MuscleDog.com - Connecting you to a better body!

INteresting article..
 
Sports nutrition market driven by non-sporty consumers 
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/content/view/print/306469
By Lorraine Heller, 03-Jun-2010
 
As global sales of sports nutrition products maintain healthy growth rates, one distinct – and unexpected – group of consumers is emerging as the main driver for the market, made up of people who are not necessarily interested in sports.
 
 
Tagged as ‘lifestyle users’ by the market research firm Datamonitor, these consumers are “the last group that was expected to embrace sports nutrition products, but in the last few years they have become a crucial part of the market”.
 
 
The emergence of this relatively new consumer base as a driver for the market is having a knock-on effect on the category as a whole, with a fundamental shift in approach likely to be needed in order to keep up with the changing consumer patterns.
 
 
According to Richard Parker, senior consumer analyst at Datamonitor, sports nutrition consumers can be split into four main groups: bodybuilders, athletes, recreational users (who pursue sport as a hobby) and lifestyle users.
 
Lifestyle users, he said, are not necessarily very athletic, but are choosing to consume sports nutritional products as an initial building block in leading a healthier lifestyle.
 
“People within this group mainly consume sports nutrition products in order to provide a refreshing beverage, a quick meal replacement or simply a healthy snack. Consumers within the group may also use sports nutrition products to provide an energy boost during illness, or even when feeling tired,” said Parker.
 
“Formulating products which cater to their needs is (…) crucial. They want to feel that they are engaging in healthy practices through consumption, so products must be positioned as a great tasting, healthy indulgence.”
 
 
With the market being driven by this new group, the category’s traditional consumers will require more effective, targeted sports nutrition products. They will want to disassociate from these other groups and products, so foods and beverages targeting this market must emphasize highly scientific benefits rather than adopting a ‘suitable for all’ ethos, says Datamonitor.
 
 

What are your thoughts??
 
Do you think non athletes should take sports nutrition supplements??
 
 
i believe taking protein powder used as meal replacements, vitamins ( B, D), glutamine, green tea, zinc, magnesium, fish oil, multi vitamins, herbal vitamins just to name a few are great
 
However non athletes should not take fat burners, energy stimulants (NO explode, super pump) , specific recovery protocols used in post workout shakes ect
 
Non athletes should focus on whole foods and keep their nutrition in check unless advised by a doctor due to medical reason
 
Do you guys consider vitamins sports nutrition??
 

I agree that there are some supplements that are great for normal people to use, especially in the case of meal replacements and whatnot. I think people should avoid energy drinks and things like Gatorade unless they are exercising, otherwise they are adding a bunch of liquid calories to their diets, but things like whey powder and decent bars make for great snacks, much better than chips and soda and candy bars. I think fish oil, vitamin D, and even some supplements like BCAAs can have a lot of benefits for sedentary people. 

depends on what you consider a “non-athlete”. where do you draw the line there? are we talking elite level competitors, or at least people that can qualify as more than an amateur? are weekend warriors who work out a certain number of times a week considered non-athletes?

i agree that there are definitely supplements that even non-athletes can use effectively, just as a health tool. there is a lot of garbage out there, so if you aren’t exercising at all you need to be careful with what you take, even things like whey shakes that might seem “healthy”. but it is all relative. 

Absolutely they should. EVERYONE should take sporst nutrition supplements, even grandpa and grandma’s! Many of them can benefit anyone. Now, maybe they don’t need NO-Xplode, but, I am sure the arginine and energy boost (in lower dosages) wouldn’t be BAD for them! Who knows, the ARGININE could boost their libido anyway. It is a natural way to increase libido for older individuals as well. I know that is an extreme example, but, a lot of older adults do not consume adequate amounts of protein either. Take that into account with a continually decreasing shift of lean body mass as you age and it is a recipe for disaster!

