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Human Enhancement Through Supplements: Evolution or Regression

Throughout the ages as man has evolved a question that has remained, is it right for man

to alter nature and change it to benefit the human race? While some argue yes and others argue

no, as a race the only way to survive is through evolving and in this day and age it is arguable

that only the strongest survive. With the rate of the advancement in technology and research the

total human life expectancy has risen greatly but certain key factors in the world population has

kept this number from rising even more. In present day society although the human race lives

longer altogether, it is clear to see that the quality of life is not as great which can be seen in

todays statistics. In 2014 the highest cause of death was heart disease, followed by cancer, and

then lower respiratory disease. These diseases however can be linked back to a few main causes

which include obesity, malnutrition and even a sedentary lifestyle. When examining all the data

the real question becomes: With modern day knowledge and technology why do these disease

and simple problems plague us? The answer is simple and is lies mainly in the lack of exercise

each individual exerts every day. However, this is a fixable problem and can be accomplished

through use of supplements along with exercise. Why supplements though, why spend money on

a cocktail of chemicals that the average everyday consumer knows little to nothing about.

However, on the contrary, supplements are the next step in the evolution of the human race that

potential and use have yet to be untapped. Supplements are not only ways to get your daily

recommended values of vitamin A, B, C, and everything in between, but also has many other

beneficial uses. Along with this supplements can also be used for maximizing ones metabolism,

increasing muscle size and strength, and allowing individuals to reach their maximum potential

in terms of health and fitness. Overall supplements are beneficial to all, yet some can be more

beneficial to some rather than others. Supplements can be categorized in three different area
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including: Sports supplements, dietary supplements, and medical supplements which effects

differ and are better for some rather than others.

To begin sports supplements are one of the biggest growing industries currently in the

world and is projected to double in the next six years. Currently sports supplements has earned

$32 billion dollars in revenue as of 2013 and is still expanding its market (Forbes). However, the

reason why is because until of recent years it had not gone mainstream and in saying that means

that it was mainly utilized by gym rats and muscleheads looking to increase muscle size. Now in

the year 2015 it has greatly expanded ranging from youth all the way to adults where

supplements have been one of the mist diverse markets. Sports supplements are different from

medical supplements and dietary supplements for specific reasons. First sport supplements are

used mainly to increase muscle size, strength, and endurance through various modes of usage.

One such supplement is pre-workout which is obviously, given its name, taken before someone

intends to participate in any physical activity in which they think they could use it for. Pre-

workout helps the user feel energized and more willing to participate in physical activity. No

matter the brand of pre-workout, they all contain the same few key ingredients. The major

ingredient and what makes pre-workout pre-workout is caffeine and is a natural stimulant found

in foods such as chocolate and coffee. Caffeine is known to speed up bodily functions which has

a positive effect when taken before physical activity by warming the body up and when paired

with stretching allows one to prepare for working out much faster. Also caffeine naturally

releases endorphins in the brain that prepare the individual to workout giving them a sense of

well-being and happiness that increase efficiency and output of physical exercise. Another sports

supplement includes creatine phosphate. Creatine phosphate is a synthetic chemical blend that

enhances an athletes ability to workout in terms of muscular strength and endurance for a short,
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intense period of time. Chemically creatine phosphate is a chemical that allows the body to

resynthesize the bodys natural reserve of ATP. This is a chemical process known as ATP-ADP

cycle and happens after the usable ATP storage is used by the body due to work. Work is any

entity or object exerting a force which is normally exerted on another object much like a

weightlifter pushes or lifts a weight. When doing work the bodys cell uses a usable energy

source called ATP where an adenosine molecule is attached to three phosphate molecules. When

the cell uses the ATP only one phosphate group is detached and the resulting energy from the

catabolizing of the ATP molecule is used as energy and then becomes ADP, where the adenosine

molecule is attached to only two phosphate groups. Creatine phosphate speeds up the cycle of

resynthesizing of the ADP molecule by dropping its phosphate molecule where it binds to ADP

creating ATP (Rayment). In this aspect it allows the athlete to do more work, allowing the

breakdown of more muscle, giving the athlete more size and allows for the conditioning for the

future use of more energy. Lastly one of the biggest sports supplement if not the biggest is

protein. Protein has a variety of uses but it is labeled as a sports supplement because of its main

use and affiliation. Protein is one of the three macronutrients, the other two being fats and

carbohydrates. Protein is stressed in the sports industry because it is the main nutrient in charge

of muscle recovery. When physical activity is conducted to a certain degree, the muscles that are

being used are damaged and the muscle fibers tear. This is actually a good thing however

because this is what causes muscles to develop and grow, provided the right nutrition. This is

where protein comes in to heal those muscle tears and recover the muscles for further use.

Having said that, protein is emphasized in a good diet, especially in those who partake in a lot of

physical activity, not just athletes or gym rats but people like construction workers or carpenters.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention the average male of 19 70+ years
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should be in taking around 56 grams of protein and for women 19 70+ around 46 grams of

protein (Protein). For active people especially those who do strenuous work these numbers are

much higher. Overall sports supplements have many beneficial uses and effects that range from

increasing the aptitude of working out to recovery and rehabilitation after a workout which in

total maximizes the total health benefit from exercising.

