Fitness research is just pitiful.

[The Sauce]

I was interested and reviewed some of the literature on Beta-alanine on a lark since my trainer recommended that I start taking it. I am a physician by background and accustomed to reviewing research articles. Beta-alanine has been embraced by the fitness community based on these studies and the market is rife with supplements. The studies are just AWFUL. They would be considered to be inconclusive at best and utterly worthless at worst and could never have been puiblished by any self-respecting peer-reviewed medical journal. It seems that these awful studies get published with the sole intent to sell supplements to the grasping, but poorly educated, fitness community. Is there anyone out there doing legitimate research in sports and fitness or is their only purpose for marketing products?

 

[GenHoth]

Originally posted by: The Sauce
Is there anyone out there doing legitimate research in sports and fitness or is their only purpose for marketing products?

People finding ways around steroid tests, but that's about it.

 

[GenHoth]

FYI, I find my post and your user name to be hilarious in combination

 

[TallBill]

Not sure, but most beta alanine advice/supplementation is even according to the studies. A lot of pre-workout supplements have it in it, and you can feel the effects of it, it tingles. However, i'ts supposed to be taken 3-4 times a day (I forget how much on each dose). Most of the research is done just to sell supplements though. Who else is gonna profit from doing a study?

 

[bossman34]

ACSM and NSCA are two highly respected health and fitness research organizations you may want to check out. They don't have a ton of research on supplements/nutrition, but you can find some.

Where are you finding the awful research to which you are referring? Beta-alanine is relatively new to the scene and there isn't a lot of great research yet, but the research I have read (in NSCA's Journal of Strength and Conditioning) is promising.

Also, legitimate research isn't going to sell any supplements because it has shown most supplements/ergogenic aids to be ineffective. The research that most supplement companies reference are paid for by them (obviously a problem) or they reference poorly designed research which most people in the scientific community would completely dismiss.

 

[KoolDrew]

What studies are you referring to?

 

[The Sauce]

This guy does a pretty good job of reviewing a few of the "landmark" studies, easier to just link to his reviews so you can get an idea.

http://evidencebasedfitness.bl...ne-study-dont-buy.html

 

[bossman34]

Originally posted by: The Sauce
This guy does a pretty good job of reviewing a few of the "landmark" studies, easier to just link to his reviews so you can get an idea.

http://evidencebasedfitness.bl...ne-study-dont-buy.html

This is a good read! It's nice to find a good review/critique of research by somebody who knows what their talking about. I always read studies with the intent to rip them a part (especially on supplements), but it's hard without having a deep knowledge of statistics and proper methodology.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: bossman34

Originally posted by: The Sauce
This guy does a pretty good job of reviewing a few of the "landmark" studies, easier to just link to his reviews so you can get an idea.

http://evidencebasedfitness.bl...ne-study-dont-buy.html

This is a good read! It's nice to find a good review/critique of research by somebody who knows what their talking about. I always read studies with the intent to rip them a part (especially on supplements), but it's hard without having a deep knowledge of statistics and proper methodology.

Yep, that guy does a very good job of pointing on apparent flaws in the study's methodology and use (or misuse, rather) of various statistical techniques. Basically, if you throw enough analyses at something, and don't control for experiment-wise error, you're guaranteed to find a significant effect somewhere...which is made all the more "meaningful" when you conveniently forget to discuss all of the non-significant results.