Personal Fitness Professional - March 2008 - (Page 11) warning label. You might even hold it side-by-side with the ephedrine product. Here’s what you’ll find: The public is confused, the marketplace is competitive and, whether they call themselves drug sellers or supplement marketers, there are huge entities with deep pockets willing to market aggressively, often in violation of the FTC regulations — and the victims are those people who need your help but might be looking for solutions in all the wrong places. A Glance Forward I’ve had callers call my radio show, asking about the safety of proprietary amino-acid injections they receive in Mexico. I’ve met thousands of people who buy their gray market drugs on the Internet, prescription-free. A new procedure is being promoted in spas claiming to be better than liposuction; it involves the injection of phosphatidylcholine into “trouble areas” to dissolve fat cells. There hasn’t been enough study on this procedure to determine whether the dissolving of cell membranes may be indiscriminate, nor has anyone answered the question of where the fat goes and how its purported release might impact biochemistry in the long term. The questions of safety and efficacy have not been answered in any peer-reviewed research. Growth hormone and HCG injections are being touted as anti-aging solutions, and again, the questions far outweigh the answers — we fitness professionals have an opportunity to steer people along better, safer, healthier paths. My Suggestion Whenever you record health histories, don’t ask whether the client takes any medications. Ask the question assumptively: “What medications are you taking?” Don’t mistake the word “none” for an honest response. Ask the question at least three times. Once the list begins, it grows and grows. Do the same for supplements. After the list is complete, go back and ask the client what each compound is intended to do and what they know about it. Befriend a PDR (I have found it to be a worthwhile purchase), and gain an open line to a pharmacist. If you’re ever uncertain of the risk or contraindications of a prescribed medication, speak to the client’s physician, and get clearance before designing a program. The special herbal formulation containing 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, L-tyrosine, 5-HTP, valerian root, dandelion root and an herbal laxative may not be all that much different than the absurd scenario I provided at the opening. Some might suggest I’m being overly concerned, but I’ve seen my share of deaths and injuries related to prescribed drugs and improper use or abuse of stimulant compounds. I also feel a responsibility to help my clients gain clarity, and I feel a complete understanding of their habits and choices provides me greater power to facilitate the results they seek. I sincerely hope you feel the same. Phil Kaplan is the author of Personal Training Profits and a Secure Fitness Future and the e-program, Change Your Mind, Change the World. Respond to Phil’s arguments by email at phil@philkaplan.com, or visit philkaplan.com for more info. ● MARCH2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM 27 11 http://philkaplan.com http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM
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