A second supplement that has great implications on todays society as well as increasing

an individuals health are dietary supplements. Dietary supplements come in many forms and are

beneficial to every race, age, and gender around the world. One of the major dietary supplements

that are consumed daily are multivitamins. These can come in many forms from powder to

tablets and are used for one to get their daily allowance of vitamins and minerals that might not

be consumed daily due to an inability to have a diversified diet. An example everyone should

know is Centrum which is one of the most sold multivitamins daily. These vitamins come in

many different varieties from mens, to womans, to even kids daily vitamins. Each of these

types are to satisfy the needs of each of these groups and fulfill recommended daily values of

vitamins and minerals that include but not limited to: Vitamins A, B, D, calcium, iron, and 25

other vitamins and minerals (Whats Inside). With this kind of diversity consumers are targeted

by age and gender which encompasses nearly the entire world population (with exceptions of

infants) which makes multivitamins one of the most popular dietary supplements. Also with the

vitamins and minerals received (on top of the recommended intake of kilocalories) multivitamins

can effectively raise the bodys efficiency to functional physically and mentally by increasing

cell potential on a cellular level. Another dietary supplement that is growing in popularity are

detox drinks. Originally people drank different herbal remedies like tea that cleared out the

individuals digestive system and in turn allowed increase blood flow, nutrient distribution, and
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an increased energy output daily. In saying this detox drinks do through a few step process. First

the consumer takes the detox drink all at once, after the person then fasts for a short period of

time normally a day or so, following this excretion of toxins and processed foods will occur

leaving the body with little to no toxic residue overall increasing the consumers metabolic rate,

increasing energy, and cause weight loss of built up residue within the digestive system.

Although the waste is mostly liquid if done correctly a detox can be an effective short term

method for cleansing the body (Dolgoff). In this light dietary supplements can be very helpful in

weight loss, increasing ones metabolism, and allowing the consumer to operate at an increased

efficiency rate.

Lastly medical supplements are a new supplement growing in todays market that are

used to help minor health issues and problems. These supplements are of course not prescription

but are useful nonetheless and are used to target specific problems. One supplement in particular

is the melatonin supplement. Melatonin is naturally created hormone in the body by the pineal

gland located in the center of the brain. It is produced in the evening to help onset sleep and is a

huge part in regulating the sleep cycle. The reason why melatonin has become so popular is due

to the fact 50-70 million Americans are affected by a sleeping disorder like insomnia (Hitti).

Melatonin supplements can be used to increase melatonin levels to induce sleep and is effective

for short term use in certain situations. For these situations melatonin is extremely helpful but if

a reoccurring problem medical assistance should be sought. Another supplement used for

medical use is vitamin C. Vitamin C is a mineral that is needed to help regulate a healthy

immune system through the production of antibodies, fluid, and electrolyte balance. When

someone has a cold, flu, or allergies vitamin c is highly useful. This is because when a person is

sick it is normally due to a weakened immune system along with a foreign invader that inhibits
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cellular function and causes the body go into a state of detoxification of fluids and bodily waste

to excrete the toxin or invader. Medical supplements can be useful yet have not been fully

explored and modes target deliverance not perfected, yet in the future could have a positive

effect on human health.

Despite the benefits that supplements bring others argue that supplements are costly and

unnecessary, directed towards younger audiences, and can even be harmful. In her article Clark

states that protein supplements are unnecessary and useless in gaining muscular size while being

more expensive (Clark). When she says this her argument holds some weight yet is not entirely

correct. Although some people get enough dietary protein from their meals others simply do not

because of an active lifestyle that prevents them for cooking healthy meals. Also some people

with eating disorders or protein digestion, protein supplements are the best choice allowing an

alternative that offers flexibility. In another article by the Academy of American Pediatrics it is

stated that supplements are directed towards younger audiences to offer a competitive edge while

harming their health (Sports Supplements). For this problem there are safeguards are in place to

prevent adolescences from getting ahold of these harmful substances. If and when an

adolescence gets their hands on this substance it falls on the parent to make sure that they know

what their child is taking and regulating it if approved. Finally in the article by the Nationwide

Childrens Hospital it is stated that the benefit of supplements are outweighed by their risks

saying that they are more harmful and can cause health complications (Supplements). This

problem is mainly stated because the author states supplements are not regulated and mixed with

other medications can have negative effects. The solution to this is to get the supplement checked

by a pediatrician and if claims that the supplement is not what is stated then it should be taken to

a legal activist or the manufacturer. When looking at the negatives of supplements it is obvious
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that they can all be regulated and controlled for maximum safety if reviewed by a licensed

pediatrician and used correctly in a safe manner.

Supplements are not only beneficial to human but also could be the next big advance in

human development and growth. Even in present day supplements are more useful than they are

detrimental to health and can be used to maximize the efficiency of overall human health.

Looking towards the future with the right amount of funding and research supplements could

grow to be a bigger part of society included but not limited to enhancement of human body

function, more potent supplements used to target specific problems, and overall increase the

quality of human health. The negatives of supplements sometimes overlook many of the benefits

they bring and are biased mainly coming from sources pertaining to children where supplements

should not be used anyway. The various health benefits sports, dietary, and medical supplements

not only bring better physical health but can lead to a better everyday lifestyle for millions and if

perfected could eventually enhance and revolutionize the world.

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Works Cited
Clark, Nancy. "Athletes and Protein: The Truth About Supplements." ACTIVE.com. N.p., July
2002. Web. 05 May 2015.
Dolgoff, M.D. Joanna. "Are Detox Diets Safe or Effective?" The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 09 Sept. 2010. Web. 05 May 2015.
Hitti, Miranda. "Melatonin Supplements May Not Help Sleep." WebMD. WebMD, 10 Dec.
2004. Web. 05 May 2015.
"Protein." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 04 Oct. 2012. Web. 05 May 2015.
Rayment, W. J. "The Amazing Energy Cycle: ATP-ADP." The ATP. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May
2015.
"Sports Supplements." HealthyChildren.org. The American Academy of Pediatrics, 11 May
2013. Web. 05 May 2015.
"Supplements: To Use, Or Not To Use?" Supplements: To Use, Or Not To Use? Nationwide
Children's Hospital, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015.
"What's Inside Centrum?" What's inside. Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, 2015. Web. 05 May 2015.