Is it safe to take exercise supplements?

An Australian woman with a genetic disorder died from consuming too many protein supplements, it was recently reported. 

The woman in question, Meegan Hefford, a 25-year-old bodybuilder, suffered from a rare, undiagnosed disorder that caused a fatal build-up of ammonia in her body.

In healthy people, most commonly used supplements intended to enhance the body – often referred to in the scientific literature as “nutraceuticals” or “functional foods” – are harmless.

This article in The Conversation is co-written by Professor of Clinical, Metabolic & Molecular Physiology at the Philip J Atherton and Assistant Professor in Physiology and Biochemistry Daniel J Wilkinson, from the University of Nottingham.