Companies use many different messages to persuade you to buy their products. Some are truthful, some are misleading, and others are just flat-out lies. You've seen the ads in magazines, on TV, around town — they're everywhere. Some messages are spelled out for the viewer, and some are hidden within the images the companies use.

What messages do you see in this ad? Some products promise results now. Who has time to wait for results? If you use this product — you'll be buff in mere moments. Guess what else you get with this product? That's right, a hot model to go with it! C'mon, who are they kidding? I wonder if you have to pay extra shipping and handling for the model? These companies spend millions on advertising like this, and they wouldn't do it if it wasn't working on someone. Don't let that someone be you. See through the lies that ads use. Make your decisions based on the quality and merit of the product, rather than some slick-tongued advertising.

How about this one? Instead of investigating your natural body type and working with your natural abilities — this ad reminds you that there's just one ideal body type. Advertisers have drilled this "ideal" image into young women's subconsciouses for years. The result has often been devastating: young ladies with warped perceptions of what is realistic in fitness and health. This warped perception can lead them into the Female Athlete Triad - a dangerous combination of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis. At best, these ads can be misleading. At worst, they can be bold-faced, dangerous lies.

Always be very cautious of supplements making claims that sound too good to be true, such as:

Extreme Energy Reduced Recovery Time Increased Muscle Mass Rapid Weight Loss Boosts Metabolism Increases Performance Increases VO2 max

Products with claims like these may contain prohibited substances and/or may contain substances that can have serious health consequences for the user. There is no shortcut to success. When products make claims that sound too good to be true, that's exactly what they are. The path to success requires:

training harder and smarter than the competition, giving the body the foods and hydration it needs for fuel, and resting enough to give the body time to recover.

Athletes who are subject to drug-testing are held to the standard of "strict liability". A doping violation occurs when their sample contains a prohibited substance, regardless of how the prohibited substance entered their system. USADA warns athletes against taking any dietary supplements, even if they are "approved" or "verified". For information about how to give the body the fuel and the nutrients it needs to compete on the highest level without taking dietary supplements, check out Optimal Dietary Intake - The Basics (1.9 MB - 32 pages).