine found that 75 per cent of readers use nutrition supplements. Almost all of these said that introducing them to their diet had made a positive contribution to achieving their training and fitness objectives.
Whey protein, energy bars, creatine and recovery drinks are the most popular nutrition supplements among Men's Fitness readers, with four in ten using them every day. Seven in ten readers take supplements at least once a week. Some readers, however, are reluctant to add these supplements to their diet - despite their massively successful track record. It's normally because they think supplements are too expensive, that they can get all the nutrients they need from their normal diet or are worried about what's in the supplements.
We put these concerns to Maximuscle, the UK's leading supplier of sports nutrition to professional athletes and everyday gym-goers. Here's what they had to say:
'Supplements are often no more expensive than other foods. A tub of Maximuscle's Promax contains 30 servings each providing the same quantity of protein as an average chicken breast, but costs just £1.13. Cyclone, the UK's leading 'all in one' formula, contains whey protein, carbohydrate, glutamine, creatine and HMB, as well as several high-performance nutrients - all for just £2.20 per serving. Add to this the money you're going to save by ditching high-calorie crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolate and unnecessary snacks and you may even make an overall saving.'
'Building muscle requires a daily increase of around 2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, so an 80kg man requires around 160g of protein per day. This can be difficult to achieve from your daily diet alone. One serving of Maximuscle's protein-based drinks provides between 23g and 32g of protein, and you can consume a serving between your main meals, when you're on the go or straight after training to benefit from improved recovery.'
'Supplements are classified as food, so they are subject to the same rigorous tests and regulations as all food products. A key ingredient in Promax and Cyclone is whey protein, which is derived from milk or cheese. Creatine, a popular performance nutrient, is a naturally occurring amino acid found in steak and tuna. For complete confidence and reassurance, Maximuscle has pioneered the world's first sports nutrition drug screening programme, which is why Maximuscle supplies more top-level professional athletes, rugby and football clubs than any other sports nutrition brand.'
