Lab Results Do Not Always Apply To Real Life

Yesterday I was reading an article that my dad gave me to take a look at regarding Quercetin and the debate over its effectiveness.   The article was from the October 11, 2009 edition of the New York Times Magazine and was written by Gretchen Reynolds.

Quercetin is a flavanoid found in vegetables, wine, and the skin of apples (amongst many other foods) that seems to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.  In addition Quercetin has been shown in lab rats to increase mitochondria in the cell, and as a result, the rats are able to run for significantly longer periods of time.  However, it turns out that while lab results show great promise in terms of performance enhancement, real life data in humans seems to show otherwise.  While this does not take away from the fact that Quercetin may provide several benefits to one's health, maybe in the gym there is not much that it can do for you. 

The reason I point this out is because if you browse through a muscle magazine there are countless ads for products that have been "proven" to work.  However, the fact that a product may turn a mouse into Mighty Mouse does not mean that the product will have the same effect on you.  This is something I learned early on from the writings of one of my good friends Will Brink (as he always points out what the lab says vs. what the real world shows) and also from my own Research and Development background of my engineering days.  What applies in the lab does not always apply in the same manner to the real world.      

So before you buy another bodybuilding supplement to enhance your performance in the gym, do your research on the products carefully and make sure that it has been tested in humans as well.  To be honest, only every so often there comes a new product that can really impact your performance in the gym, so my advice to you is to save your money and stick to the basics.  Also, always remember that as the author of the article I mentioned above rightfully said, you "can't expect improved performance to be delivered, without effort, in pill or liquid form." 

Related Bodybuilding Articles:

• What Bodybuilding Supplements Should I Use?
• What Are Some Bodybuilding Supplements That Work, Are Safe And Based On Science?