Do you use supplements? Ever wonder if they’re really working or not? In this article, I’ll list a few supplements that are pretty useless, or at least heavily overhyped. Some supplements have been proven many times over, that they’re just not that exciting anymore. For example, some of the best researched and proven supplements are vitamin C, B complex, creatine, caffeine and others. These have hundreds, if not thousands of studies, spanning decades, backing up their efficacy. Others: not so much.
Original post: here.
Hopefully by the end of this article, you’ll be able to steer clear of some supplements, and maybe save a few bucks on them.
Green Coffee Bean Extract
This one rose in popularity very quickly when a popular TV show promoted this as a weight loss supplement.
The “science” goes like this: regular coffee beans contain chlorogenic acid, which helps you slow down the release of glucose after a meal. However, during the roasting process, the chlorogenic acid is destroyed. But the chlorogenic acid in green coffee beans is intact.
That’s nice and all, but we forget one important factor… LOTS of things help slow the release of glucose after a meal. Fibre, fat, protein, and more.
Furthermore, there is only one study showing the efficacy of green coffee bean extract. And that study was retracted.
In science, to get really excited about something, many studies are needed, the results need to be replicated, and they need to be studied in different populations.
Fibre
What??? Fibre? Really? Overhyped?
I want to clarify this one. It’s not really overhyped. But it is VERY misused.
What do we know about fibre? Mostly that it’s good for your digestive system. It helps keep you regular, and prevent constipation. So we assume that if it helps prevent constipation, it must also be good for treating constipation. But you have to back up before you make that assumption. Get it? Back up? Pun most definitely intended.
If you’re already constipated, fibre is not the way to go. For some people, it will help, but for the majority, it will actually make the constipation worse. Why? Because fibre adds bulk to the stool. But if the stool isn’t coming out, and you add bulk to it, that’s pretty crappy. Haha I’m full of puns today.
One major study concluded that “Idiopathic constipation and its associated symptoms can be effectively reduced by stopping or even lowering the intake of dietary fiber.”
Garcinia Cambogia
Garcinia cambogia is a herb that is supposed to inhibit the accumulation of fat. There’s some evidence behind it, but not enough to get excited about. And even so, the evidence is mixed. One study that looked at 130 people taking garcinia cambogia found no difference in their weight or body fat compared to people who took a placebo. But another meta-analysis found a loss of about 2 pounds over several weeks.
However, there are some rumblings about some potential side effects with garcinia cambogia (notably, liver damage), so watch out.
These are 3 very overhyped nutritional supplements. About 3 years ago, Sol Orwell, of examine.com wrote a guest post, titled “The Three Most Overhyped Nutritional Supplements.” You can check it out here. It covers testosterone boosters, glutamine, and glucosamine.