Supplemental Information

Back home I belonged to a a community centre gym run by my city (New Westminster). Here in Adelaide, I live in the downtown core, known as the CBD (Central Business District) and no such thing exists. My choices here were several private gyms, or the University gym. I chose to go with the University gym as I dislike high pressure sales and a concept of health as more of a business than a service.

The biggest difference I've noticed between University gyms here and back home is the sale of supplement products. When I enter the gym, I am bombarded with posters, life-size cut outs and counters full of products to buy. For the most part it has been protein powder, protein bars, and other various protein snacks. I am not a fan of being bombarded with supplements while working out, or the culture of sales being as important as exercise within the gym, but being that protein powders can be beneficial for some, and of little danger to anyone, I didn't let it overly bother me.

However, last week I came to find this poster plastered all over the gym.

This poster, features extremely fit and likely photo shopped models, accompanied by the slogan "MAKE YOUR FAT CRY.". It offers a product called Hydroxyburn at a discounted price, alongside a free t-shirt give away. But what is Hydroxyburn?

Hydroxyburn Pro Clinical - This breakthrough formula simultaneously triggers extreme muscle growth while activating a powerful fat stripping reaction. Body Science HydroxyBurn Pro Clinical combines various "get ripped" compounds including Carnitine, Phaseolus vulgaris, Hydroxy citric acid, Guarana, Green tea extract, Chromium picolinate, choline, Inositol and Vitamins & Minerals, for the most powerful, extreme fat burning "all in one" revolutionary ripped formula! Compare the fat burners in this formula.  (Description from the BSc Body Science Website)

In essence, it is a fat burner that promises to strip fat and trigger muscle growth. Sound innocuous enough, right? And a University gym wouldn't sell it if it wasn't safe, right?

In fact, Hydroxyburn (and other prorodcuts with Hydrox in their name) have been banned by the IOC (International Olympic Commitee) and other international organizations.

I was quite concerned about this advertisement due to its place on the banned substances list, and many of the selling tactics employed by the poster; I began asking gym staff what they thought of it. Most of the trainers had no issue with the poster, and though there was one who had concerns, they didn't feel that they had any input over the marketing strategies of the gym.

I felt very strongly that this poster should not be in a University gym, so I emailed the General Manager of the gym to discuss my concerns. I received a reply stating that he agreed that the posters were not an appropriate representation of their gym, and that they would be altering them. However, he went on to state that this was a perfectly safe and natural product, and saw no issue with it being for sale.

At this point I felt compelled to speak to the assumption that products labeled as "natural" are safe. Because supplements are not considered food, there are little to no laws that regulate their marketing, meaning that any company can call their product natural, it means nothing. Because of these loose government regulations, the label "natural" lulls consumers into a sense that this product must be safe. Let's unpack the "naturalness" of this product. Here is the ingredient list:

Body Science BSc Hydroxy Burn Pro Clinical Ingredients:

BSc Proprietary Protein Blend, [Whey Protein Concentrate, Glutamine Peptides, Non-fat Milk Solid, Glycine Max Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate, Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)], BSc Proprietary Vitamin Mix (Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate Tribasic, Ascorbic Acid, Ferric Pyrophosphate, Vitamin E, Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacinamide, Vitamin A Acetate, Copper Sulphate Anhydrous, Calcium D-Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B12, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Chromium Chloride, Sodium Molybdate, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite, Biotin), Flavours, Vegetable Fat, Glycine, Thickeners (Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum), Psyllim Husk, Sweetener (Sucralose), L-Carnitine, Green Tea Extract, African Mango Extract, Sodium Chloride, Solathin (Potato Protein Extract), Milk Protein Hydrolysate, Green Coffee Bean Extract, White Willow Bark Extract, Citrus Aurantium, Blood Orange Fruit Powder, Guarana Extract, Coleus Forskohlii, L-Glutamine, Red Grape Whole Fruit Powder, Bromelain, Oats, Capsicum Annuum, Passionflower, Panax Ginseng, Celery Seed, Dandelion Root, Horsetail

 
You can see how this product is far from anything in its natural state. It contains many questionable substances, such as ferric pyrophosphate, which is banned completely in the European Union (a geographic and political area that employs strict regulations for food and supplements)

The General Manager disagreed with me however, and this product is continues to be sold. They did however make adjustments to the poster which, while it is an improvement, still advertises the product as though it is safe for general use.

I've since talked with several of the trainers and asked then what they think about the new posters and the continued selling of this product. One of the said "I don't see the big deal, these are University students, they should be able to figure out for themselves what is safe to take or not." This comment, is what I see as the exact route of the problem. Governments, organizations, and businesses put all the onus of product use and safety on the consumer, rather than taking responsibility for what is in our food and supplements. I teach in tertiary Health Education, and I can safely say that none of my undergraduate students would be able to read through that ingredient list and know whether those ingredients were safe without a large amount of research. My students are literate and health conscious people, yet they would struggle with this task, so how exactly would the rest of the population fare.

Our society puts the responsibility on the consumer, stating "they should know" or "it's there job to figure it out", but where are people learning about what supplements and food additives are safe to use? Not in primary or secondary schools, not in the workforce, not on television, not in post secondary education (unless they are in select programs such as nutrition) and the internet is full of conflicting information. Is public health not the responsibility of society, not the solely the individual?

I find it extremely frustrating that a University is not taking an active role in putting student and member health before profits, and that they feel they have no responsibility in helping people make safe and educated choices that support their health. Yes, the individual does bear some responsibility in what they buy and use, but how many people would question it if it is being sold within a University by fit and attractive professional trainers and staff?

Sadly, this is just one example of the complete lack of concern and awareness of the existing confusion and miss-education surrounding food and supplement additives. I may not have won the war, but at least I started some awareness of this issue in my gym, and have had some really interesting conversations with staff  about their role in patron's health and how implicit and explicit messages affect the health of their members.