What’s in Energy Boost? I know that there are certain supplements for older people, such as CoQ10, but I don’t know about them taking heavy duty sports supplements. I guess it depends on where you draw the line on what is considered a “sports supplement”. I would say that things like workout drinks have way too much sugar and garbage in them for normal people to be consuming with their lowered metablolisms, but that something like pure whey protein or BCAAs could be helpful. Fish oil is beneficial for everyone, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider it a sports nutrition supplement, although the benefits certainly help in that area as well. It might be a fine line, but I’d say there is definitely some things that aren’t accpetable.

 
I think you all have a point here… It really depends on the individual goals and ingredients used in the supplement…
 
I agree with Gym class that sedentary people should not fill up on sugar filled sports drink, snack bars, and pre workout energy supplements filled with junk… However, i agree with Pete about older adults taking argentine or other “natural accruing essential vitamin/minerals which may help increase daily function and overall health…
 
I don’t think ANYONE should rely of supplements however use it as an aid…. Bottom line whole foods are most important!!
 
Do you guys consider vitamins and minerals sports nutrition???
 

I agree with llulko, I just like to eat good food.  They are called “supplements” for a reason, they are a supplement to food.  I have been shoping at whole foods more often and really trying to eat better all around foods.  Even though there is a lot of liberals that shop there….michael savage would be mad at me, jk.    I do take protien, fish oil, but thats it.  If I wasn’t an athlete I would never take any supps.     llulko what do you take?    where do you shop?  any good places?

I LOVE trader Joes!!! Huge fan!
 
They have great veggies, fruit, grains, chicken, flank steak, frozen veggies, herbs/spices, almond milk, coconut milk, vitamins, hummus and of condiments..
They also have great party foods like pita chips, dips, cheese,
guacamole, and other finger food apps.. they are the biggest hit at the parties woop woop!!
 
 Seriously!!! I love it there… there food is also cheaper the whole foods and some grocery store because they dont have a middle man… I even buy there face soap and lotion, body wash and dish washing detergent… all there products are amazing…
 
 
Hahah they should pay me to shop there for how much i promote them… ALSO!! They are sooooooooo nice and friendly!! I love going their…
 
 
I take:
 
Isopure low carb protein powder
Fish oil
Cla
Multi
Vitamin b12
Vitamin c
Xtend bcaa
And some times digestive enzymes…
 
 
I guess that’s alot of stuff but i don’t rely on it… i don’t take pre or post workout supplements, creatine or any junked up products… Mostly extra vitamins…
 
What do you take Jon??

I agree 100$ Jon. If I was a non-athlete I would take any supplements. I might take some pre-workout supps just to get cracked outta my mind (caffeine/beta alanine tingling feeling). Haha I am just being honest! That feeling is awesome.

what are some definite supplements athletes should take?

If you are a competitive athlete or a fitness buff then you are qualified to take supplements, anybody is really. Supplements are the foundation for a heathly body, along with good eating habits, sleep and overall taking good care of ones self. I am a strong believer in that you traeat your body as a temple, if you want it to look good, have a strong fooundation, and not fall apart then yuo must take care of it. However, if you do not take care of it then these things cannot happen, and it doesnt matter what kind of temple it is, all temples are the same. Take mine for instance, it took along time and hard work to make it look this good, many people ask me how I look so good and I tell them the same thing all the time. “You have to take care of your body.”
 
The next thing that I would touch on is knowing your supplements, alot of these companies are out to jsut make money, so they will tell you anything to buy there supplements. You must do your homework on your supplement company to ensure that you are getting good quality and legal supplements. Somtimes things are put into supplements and not told about to the consumer and not mentioned on the label that could get that particular athlete banned from his or her competition. This is a very common occurance with supplements and something that should be taken very seriously by not only the athlete but everybody. Remember how our bodies are temples and we dont want anything bad going into them, only the best quality products can go in and out.
 
