Q.Critically explain the use of dietary supplements in heavy dose for longer duration. Justify your answer with suitable examples.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Heavy, long-duration supplementation is risky because several of the body's own handling mechanisms (fat storage, kidney filtration) cannot simply flush out an indefinite excess — and the textbook is explicit that excess intake doesn't even help performance without a real deficiency.
Fat-soluble vitamin example: Vitamins A, D, E and K are stored in the body's cells rather than excreted like water-soluble vitamins — the textbook states they "are more likely to reach toxic levels if a person takes in too much." A heavy daily dose of a fat-soluble vitamin supplement, taken for months, builds up precisely because the body has no efficient way to clear the excess — unlike vitamin C or B12, which pass out in urine.
Protein supplement example: the textbook explicitly flags that protein intake in excess of twice the recommended level (>2 g/kg body weight) "could increase the risk of renal degeneration and bone porosity" — because higher protein intake increases urea production, drawing more water into urine (causing dehydration) and increasing urinary calcium loss, a particular concern for women athletes over the long term. Markets being "flooded with protein and amino acid supplements" doesn't change this risk profile. …
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