Fitness tips
●●IN this instalment of his column, personal trainer Ben Foster tackles the supplements.
Do I need to take supplements?
My personal opinion on taking supplements is that discretion should be given on a individual person to person basis. Rather like exercise and nutrition it comes down to the needs of the person.
But first and foremost advice on exercise and nutrition should have been reviewed and then you can look a supplementing (because the clue is in the name right?). What supplements you use should be health and goal dependant so you are not wasting money with a blanket approach.
For example what a pro athlete may use in their on season will be different to say a gentlemen in his 50s daily routine.
The needs dictate a different approach.
Having said that what research has shown is that one in seven adults has been reported to be deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is proving time and time again to be a vital and can even be seen as a immune system managing hormone. In adults, vitamin D deficiency may result in a softening of the bones known as osteomalacia, whereas some studies have shown that supplementing with vitamin D leads to improved mood. Other areas where Vitamin D supplementation may help are weight loss, epilepsy, lower back pain and tension headaches.
So supplementing is a ‘needs must’ basis and what may seem a waste of money to one person may actually be life changing to another. I have seen a accurate personal supplement protocol change a person’s life before so please reserve judgement until you have all the facts as to why someone may be taking that multi-vitamin and mineral tablet again. »●Ben runs The Locker, a personal training studio in Reddish. To find out more visit facebook.com/ benfostercoach.