People use various supplementary products to get better health and performance with their work out, however, the majority think they would only benefit and ignore the potential side effects. There is no scientific consensus that sports supplements do anything good, and the research that does exist seems to indicate that they do damage. This is because when people take supplementary products, they hope to get bigger, stronger, and healthier--but there is the potential that they might get smaller, weaker, and sicker. This is because users often have not checked those supplements’ potential effects. The several categories of sports supplements--protein powders, pre-workout, testosterone boosters, and steroids--each have their own health risks, all of which can outweigh their potential benefits. For example, people with existing heart conditions might experience a worsening in those conditions if they take steroids or testosterone boosters. Some supplement ingredients are even indicated as harmful in healthy people. Perhaps in view of these risks, or simply in an effort to encourage fair competition, most athletic competitions ban steroids and some other sports supplements: a fact that should definitely warn most people away from them as well. Instead of uncritically consuming supplements, people should be prudent when taking supplementary products because they can severely affect their health.

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Protein powders are one of the most common sports supplements people use for muscle growth. Although people believe that they are primarily safe, the danger still exists. An excessive amount of protein can cause side effects, including weight gain, bad breath, constipation, dehydration, kidney damage, increased risk of cancer, heart disease, and calcium loss (Cronkleton). A 2013 study of protein intake states that excessive protein consumption can lead to significant calcium loss through urine. For long-term effects, it can cause kidney stone formation (“Beware the Risks of Dietary Supplements”). Most of these side effects are caused due to insufficient amounts of water, carbohydrates, and fiber in the human body. 

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While the risks of protein powders are comparatively mild, another category of sports supplement is almost as common--but far more dangerous. Pre-workout supplements are one of the most common sports supplements that people take before a workout for a performance boost, however, they can pose health risks. People often take pre-workout supplements before working out to boost their performance. However, according to Jagim et al. in the journal Nutrients, taking pre-workout supplements can cause “skin reactions, heart abnormalities, and nausea” in “over half (54%)” of subjects. There is also the possibility of side effects such as cramps, headaches, high blood pressure, and chest pain. Furthermore, pre-workout supplements often contain high amounts of caffeine, almost equivalent to four cups of coffee, and “excessive caffeine intake can worsen pre-existing heart [conditions] like arrhythmia, which can lead to cardiac arrest” (“Beware the Risks of Dietary Supplements”). Too much caffeine consumption can cause insomnia, nausea, anxiety, drowsiness, jitteriness, and restlessness. Other ingredients in pre-workout supplements, including sodium bicarbonate, magnesium, and creatine, may lead to digestive upset.

Magnesium, in particular, can cause diarrhea due to having laxative effects when taken in excess. Some pre-workout supplements add citrulline, which causes increased blood flow for enhanced muscle building. However, this ingredient has the side effect of affecting not only the muscles but also the brain, causing headaches and migraines due to changes in blood pressure in the brain’s small blood vessels. Beta-alanine, “an acid that reduces acidity in your muscles during exercise, which may help you sustain your workout for a [longer period],” can cause “paresthesia, a tingling sensation in your hands and feet,” which some people find uncomfortable (Preiato). Niacin is included in many pre-workout supplements for skin-flushing effects. High dosage can trigger blood rush leading to red patches (Preiato). Finally, creatines are included in most pre-workout supplements. These are well-known supplementary products used for their boost in gaining muscles and losing weight and body fat. However, although they are mild, creatines have side effects such as water retention, bloating, weight gain, and digestive issues (Preiato). 

