Why cheap supplements can cost you more

By: Bob Gardener ITEC, Qualified Personal Trainer

Ever been to one of these discount clothing stores? You end up buying all sorts of rubbish just because it was cheap. You probably wouldn't even wear half the clothes you bought and the other half ends up wearing out and getting ruined in a few days.
Why do we do this? Many of us do it time and again. Rather than using logic and buying something we actually need or really like, we end up "wasting" money. That is exactly what it is - a waste. A false economy. A silly moment, unguided and ill thought through.

Why am I telling you this? The other day I was at a friend's house and he had managed to get some 15 different supplements for just under £120. He was very impressed with himself. He said his £120 had gone a long way and he had got himself some real bargains. The supplements were supposed to be as good as the leading brands. Yeah right. I have heard that one before.

Upon closer inspection of his bargains, it transpired that he had bought lots of stuff but yet a whole load of nothing. Silly vitamins, minerals, obscure carbohydrates, cheap whey full of lactose, male hormone boosters that were so cheap even the raw ingredients of what they claim to contain is not that cheap.

What's the point? I said to him. Upon clear reflection he agreed with me. It's a bit like the above mad "cheap clothing" rush. In these harsh times, we are all doing it and it is plain wrong. Yes, it is good to save the hard earned cash and buy cheaper but with certain items, this is a false economy.

A black t-shirt of good quality will last you infinitely longer than one which is half the price and falls apart in a few days. So whilst you may be saving in the short run, in the long run you are no better and possibly worse off.

My friend's ultimate goal was to build a nice body in time for his August vacation. He would have been so much better off had he come to me first or got some decent advice from reputable trainers rather than filling his cabinet with supplements that he will probably never use.

For his £120, he could have bought a good solid protein like LA Whey 2.2 kg and a proven high grade muscle builder like Norateen Heavyweight II. They would have lasted him a month, he wouldn't have had to take 50 pills a day and at the end of the day, not even be sure of what he is taking, why or whether he will see any results. They would have guaranteed him the results he wanted with no uncertainty or side effects.

With certain items, it is good to be wise and substitute higher price for lower. With others, it is simply a false economy. Take LA Whey for example. Yes, it is more premium than most other proteins and you know what? You can take 1/2 or 1/3 of most other cheaper proteins and still get superior results. It is very high quality and you don't need as much. As simple as that.

The same goes for Norateen Heavyweight II. You don't need 5 different weak and cheap male hormone boosters to get results, which you would hardly notice. You only need the one Norateen Heavyweight II product, combined with good, hard & heavy training and a sensible protein & carbohydrate diet.

Get your mind out of cheap and cheerful and remember that in the muscle building and fat loss game, cheap is very often a false economy. You will not get better results by buying 15 supplements with your £120. Buy just 2 proven high grade supplements and you will see real results and be happy with yourself for your decision. Your body will be less burdened and pure and more efficient at producing dynamic, quick results.