The problem definition that I have chosen to write for my paper addresses the following: Increasing Health Risks Associated with Pre-Workout Supplements in the United States among Athletes age 18-30 from 2005 to 2013. I am seeking to find out what health risks have increased in the United States as a result in the increase of the use of pre-workout supplements by many athletes throughout the United States during this time period. I chose this time period since pre-workout supplements were relatively known in 2005 and have completely boomed now in 2013.
As an athlete, I find this to be a very relevant to today's society due to the booming craze of fitness and gaining muscle mass quickly. Many physical people - from body builders to sports athletes to soldiers in the military - use pre-workout supplements to give them that extra boost needed to perform at optimum levels or even out of the ordinary for that particular person. It is common to read advertisements of pre-workouts stating to cause "explosive workouts," "supercharged endurance," and "ultimate concentrated power in one drink." While to the athletes that are consuming these products to perform better only look at the grandiosity of the drink, they may not necessarily be thinking about all the chemicals that are being consumed at once (Beta Alanine, 1,3-dimethylamylamine, Germanium, Creatine Nitrate, and over 100 milligrams of caffeine, to name a few). Again, this is relevant since there are many popular exercise programs that are being reached to not only athletes, but also regular people that have never exercised before such as CrossFit, Zumba, and P90x. Such programs and supporting sponsors are now widely recognized and praised in the media, shedding more light on companies that produce these supplements.
To address why this is important comes from recent findings that the FDA has been investigating. While these pre-workouts have been on the market for years, not enough attention has been paid to them by federal regulators to follow their ingredients - until 2012, that is. Last year it was found that the ingredients such as 1,3-dimethylamylamine and Germanium found in the most popular and potent pre-workouts caused heart attacks and increased blood pressure due to its powerful effect on the heart and nervous system. While there are small warning labels that subtly hint as to not using these products if there are any health problems previous to the consumption of the powder, there is no warning stating flat out the risks associated with taking these pre-workouts. The general population of America that participates in serious physical exercise is a large community impacted by this.
Personally, I find this topic interesting to investigate because I am one of those people that did not know anything about what I was drinking but focused mainly on what extreme results I could get from the pre-workout. The first time that I took a strong pre-workout, I vomited for a week straight until my stomach adjusted to all the chemicals but I thought nothing of it, since my physique quickly strengthened and I was physically faster and stronger. I have tried and regularly used over eight different pre-workouts enthusiastically and I love the results that I get from them, so it pains me to find out that these could be potential contributors of damage to my health. I work as a CrossFit trainer, so I facilitate others in learning how to do high intensity workouts with a blend of Olympic and power weightlifting, cardio, and gymnastics, and it has become culture for everyone I work out with to drink the pre-workout, work out to the point physical exhaustion, and then repeat it the next day. As a CrossFit trainer, a competitive athlete within CrossFit, a weightlifter, and member of a Women's Rugby team, I think that those with such a deep admiration for work out supplements, such as myself, should know not only the good results that such supplements can provide, but also the negative effects that can result from their regular use.
I really like your topic. I agree with you that this is an important problem as it really does affect a lot of people (you defined an age group 18-30 which is great). On a personal level I have noticed that a lot of college age students love taking lots of these supplements. It might be interesting to know if the problem is greater in males or females. As far as the supplements themselves, I am curious about any affects recovery supplements might have. Maybe they are not as important, I am not sure. Perhaps in your paper you can briefly explain why you focused on pre-work out supplements.
ReplyDeleteYarelix,
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting topic! Your problem statement is very good. The only thing I wonder about, is if the "increasing health risks..." part of this should be made more specific. For instance you could rather say, "increased risk of heart attack...." or something like that. Of course, you can play this by ear, and as you work through your paper, do more research, etc. you can adjust the problem statement as needed.
For this week, though, you've done a great job!
Erin