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For the most part, the risks of pre-workout supplements are temporary and manageable, though they may sometimes be more severe. Testosterone boosters, however, tend to cause more lasting damage. This popular category of supplementary products has frequent harmful effects on people, both physically and emotionally. Testosterone boosters are used to increase male sex hormones, which help in working out. However, although the long-term risks of testosterone boosters are not well known, kidney damage and heart disease are possible. Short-term side effects include acne, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and aggressive behavior (“Beware the Risks of Dietary Supplements”). Testosterone boosters contain DHEA, “a hormone that occurs naturally in your body and aids in the production of male and female hormones, including testosterone.” However, DHEA does more than simply improve muscular performance: it also has potential side effects. These include deeper voices, abnormal hair growth, and changes in menstruation in women; and breast pain and breast growth in men. Moreover, DHEA interacts with other drugs and medications. These interactions can “decrease the effectiveness of cancer treatments, including fulvestrant and letrozole” (Malone) and cause the brain to produce an excessive amount of serotonin, which can lead to heart problems and nervousness due to the interaction with antidepressants. Furthermore, DHEA slows down the clotting process, and in combination with medications such as ibuprofen or warfarin, which also slow down the clotting process, DHEA can cause severe problems by increasing bleeding and bruising. Another common ingredient in testosterone boosters is SARMs, which increase users’ risk of heart attack, stroke, and liver damage (Malone). And ironically, excess circulation of testosterone due to the boosters can cause high concentrations of estrogen, leading to gynaecomastia (Martin).

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Steroids, one of the most potent sports supplements, are the most dangerous category of all: in many cases, they are even illegal. Like testosterone boosters, but to a greater extent, they have harmful effects on people both physically and emotionally. Although steroids are categorized as drugs, they do not cause the “high” feeling commonly associated with other illegal drugs. This, however, does not mean they have no effect. The multiple side effects of steroids include “increased irritability, extreme aggression, unreasonable jealousy, mania, impaired judgment, and delusions” (Malone). In addition to these psychological effects, steroids also cause “acne, kidney failure, liver damage, enlarged heart, increased blood pressure, and blood clots” (Malone). Moreover, Malone reported that steroid usage could cause baldness, decreased sperm count, shrinking testicles, and gynecomastia (breast development in men). In women, it can cause excess body hair, facial hair growth, male-pattern baldness, loss of breast growth, swelling of the clitoris, and menstrual cycle change (“Anabolic Steroid Misuse”).

In adolescents, it can cause premature aging of bones and restricted growth since the anabolic steroids accelerate bone growth. Not only the steroid itself but also how it is consumed can cause severe problems. Since anabolic steroids are mostly injected, they have a risk of sharing needles which can damage veins that leads to ulcers (soreness in the stomach) or gangrene (lack of blood flow or severe bacterial infection that leads to death of body tissue), hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection (viruses that damages the liver), and HIV (virus that attacks immune system) transmission (“Anabolic Steroid Misuse”). Additionally, due to steroids’ strong addictive properties, steroid abuse is difficult to stop and can cause a craving for the drug, require more to get the same effect, desire to use continuously although the unpleasant physical side effects, and withdrawal symptoms like depression and apathy, anxiety, difficulty in concentrating, insomnia, anorexia, fatigue, decreased sex drive, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and cravings (Malone).

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Unlike the risks of other supplements, which tend to be subtle enough that they’re not commonly discussed, the negative impacts of steroids tend to be dramatic and visible. This was true in the case of bodybuilder Rich Piana, who was “well known for his openness about steroid and drug use” (von Wildenradt). At just 46 years old, Piana passed away in 2017 due to an unexpected health crisis in which “his steroid and drug use might have played a role” (von Wildenradt). Not only did Piana use steroids and hormones, but he also consumed large amounts of pre-workout--though, according to his girlfriend, he did not drink it as a beverage but snorted it as a powder. Piana, it seems, presents a perfect storm of the health problems sports supplements can cause. While casual users might not incur similar risks, his sad story is still something to be aware of before using these products.

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When people consume supplementary products such as pre-workout supplements, testosterone boosters, and steroids, they often do so without considering the harmful effects on their health and are unaware of the ingredients. These risks may not severely impact everyone, and many supplementary products may be largely safe, but even the mildest untested medical product is still a needless risk. According to abundant research, sports supplements have serious side effects on people, both physically and emotionally. People must cautiously check what supplementary product formulas contain, especially if they are taking other medications since they can go against each other and cause severe danger to their health.

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