The Mind and Muscle Connection, Supplements and the Placebo Effect

The Placebo Effect has dated back for years, it really became popular in World War II.  Supplies ran short due to the lack of supply and the demand on them. They would often run out of medicine, especially painkillers, and had to give the individual peace of mind, they gave the placebo effect.

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Soldiers would be shot in the butt with what they thought was morphine. What they weren’t told was that their morphine was just a good dose of saltwater. The amazing thing is that when injected with this saltwater, the soldier’s pain would fade, at least for a short time.

The Placebo Effect

The medics weren’t exactly tricking the soldiers; they were activating a placebo effect. The placebo effect is basically a series of reactions in the brain that can change its psychological or physiological functioning. Like in the example of the soldiers, they thought they were getting morphine, which they know dulls the pain immediately, but they were given saltwater. The reaction was the same; it cancelled out the pain, at least temporarily. The reason for this is because your brain controls your body, and your mind can subconsciously control your brain.

Supplements and the Placebo Effect

The placebo effect is relied upon by the supplement industry. The fact is, most of the supplements lining the shelves today are just highly marketed, flashy tubs of non working placebo effect in a can. Most don’t have any active ingredients, or have very few that would actually help you gain muscle. Most supplements work because of the supplement placebo effect.

I took this picture at GNC

Most people buying supplements do so after they get “educated” on the subject. They usually get expert advice from their friends or supplement, I mean Bodybuilding, magazines. In all cases, someone takes a supplement because it supposedly worked for someone else and they genuinely believe that it will work for them.

The belief is key here. When you believe something completely, and back it with emotion, you can accomplish things that once seemed impossible. This includes physiological changes, or changes to the body. By thinking and believing that the supplement that was just consumed will cause muscle growth, the brain takes it as instructions. Basically, because of the individual’s strong conviction, the person’s brain will actually get to work and start the muscle building process. It will do this because it was told to do it.

Mind Changes Body

When someone starts taking a new supplement, they believe it will work, otherwise they wouldn’t take it. Now, with everything staying the same, your belief that the supplement will do what it is supposed to is enough to spark muscle growth. How many people actually don’t change anything when they start a new supplement? Almost all trainees will actually ramp up their training and change their outlook on what is possible when they start a new supplement.

Time To Take Credit

Think about this, if you didn’t take the supplement, but ramped up the training, would you gain muscle? Yes you would, so supplements aren’t necessary for building muscle. Too many people give all of the credit to the supplement, its time to take the credit. The supplement didn’t lift the weight, you did. The chances are high that the supplement didn’t really do anything, except for the placebo effect. Some supplements are worth taking, but if you don’t have the proper foundation, they won’t do you any good.

These are a few examples of what you can do to start easing off of the supplements:

1. Reduce your dosage slowly and finally quit the supplement. Stay positive that your results will improve and not fall off.

2. Realize that it’s you doing the hard work, not the supplement. Give yourself the credit.

3. Believe in yourself and your muscle building abilities. A belief in your supplements to build muscle does it, believing in yourself will work even better.

Its your turn to keep your money away from the supplement giants and turn the table by using the mind muscle connection, the placebo effect, to your advantage.

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