Ohio University students looking to shape up before spring break have many exercise options at Ping Center, but some of them have tried additional strategies to gain an extra edge.
I've definitely tried supplements
said Chris Rhoad, a senior telecommunications major. I go through mass gaining phases and I go through cut-down phases and I do different supplements for both.
A brief Post survey of students working out at Ping showed that Rhoad is not alone in trying dietary or performance-enhancing supplements. Some, including Rhoad, have experimented with supplements containing ephedra, which will be banned officially by the Food and Drug Administration on April 12.
Rhoad said he thinks ephedra can be safe if it is used properly.
I think a lot of it is just that people using it are not careful with it
he said. I think that people
in order to speed up the results
think if they take more then it will help them faster. They don't want to wait
they want the results right now.
Troy Dailey, an OU junior accounting and pre-law major, said he has tried BetaLean, a supplement that is made both with and without ephedra.
I've done it twice
he said. The first time I used ephedra and the second time it was ephedra-free because it started messing with my heart. When I was working out and stuff it gave me an irregular heartbeat
and eventually I just got freaked out and was like 'I've had enough of this.'
Of those who said they had tried supplements, only half said they had ever tried ephedra. Jeremy Moore, a senior math major, said he uses protein supplements, creatine and glutamine, but not ephedra.
Everything has always been ephedra-free
he said. I think it should be banned. There's stuff it does to your heart rate. I forget everything I read about it
but it shouldn't be right. Anything that
