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Easy to acquire Another concern among doctors is the ready availability of nutritional supplements and sports enhancers. A brief search on the Internet turns up scores of websites selling them. Even more misleading is their easy availability at chain drug and vitamin stores. Dr. Appel points out that diet aids and stimulants are found in over-the-counter products such as TrimSpa, Stackers, Metabolift, and Dexatrim, among others. Since they are sold over-the-counter and often claim to be “natural,” a misconception is fostered, leading kids to believe that the chemicals within them are harmless. Another difficulty Dr. Engelland notes is that even though doctors “know nutritional supplement use is out there, it’s hard to get kids to admit it.” While each says they do not use supplements themselves, both Ann Connors and Steve Rinaldo, who plays football at Valhalla High School, speak to what they see as the silence around the use of nutritional supplements and other sports enhancers. Connors claims there is a lot of “hush-hush” about the issue, and Rinaldo admits that as far as fellow students’ use goes: “I try not to know.” Connors perceives supplement use in the context of a larger problem. She says that “a lot of kids are forced to play a sport. When someone doesn’t want to play, they can feel like ‘I’m not good enough,’ and use supplements to help.” Dr. Engelland sees the issue as a cultural phenomenon: “There’s a belief in our culture that we should take a pill to make our health better, so it’s not illogical for teenagers to think if they take a pill, it will enhance their body.” She points out that the American Academy of Pediatrics has never endorsed even the use of vitamins. Dr. Engelland believes that supplement use is a manifestation of what she calls “a kind of cultural body-image disorder,” explaining: “A lot of kids feel inadequate. Boys’ use of supplements is equivalent to girls’ eating disorders. They feel as if their performance defines them, in the same way a girl feels that her body size and shape define her.”
Advice for parents For parents who suspect that their son or daughter may be taking dietary supplements, Dr. Appel says it is important to ask the child, but emphasizes: “Don’t accuse him and don’t be too confrontational.” Dr. Metzl suggests that part of the solution to supplement use is to emphasize ways to improve sports performance without compromising integrity. In his book, The Young Athlete, he asserts: “There is no personal satisfaction or growth from winning by cheating — by having a chemical do the work instead of your own effort.” Instead of simply telling teenagers not to rely on supplements, he explains, “It’s important to give them an alternative, constructive route to their goals.” Dr. Metzl’s lessons are not lost on many Westchester athletes. When asked if he would consider taking a performance enhancer, Brian Koizim shrugged, saying, “Some guys are trying to get that ‘edge’. But I think it’s better for me to eat 10 steaks than to try experimenting with stuff like creatine.” Perhaps Koizim’s awareness comes from the efforts of coaches like Bob Drysdale, who coaches football and track at Valhalla High School, and who takes precautions against nutritional supplements and sports enhancers. Drysdale says: “We talk about prevention and the negative effects of steroids with our athletes every year.” His recommendation for improvement starts with a holistic workout plan, which includes good diet and exercise, because, he says, “You wouldn’t believe how many teenagers eat a couple bags of chips and a candy bar for lunch.” Dr. Metzl says that good habits must start early: “Strength training — not power training — can begin as early as eight years old, as long as it is supervised and healthy goals are well supported.” Melinda Swope, the fitness director of the YWCA of White Plains, emphasizes the necessity of finding a sport a teenager enjoys: “Make exercise fun. Then kids will look forward to it.”
Pointers for Parents Before you give your child a dietary supplement, be aware of the following: — Many dietary supplements, especially herbal products, have not been tested in kids to determine their safety or effectiveness. — Dietary supplements in this country are not held to any set of federal standards for quality or purity. — Your best advisor is your child’s pediatrician or another health care provider. Be sure to check with them before starting your child on a supplement. And keep them informed of your child’s continuing use of the product. — Supplements advertised as “natural” are not necessarily safe. In fact, herbs, like other so-called natural products, can have powerful drug-like effects. Some of these effects can be especially risky for people who take other medicines or have certain medical conditions. — Fraudulent promoters often fall back on the same claims to trick consumers into buying their products. Tip-offs that they’re trying to fool you are: o Claims that the product is a “scientific breakthrough”, “miraculous cure”, “exclusive product”, “secret ingredient”, or “ancient remedy”. Says Howard Beales, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection: “Ask yourself, ‘If a product is so amazing, why would I be reading about it for the first time in an ad?’” o Claims that the product is a quick and effective cure for a wide range of ailments. o Claims that use medical terms that sound impressive. This ploy is an attempt to cover up a lack of good science. o Claims that the government, medical profession and health care industry are in a conspiracy to suppress the advertised product. o Undocumented case histories of people who’ve had supposedly amazing results. o Claims that the product is available from only one source, and payment is required in advance. o Claims of a “money-back guarantee”. Source: Federal Trade Commission website: www.ftc.gov.
