Are some Hong Kong men becoming addicted to workout supplements?
The pursuit of a perfect physique has created a booming market for workout supplements. But health experts say some men have become too reliant on the products
Walk through Hong Kong's malls, MTR stations and even the airport, and you will invariably come across stores selling tubs of whey protein and other workout supplements.
Increasing numbers of people in Hong Kong and around the world are taking supplements to get that ripped physique. Many men turn to amino acids such as L-carnitine and creatine to improve their exercise performance and build muscle mass, but some have become so reliant on the dietary supplements that health experts are beginning to view it as an emerging eating disorder.
Personal trainer Ed Haynes has seen the extremes to which some people will go to bulk up.
"I've actually had clients in the past who I've asked for a food log, and their supplement list is longer than their food list," he says. "They see supplements as a shortcut: if I can take this whey protein, it's going to be muscle weight regardless, and I don't need to work as hard or care about what I eat."
A former international rugby player, 28-year-old Haynes is the founder of Coastal Fitness Performance Training Hong Kong, a gym in Causeway Bay.
