At the DVCC we believe in health and fitness solutions that last and encourage our clients to integrate healthy habits into their lifestyle long term. Being fit isn’t about quick fixes.
Building muscles that will last for the long term is not an overnight process; in fact, trying to put on muscle mass too quickly can be detrimental to your health. Here’s why:
You could end up putting on fat instead of muscle – Because of the change required in your diet to build muscle mass quickly, you’ll need to take in more calories and many people who try to build muscles too fast have a difficult time adapting their diets to take in the increased amount of calories in a healthy way.
While it’s important to add calories when you’re working out hard, it’s essential that you add the right calories, as unhealthy eating, convenient snacks and fast foods could backfire on you and only serve to add extra fat to your body.
You may aggravate existing medical conditions or provoke new ones 
– When people over-train and don’t take long enough breaks to allow their bodies to recover, they can aggravate existing medical conditions or even provoke ones they didn’t have before.
Certain conditions, such as chronic illnesses, joint aches, knotted muscles and stress can be aggravated by working out too frequently. You also run the risk of putting too much strain on your muscles, causing them to tear and resulting in a longer recovery time.
You could damage your sleeping pattern – While muscle building and weight training has many health benefits, putting on bulk too quickly can cause problems to your sleeping pattern.
Not only are some supplements guilty of causing heart palpitations and insomnia, but when your body’s workload is too much for it to recover, your nervous system can take a hit, leading to difficulty sleeping and inability to relax.
Side effects of muscle bulking supplements – Many bodybuilders, athletes, or people who want to put on muscle mass quickly start to take muscle building supplements in the form of pills, powders, and liquids, all offering the promise of putting on bulk quickly.
Unfortunately many of these supplements are not approved by the Department of Health and can cause unwanted side effects. Body building chemicals, called anabolic steroids, are among the most frequently used. While steroids in small doses are proven to add bulk, for people with asthma and other underlying medical conditions, steroids can be very dangerous.
Some side effects of steroids include high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, elevated cholesterol levels, heart palpations, and mood swings. Steroids can also be highly addictive. Other bulking agents that can have negative effects include vanadyl sulfate, methoxy, and epinephrine.
Muscle building is best for the long term and you should set yourself small, achievable goals, rather than looking for an overnight solution. If you want to add any supplement to your diet, try adding whey protein instead and ask a representative at the DVCC for advice regarding usage and dose.
