A top bodybuilding coach shares the two supplements he would never take

Cliff Wilson avoids “detox” supplements.

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 says he’d never take: high-caffeine pre-workout and anything that claims to “detox the body.”

He told B-17 why.

Supplements won’t ‘detox’ your body

Wilson says 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,” Rachael Harley, a registered dietitian, previously told us. “When we breathe, when we go to the bathroom, when our liver is functioning — the body does all the cleansing and detoxifying itself.”

Another registered dietitian, Abbey Sharp, said the same as Wilson, previously telling us that most detox supplements are “just laxatives or diuretics.” She said that while they could “support our body’s natural detox mechanisms (pooping and peeing),” there are better ways of doing so: “Just drink water and eat fiber!”

High-caffeine supplements can lead to overtraining

Wilson says he’s never taken super-high-caffeine pre-workout supplements, as they can lead us to unwittingly overtrain, which can put a 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 plus. The FDA says 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is a healthy amount, but personal tolerances vary a lot.

Luke Worthington, a personal trainer, previously told us that instead of dosing up on pre-workout, he takes things easier when he’s lacking energy.