what are the side-effects and disadvantages of using supplements for body building?
441863
It depends on which supplements you're using to determine the side effects.  Generally, they're pretty safe to use, although the best way to get nutrition in terms of body building is to eat natural protein.  Just be careful to follow directions on the supplements and not overdose.  Also, if your muscles get to big for your bodyframe, you will risk injuring your tendons and ligaments since they also need to adapt to growing muscles.
538490
Because if you want to get big and strong, taking protein powder may be supplemental on the daily basis. \n\nMany bodybuilders out there will make sure they get enough of protein powder to beef up their bodies through strenuous weight training and exercise. \n\nNot just for Bodybuilders, though, average joes like you and I can take it to promote healthful benefits such as boosting our immune system, speeding up recuperation of wounds and sores from injury. Above all, our body needs protein to maintain our muscle tone; similar to the need for drinking water everyday.\n\nSo Starting your day with protein powder provides a beneficial means of health throughout the rest of the day!
312970
There are no scietific references to dietary supplements.\nPay no attention to all this quackery.\nUse reliable medical/scientific advice:
1008193
i mainly see it as a supplement for working out.  it's safe for working out so i don't see why it would be a problem for runners.  the main side effects are that it gives you the sh*ts. =]  but not all people get this problem.
38446
The only thing that gets larger when you take those "natural enhancement supplements" is the bank account of the company selling them to you.\n\nThose companies prey upon a guy's common fear of inadequacy and promote it for their own benefit.
814983
lean meats,vegetables, something to help build muscle mass...vitamins and supplment pills. Limit carbs...only good carbs..oats,wheats,etc. bad carbs....fatty food
346539
Creatine will DEFINITELY have adverse effects, can counter benefits or medication and cause lethargic mood!\n\nshould always consult prescribing Physician before adding ant type of nutrient, supplements even herbals!
220426
it comes from natural sources. it is natural and good for your health. synthetic vitamins have side effects.
1164911
Hi Brad.  This is not a simple question because there are many issues involved.\n\n1) Many studies have shown that the amount of vitamin/mineral listed on the label of a supplement is NOT what is actually in the bottle.  At the present time, you have no way of knowing the 'actual' content of a purchased supplement.  You can only 'hope' the label reflects the actual level of ingredients.\n\n2) Storage, processing, age, etc. of supplements can affect their potency.  Again you have no way of knowing about these issues for a given brand.  For example, is the cheap brand of vitamin C cheap because the company purchases a huge lot of it from the manufacturer (to get a 'good price') and has been storing it in a hot warehouse in Texas for the last two years?  Age and heat damage many vitamins.\n\n3)  Many cheaper supplements contain sugars, preservatives, colorings, etc. that just are not 'appropriate' chemicals in a quality supplement.\n\n4) Medical studies have shown that the cheaper forms of minerals found in most supplements (such as: zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, etc.) may not even be absorbed.  The more expensive, quality supplements will contain amino acid 'chelates' of minerals that have been proven to be better absorbed (such as: magnesium citrate, or glycinate, or gluconate or malate, etc.)\n\n5) You can purchase a new car for less than $10K or you can purchase a new car for $30k or more.  Quality always costs more, and it is often worth paying for it, especially where your health is concerned.\n\n6) Vitamin E in most cheap supplements is the synthetic form called dl-alpha-tocopherol (also called all-racemic alpha-tocopherol).  Real vitamin E is d-alpha-tocopherol - plus 7 additional forms (called vitamers).  The real stuff has benefits the synthetic form lacks and some studies even suggest the synthetic form interferes with the body's processing of the other, good forms, of vitamin E.  Any supplement with the 'dl' form of vitamin E is 'the cheap stuff', should be avoided and is a sign that the manufacturer doesn't care about the true quality of their product.\n\n7)  Avoid any product that does not list the exact form of each vitamin or mineral.  Products that just say "Vitamin E" or "Calcium" are hiding the fact that they are using the cheapest ingredients, which again may not be the best.  It makes me wonder 'what else are they hiding?'.\n\nHope this was helpful.  Talk to the people at your health food store.  They are there to help you.  Expect to pay about $1 per day for a quality multi-vitamin/mineral supplement ($30 for a one month supply).  In April 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended the use of vitamin supplements for all adults because it may help reduce the risks for many common diseases (heart disease, cancer, brain degeneration, cataracts, etc.).  Invest in your health by purchasing a supplement that works!\n\nHope this wasn't too long, and therefore was helpful for you.  Best wishes.
173598
Take 5-10 grams per day, but you should really be working out while you are taking it. If you aren't working out, it really won't help you. You don't necessarily need to use other supplements with it, but HMB (Hydroxy Methylbutyrate Monohydrate) works well. This compound helps aid in recovery from your workout because it suppresses the breakdown of protein.
457328
You may be missing some information here. Body building, when done naturally, is a healthy endeavour and should not decrease your sexual abilities. The only exception would be if you were so huge that you were limited in what you could do in bed.\n\nPeople who take steroids will lose some, if not all, of their reproductive functions over time. Since a lot of body builders use steroids there is a general misconception that body builders suffer in the bedroom. Stay away from chemicals that mess with your body's hormones and you'll be okay.
243433
I take ZMA, Tribulus Terrestris and Themo Dynamx and have had no side effects thus far. If you want a professional opinion I suggest you contact Todd Ganci, his link is below. I had the chance to meet him three weeks ago, he is extremely knowledgeable in nutrition and has a respectable reputations. Here are both of his websites.
426381
If you mean anabolic steriods... they're bad.  Lots of side effects.  Don't go there.\n\n\nIf you want to gain weight/muscle mass, then you need to eat more calories than you burn.  Eat healthy food with lots of nutrients, and try to do strength training as well. Don't forget to develop your cardiovascular endurance, flexibiliy and such as well, so that you stay healthy overall.  Supplements and stuff aren't always the best answer.
465424
It depends.  If your diet is deficient in B vitamins then a B12 supplement will boost your energy levels.  If you already get enough from your diet then the vitamin supplement will have no effect.  Personally, I find that a B vitamin taken 30 minutes before my morning workout gives me an energy boost.
1159328
Forget supplements. Increase your caloric intake and eat more carbs(fruits: oranges,melons, apples; rice etc) and proteins with different amino acid content-make sure you get all of the eight essential amino acids in your food. Proteins(beans, meats, pulses etc) serve in muscle recovery after a work out., while carbohydrates are the body's main source of fuel and will keep you energized throughout your day. You also must eat 4-6 times daily in appropriate portions to optimize your metabolism. This way you are assured that what you are ingesting is more or less safe for your body. A lot of supplements have been marketed as being safe for the body and then later on found to have very harmful side effects. An example of such would be creatine.
1003568
11\n\nDisclaimer:\n\nReading this answer may cause side effects such as cracked teeth, severe cramping, abnormal hair growth, sinus infection, forking of the tongue, and broken fingernails.
370844
Anabolic steriods offer various advantages.  It depends on which one you are using.  They can make you stronger, bigger (adding muscle mass), leaner, etc.  Those are the advantages.  That's what you asked for.  \n\nThere are more disadvantages to using anabolic steriods than advantages.