There have been no studies that I have found on if supplements make you a better athlete or not, however, I have read that they only make performance worse in some cases by giving the athlete false hope using them and having a mental drain come game day when things are not what they expect. I am a believer that some supplements can help keep the body healthy and to keep the immune system strong so that the athlete can continue to stay healthy. This is the main reason why i take supplements, not to get stonger or faster but just to stay healthy so I can go into training and give my best performance everyday. Training is what I believe makes a better athlete, not the supplements. I do feel that supplements allow the athlete to stay healthy to train but training along with a good clean diet and plenty of sleep is what is the true factor to a successful sports career.
 
A couple key points that I strongly believe make the athlete the best athlete he or she can be is making a down time a priority, this can simply be done by finishing all the daily activities a little early so that an athlete can just take a few minutes to themselves and just concentrate on there breathing as well as other mental stressors that may have been weighting on them. Another aspect is ones diet, not only does a diet keep you healthy but it also makes you feel much better over all, especially when competing. A good clean diet can really keep you being you and not let your blood pressure or anything go down or your fat intake go up causing you to go into what I call “zombie mode”. This is where you just coast through the day with out ever really accomplishing anything because of the lack of a healthy diet. Eating often is another good way to keep your hunger at bay, this allows you to take in more food without ever really feeling full throught the day. I am very big on this concept because you never hit that full point when eating and you get to eat more times throughout the day being able to eat a bigger variety of foods, whereas, eating three times a day limits you to what you can eat. Plus I just like to eat so this is the main reason why this is most appelaing to me. When it comes to training you want to always make sure that you are training harder and smarter so that you can keep progressing on the lifts and so that you do not overwork yourself and get burned out or even worse get hurt. That is one key aspect I feel most people dont do, one is to train as hard as they need to and train as smart as they need to either. Sometimes at the gym ill see guys go straight to 225lbs on the bench press for a warm up, and when asking what there best bench is they reply “315lbs.” How in the world are you going to take that much weight as a warm up when your bench press max is not much higher then it. Maybe that is why they have been hitting the same numbers they have been hitting for the past two or three years that I have seen them training at the gym. The other thing is people are deffinitly not training as hard as they can and this is probably the biggest reasons people dont get better. It’s so frustrating to see people think they are working hard when they are not, then I show them what they should be squatting and how it should feel and then they get scared like they just died or something. This is the biggest surprise to me when you actually show them what hard work looks and feels like and then they don’t want to do what you show them. These are the main things I believe to becomeing a good weightlifter, hope this posts helps everyone, stay healthy and train hard.  

 
MAX!! WOW! Is pretty much all i have to say… well actually I have a lot to say lol all agreeing with you!!
 
You hit the nail with this post!  You touched upon many important topics.
 
People should NOT rely on supplements… I think supplements should be used just to keep you healthy and recovered…
 
Definitely having some down time and focusing on your mental health is a MUST! You can’t just have a great “body” and be successful… You have to have all mind body and sprit within a happy medium.
 
I agree with you that most people don’t train smart… you can’t just go into the gym and go balls to the wall and expect results… You need proper nutrition, rest, recovery and a good workout routine/plan.
 
Most people are freakin lazy and don’t know what training HARD actually is… I was in the gym today and some guy “who always bother me” says… “wow you are so focused” because i had my serious face on lol… I just nodded and left it at that… I watched him for one hour… kid you not! He did 3 sets of bench press… for the next 50 minutes he socialized with people… DUDE it was 5 in the morning?? REALLY? I would never wake up that early to do 3 sets of a shit bench press workout.
 
Thanks for sharing your post… you really summed up what a good athlete should be and the down falls they may encounter!
 
