Performance supplements are a growing trend among young people, athletes and students. (SAGE ROSS/Wikipedia Creative Commons)

Supplements can come in many shapes and forms and serve a multitude of purposes. Many students now take them as a daily regimen.

Performance supplements seem to be a growing trend among young people, and athletes and students around the country are taking several different kinds.

A dietary supplement is a “product that is intended to supplement the diet that contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins; minerals; herbs or other botanicals; amino acids; and other substances) or their constituents,” according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“It is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet or liquid, and is labeled on the front panel as being a dietary supplement.”

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recently changed its guidelines on nutrient supplementation.

The Association now stresses that eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich foods is the best way to get needed nutrients and reduce the risk of chronic disease, rather than taking many different supplements.

Summer Lammons, a Dallas nutritionist, recommends taking specific types of supplements, with a consultation.

“I would definitely recommend a high quality multivitamin and mineral supplement, to help with energy, focus and protection from getting sick, and Omega 3 Fish oil, for concentration, and memory,” she said. “There are many other supplements that I may recommend, but they would be based individually on each person’s needs.”

The ADA changes and updates when the supplement industry is growing and is becoming a more popular trend. According to the Association’s report, Americans have spent more than $23 billion on dietary supplements in recent years, and about one-third of adults use a multivitamin and mineral supplement regularly. Many take other supplements, which is causing health experts to consider the potentially negative effects of taking too many supplements.

Sports supplements have become popular among young people and students, especially guys who are trying to gain muscle mass.

This includes drinking protein or creatine drinks to reduce recovery time, which allows for more longer workouts.

Sports nutrition supplements are the second most popular supplements consumed after multivitamins, according to ivillage.com. 

For athletes, supplements can be helpful for quick fueling for sporting events, but more and more people are taking these supplements to enhance their daily workouts.

Many sports supplements are advertised in sports like football or the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), which serves as a contributing factor to the growing trend of men trying to look buff and gain muscle.

“Published reports suggest that approximately 25 percent of professional baseball players and up to 50 percent of professional football players consume creatine supplements,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“According to a survey of high school athletes, creatine use is common among football players, wrestlers, hockey players, gymnasts and lacrosse players,” the Mayo Clinic said. In 1998, the creatine market in the United States was estimated at $200 million.

In 2000, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) banned colleges from distributing creatine to their players.”

However, creatine remains one of the most popular sports supplements for young males.

“Creatine is naturally synthesized in the human body from amino acids primarily in the kidney and liver and transported in the blood for use by muscles. Approximately 95 percent of the body’s total creatine content is located in skeletal muscle,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

Though it is made naturally in the body, those taking creatine need to be careful about how much they are consuming and keep consumption at safe levels.

“Use of creatine is particularly popular among adolescent athletes who are reported to take doses that are not consistent with scientific evidence and to frequently exceed recommended loading and maintenance doses.”

So students should consult a dietician before starting any sort of regimen to make sure they are taking a healthy dosage. This can be hard when many magazines endorse taking extra protein or muscle building options.

“Everyone—not just muscle heads—can benefit from the quick hit of amino acids provided by a protein supplement, bar or shake. Your best bet is a fast-absorbing, high-quality kind like whey protein powder derived from milk,” according to menshealth.com

However, there are risks to taking some supplements and many believe that sports nutrition products aren’t truly necessary and that the same training results, like muscle recovery, can be achieved by eating a variety of foods.

“There can be both benefits and risks to taking supplements. If you buy a good quality multivitamin and fish oil supplement from your local health food store, you will have tremendous health benefits,” Lamons said.

“You have to make sure the supplement brands are reputable as some will put binders and fillers in their products that can have harmful effects on the body.”

Lamons also warns against popular energy drinks that students often drink daily. 

“If students are taking too many energy drinks, there can be risks with elevated blood pressure, nervous system dysfunction and adrenal fatigue. There are safer products out on the market that can give similar effects to Red Bull and Monster.”

By eating a wide variety of food and maintaining a healthy diet, much of the same results can be achieved without the risks that are involved with supplements, especially performance supplements.