As more and more youth in Kashmir hit the gyms to take up body building, experts say many consume large quantities of spurious diet supplements leading to health problems. The most common supplements taken are protein shakes which doctors say should be taken only under medical supervision. Professor of nephrology at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura, Dr Muhammad Ashraf Bhat says that while protein is needed for the body, its use needs to be restricted in certain conditions. “A normal person should not have problem with the protein shakes as long as high amount of fluids and water are taken along. If fluids are not taken, then the kidneys are overburdened which hampers their function,” said Dr Bhat. “We have patients coming to us occasionally, especially youth, who take these medication and supplements. They hardly take fluids given the contents they use,” he said. Body building supplements are dietary supplements specifically marketed for persons undertaking bodybuilding, weightlifting and athletics. Among the most widely used are vitamins, protein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine, essential fatty acids, meal replacement products, creatine, weight loss products and testosterone boosters. Supplements are sold either as single ingredient preparations or in the form of ‘stacks’ – proprietary blends of various supplements marketed as offering ‘synergistic advantages’. While many bodybuilding supplements are also consumed by the general public, their salience and frequency of use may differ when used specifically by bodybuilders. They may be marketed as products to replace meals, enhance weight gain, promote weight loss or improve athletic performance. Dr Bhat is also apprehensive about the ingredients and their proportion in various protein supplements, and is not sure if the ingredient proportion is as is written on the label. However, medical advice is hardly heeded by the youth passionate about building their ‘six packs’. Twenty-three-year-old Umar Farooq left no stone unturned to turn his dream into reality. He became Mr. Kashmir in 2015. “It was my dream and I do not care about side effects,” Umar told Kashmir Impulse. “I spent five years for body-building,” he added. Farooq, who is doing Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Mumbai, says initially he hit the gym to gain weight. “I had gone for fitness but my cousin inspired me to take up body building when I was 18. Afterward, this inspiration led to passion and I made every effort to fulfil this dream,” he said. He says that it was impossible to become a body-builder without taking supplements. “Supplements are very important for body building and one cannot even think to become a body builder without taking the supplements,” Farooq said. He doesn’t want to stop at the Mr. Kashmir title and has his eyes set on the Mr. India competition, as next goal. “I want to compete for Mr India,” he said, adding that there was little scope for body building in Kashmir. “The competitors spend a lot of money,” he said, “but earn ‘nothing at all.” As many as 50 youth from different districts of Kashmir participated in District Body Building Association Srinagar Kashmir (DBBASK), 12th Kashmir Body Building Champion & 2nd Fitness Model show under the banner of body Building Association J&K and J&K State Sports Council on 1st June 2016. Treasurer of DBBASK, Sajad Khan says body building should be encouraged in Kashmir. “We do encourage other activities but body building is never given importance here,” he said. A trainer at Life Fitness gym, Wazir Bagh, Zahid Dar says that while some youth take to gym for body building, others go for fitness. Body building is for the purpose of competition while as fitness is for personal health, he said. “People come with a preconceived notion. They know what they want to attain. People with some health problems come for fitness and others for body building,” Dar said. He adds that for body building, one has to change the daily routine completely and the intake of proteins has to be high. “Body building is not something that could be achieved in a few months. It takes years,” he said. Dar says that protein shakes and supplements have side effects only if they are fake. “International companies have very little chances of side effects. They are expensive,” he said. Dar, who has worked earlier as a trainer in New Delhi, also laments the lack of professional trainers in Kashmir, “Either we do not have certified trainers or the trainers in Kashmir do not want to do their jobs with dedication. Compared to the gyms outside, Kashmir is definitely lacking. Trainer is like a doctor, he should know each and every muscle part, bones etc.” He, however, doesn’t see much scope in body building as a career, and says won’t advise anyone to take it up. He also does not consider it a sport. “This is a game probably with no recognition,” Dar said. The supplements sold in various gyms in Kashmir are BSN, MuscleTech, Dymatize Nutrition, Ultimate Nutrition etc. A trainer at Heavy Duty gym, Irfan Ali says that most of the proteins that are sold in the JK markets are fake. Though he buys the proteins that he sells in his gym from Kashmir, he claims that the products that he buys are natural. “I do not prefer Indian products as they are not good and the supplements are important and required for body building,” Ali said. “One has to use these supplements, if he has to compete for body-building,” he said. He says that the supplements manufactured by Indian companies are not safe and unfortunately some fake companies sell the copy of the best companies in the market. Apart from spurious supplements, Ali says that poor training can also lead to muscular imbalances.
Haika Sajad