Health & Lifestyle

The ‘healthy’ supplements NOT to take if you want to lose weight – including one that could make you gain 4.5 POUNDS IN ONE WEEK

  • Creatine causes fluid retention and most protein powders are packed with sugar
  • Protein supplements are largely unnecessary – and usually result in unwanted weight gain, say experts
  • READ MORE:  Do most popular supplements work or are they a waste of money?

Are you busting your gut at the gym every week and eating better than ever, only to see that the numbers on the scales keep increasing? 

The ‘healthy’ supplements you’re taking to boost your results could be to blame. 

Speaking to DailyMail.com, diet experts have warned that many popular powders and potions, said to make muscles stronger and resilient, are in fact making gym-goers pile on unwanted, excess pounds.  

The main culprits are the amino acid creatine – which can be taken in capsule or powder form – and protein shakes. 

‘If you look at protein powders and shakes, there’s so much added sugar, fat and calories,’ says Dr Shauna Levy, an expert in obesity medicine at Tulane University.

But large quantities of other, seemingly virtuous supplements, such as Vitamin A, can also result in a shock result on the scales.

People taking dietary supplements billed as 'healthy' can be discouraged and frustrated to see the numbers tick up on the scale

People taking dietary supplements billed as ‘healthy’ can be discouraged and frustrated to see the numbers tick up on the scale

Taking some of these products everyday could result in weight gain of up to 4lbs a week.

In the case of two of these waist-expanding supplements, the problem is water retention which, although resolves on its own within a few weeks, can spark intial shock in those expecting weight to fall off.

Dietary supplements make up an industry work more than $160 billion and nearly four-in-five Americans take supplements daily to help with a range of ailments, from stress, brittle bones and insomnia. 

Creatine is a substance made naturally by the body that’s said to help muscle growth and strength. Creatine supplements seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years, with reported annual sales in the US alone climbing from $50 million in 1996 to more than $400 million in 2017.

Supplements like protein powders are sometimes loaded up with sugar and artificial flavoring, which, if not combined with a strict workout regimen, will cause a calorie surplus

Supplements like protein powders are sometimes loaded up with sugar and artificial flavoring, which, if not combined with a strict workout regimen, will cause a calorie surplus

The top-sellers say their products support muscle mass gain, increase strength and power, enhance endurance, and improve overall sports performance. But few if any include a disclaimer about the likelihood of putting on a few pounds during the first week. 

In fact, creatine draws water into muscle cells, causing bloating or puffiness around your arms, legs, or abdomen.

 The result can be an addition two to 4.5 lbs of water weight, which typically resolves itself in a couple of days, according to studies.

Grant Tinsley, a professor of  a professor of body composition at Texas Tech University, said, ‘some people’ experience a ‘small amount of weight gain when taking creatine’.

‘While this effect has been observed in multiple studies, not all individuals or groups experience this,’ he told mindbodygreen. 

Protein powders can be a help to gym aficionados looking to gain lean muscle mass. But having too much  can lead to a surplus of calories. This, if not coupled with a  workout regimen to expend that energy, will cause someone to pack on the pounds.

Some of the most popular protein powders on the market, including those derived from milk (whey) or plants (pea, rice, potatoes, hemp, soy) include added sugars and artificial flavors and thickeners, making some as calorific as a milkshake.
      

‘People think they’re doing good because it’ll say 30 grams of protein, but what are the other contents?’ says Dr Levy.

And vitamin A has been tied, at least in rats, to higher weight when coupled with an unhealthy diet.

A 2019 study published in the journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology found that rats consuming excess vitamin A and high fat diet had higher body weight, liver mass, and fat mass, indicating that vitamin A played a role in driving obesity among the rats.

More research is needed into the effects of vitamin A, especially a daily dose beyond 3,000 micrograms,experts say. But excess vitamin A has also been linked to other health issues such as osteoporosis, yellowing of the skin, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Dr Levy said: ‘You don’t really need supplemental anything unless you’re exercising your muscles for more than 45 minutes to an hour everyday – but you can get most of that through your diet.’


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