Abstract

In recent years, supplements have risen in popularity due to claims that the supplement users have experienced increased muscle mass and overall better health.  In the J-Term course Bioenergetics and Strength, research was conducted on the supplements whey protein, Gatorade, and creatine in an attempt to determine the effects of supplementation in an intense training regimen.  In this study, 59 male and female college students with various athletic backgrounds were subjected to a training regimen.  The training regime consisted of three, one hour training sessions per week for the month of January.  The training sessions called for four separate whole body workouts that were rotated between workout days.  Participants were assigned to one of five supplement groups to take after each workout: water (n=11), whey protein (n=14), creatine (n=14), carbohydrate/Gatorade (n=11), and stacked (stacked group includes combination of all supplements, n=9), each group had approximately four students.  These supplements were chosen because these supplements are the most commonly used.  The change in fat free weight for the carbohydrate group was highest with +8.89+4.88%, and the change in body fat percentage was -25.70+11.62%.  However, while looking at pushing and pulling strength, the water group had the largest percent increases, 36.52+79.41% and 40.45+43.67% respectively.  To further research and reach conclusive evidence of the effects of supplementation, similar experimental procedures should be followed with a larger participant group.