Safety of gym supplements

Safety of gym supplements

By Zaid Aboobacker

KUWAIT: The dietary supplement industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by the increasing number of young people engaging in fitness activities. Popular supplements like creatine, pre-workout and protein powder have gained immense popularity. However, it’s important to acknowledge the dark side of this industry, where some supplement manufacturers have been caught engaging in deceptive practices. Numerous protein supplement manufacturers have been exposed for providing false information about the sodium content in their products.

A study conducted by Labdoor revealed that over 90 percent of the protein supplements they tested contained excessive amounts of sodium. Additionally, some companies inflate their amino acid counts by adding low-grade amino acids like taurine and glycine, which are not effective in stimulating muscle protein synthesis. This misleads consumers. In Kuwait, there have been instances of small gyms producing their own protein powder and other supplements underground. These products may not be registered with the ministry of health, and there is a lack of regulation for online purchases.

Dr. Mohammed, a pharmacist with 20 years of experience in Kuwait, highlights this issue. Furthermore, the FDA places the responsibility on manufacturers to assess the accuracy of product labels and safety. Similar concerns emerged from