- Top bodybuilding coach Cliff Wilson uses supplements to build muscle and stay in shape.
- But he avoid high-caffeine and "detox" supplements.
- The human body "detoxes" itself, while high-caffeine supplements can lead to overtraining and injury.
Cliff Wilson knows how to get people in shape.
As a top bodybuilding coach, he advises clients on what to do and what to avoid when preparing to compete, while also keeping their health in mind.
Wilson practices what he preaches. That involves determining which of the supplements that make up the billion dollar industry are worth taking.
While supplements can complement a balanced diet, there are two types Wilson said he would never take: very high caffeine pre-workout, and anything that claims to "detox the body."
He told Business Insider why.
Supplements won't 'detox' your body
Wilson said he avoids any sort of "detox" supplement.
"Generally, your body does a really good job of detoxing itself, assuming you are giving it the proper nutrients," he said. "Most detox supplements are laxatives in disguise."
The idea of detoxing your body with supplements or drinks is a myth as our kidneys, liver, and gastrointestinal tract remove toxins from the body naturally.
"Our body is able to cleanse or detox itself by using normal bodily functions," registered dietitian Rachael Harley previously told BI. "When we breathe, when we go to the bathroom, when our liver is functioning — the body does all the cleansing and detoxifying itself."
Registered dietitian Abbey Sharp agreed with Wilson, previously telling BI that most detox supplements are "just laxatives or diuretics, which sure help to support our body's natural detox mechanisms (pooping and peeing), but there are way more pleasant and nutritious ways to do this — just drink water and eat fiber!"
High-caffeine supplements can lead to overtraining
Wilson said he'd never take super-high-caffeine pre-workout supplements, as they can lead us to unwittingly overtrain, which can put strain on the body and increase the risk of injury.
"Often people wake up and feel terrible because they're running themselves into the ground, but then they take a high-dose pre-workout with tons of stimulants and suddenly feel great so they go and train really hard," he said. "It interrupts your body's natural signals."
Wilson still consumes some caffeine before a workout as it's been shown to increase performance, but he ensures he listens to his body and only takes one with a "reasonable dose."
For him, that's 200 to 300 milligrams rather than 400 milligrams upwards. The FDA says 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is a healthy amount, but personal tolerances vary a lot.
Personal trainer Luke Worthington previously told BI that he agrees with Wilson and, instead of dosing up on pre-workout, takes things easier when he's lacking energy.