The supplements and vitamin i take are really just to keep me healthy and i actually enjoy eating my protein whey pudding… I know whole food is better but it’s my treat!! I don’t play around with caffeine pills. Diet pills, pre workout supplements, creatine ect… I try to keep it really basic…
 
And great point about doing your research on supplement companies… I work in the industry and i see sooo many companies junk up their products with crap and keep it a secret… these companies are getting sued left and right… 
 

Supplements can be great for any athlete but should not be something they need. Having a balanced diet should cover an athetes needs across the board. Supplements should be used as a secondary measure to make sure you are getting the proper amount you need. There are many different types of supplements with a wide range of things they cover.
But there are a lot of good reasons people should take supplements these days.
Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in
important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the
same mineral deficiencies.
Current commercial agriculture techniques leave soil deficient in
important minerals, causing the food grown in this soil to share the
same mineral deficiencies

Current commercial agriculture
techniques leave soil deficient in important minerals, causing the food grown
in this soil to share the same mineral deficiencies.
Many
foods are shipped long distances and are stored for long periods of time, both
of which cause the depletion of vitamins in these foods, including the
important B-complex and C vitamins.
Food
processing, cooking, and preserving leads to nutrient depletion in our food
supply that makes it difficult to obtain adequate nutrition from foods alone.

Many fruits and vegetables are genetically bred to improve
visual appeal and crop yields, not nutritional value, which frequently results
in lesser nutritional values than our ancestors’ food supply.

Erratic eating habits, insufficient
chewing of food, eating on the run, and stress contribute to poor digestion, making it
difficult for our bodies to extract all the nutrients it needs from food.
Pharmaceutical drug use has
escalated over time.  Most medications deplete essential nutrients, making
people more vulnerable to deficiencies.
Specific times in life and health
conditions may result in higher needs of certain nutrients.  For example,
folic acid needs tend to be higher during pregnancy, while menopausal women may
be vulnerable to calcium deficiencies.
Increasing levels of
environmental pollution in our air, water and food may cause our bodies to use
more nutrients than normal to detoxify and eliminate harmful substances. 
This is especially true of the antioxidant vitamins, some of which include: the
“ACE Vitamins:” Vitamins A, C, and E.
We all have genetic weaknesses,
including higher needs of some nutrients, higher rates of depletion for certain
nutrients, and an increased likelihood of genetic expression of some illnesses
if vitamin or mineral deficiencies are present.
Many nutrients have been proven
to prevent or aid in the treatment of health conditions like high cholesterol,
arthritis, birth defects, and cancer.  Check out my articles on the vitamins and minerls that help prevent
cancer.

Rob… great post by posted by Michelle Schoffro Cook
 
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-take-nutritional-supplements.html
 
These are some interesting facts that people should be aware of… thanks
 
It really demonstrates the importance of vitamins and supplements… we think we are getting them all from our food however we don’t realize how much is not be absorbed due to all the other circumstances Michelle has written
 

Ya we just went over them in my health and wellness class the other day. One of my few class i actually learn something important. Its kind of nice to learn something i can use.

hahah so true!! but the again you are interested in it so you will retain the info and you will USE IT!!!

Ya im not a big fan of school so to find a class i enjoy is really nice. Health is such a big issue in the united states these days so its nice to have classes to teach you all about it.

i think they should focus more on health classes in high schools and teach healthy nutition and fitness..
 
the problem is the health teachers dont even know all the details lol
 
i student taught hhigh school gym/health classes and the students LOVED learning abotu healthy food alternative.. the teacher even asked if he can use my powerpoint her is future classes

I think there could be some confusion on what is considered supplements as well. There is NO doubt that certain supplements DO boost performance! There has been YEARS of scientific research done from major universities and doctors that prove this. And, well respected universities and doctors at that. Caffeine, for example, is of the simplest supplements, yet, one of the most effective. There is a reason it IS banned by the World Anti Doping Association (WADA), and the United States Anti Doping Association (USADA). It is banned in CERTAIN amounts, which is like 25 cups of coffee in one sitting haha. So, no athlete usually has to worry about it. But, that is my point. Something that simple really DOES help.
-
Other things such as creatine work as well. Sure, you CAN get it from food, but, most athletes do NOT get enough from food. Not enough to a point where they will see a boost in their performance. That is what athletes should be looking for! Most people also don’t eat enough fish (so they need more fish oil). When you are an athlete you must proceed forward with the supplements that have been PROVEN to work, over time, with no side effects. Those should be the main staple of any athletes supplement regimen.