The Client Requesting a Supplement Protocol
Andre is an AES whose 29-year-old client, Tasha, is training for her first powerlifting meet in 12 weeks. She asks Andre to recommend a "stack" she saw online: a pre-workout with a proprietary blend, a fat burner, and a testosterone-support product. She also takes a prescribed medication for an anxiety disorder and has not told her physician about the supplements. Tasha says she wants Andre to "just tell me what to take and how much." Andre's certification permits general education about supplements but not prescribing or individualized dosing, and his gym's policy says trainers may not sell or prescribe supplements. Andre has read that some stimulant-containing products can interact with medications and affect heart rate and anxiety.
1. What can Andre appropriately do, and where must he draw the line?
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Andre can provide general education but must not prescribe the stack or individualize doses. His scope covers explaining that supplements are loosely regulated, that proprietary blends obscure ingredient amounts, and that stimulant-containing products can raise heart rate and worsen anxiety and may interact with prescribed medication. He should be careful not to make therapeutic claims or imply the products will produce specific results.
The line is clear on several points: he should not design a dosing schedule, endorse a specific brand, or sell products, consistent with gym policy and his certification. He also should not advise Tasha to stop or change her prescribed medication.
The most important action is to direct her to her physician or a qualified sports dietitian before using anything, especially given the medication and the undisclosed use. He should frame food-first basics (adequate protein, calories, hydration, sleep) as the foundation and note that a first meet does not require a supplement stack. If Tasha insists, Andre restates the referral and declines to go further.
2. Tasha is frustrated and says other trainers give her friends exact protocols. How should Andre respond, and what should he document?
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Andre should acknowledge her frustration without criticizing colleagues or implying they are reckless. He can explain that his role is to coach training and general nutrition, that individualized supplement advice belongs with a clinician or dietitian who knows her medication and health history, and that this boundary protects her. He should avoid comparing himself favorably to other trainers or speculating about what they do.
He can offer value within scope: help her focus on the variables that matter for a first meet, such as consistent training, adequate energy and protein, sleep, and meet-day fueling, and encourage her to raise the supplement question at her next medical visit or with a sports dietitian. If she wants a written list of questions for that conversation, that is general education, not prescribing.
Documentation should note the products she asked about, the education provided, the referral to her physician or dietitian, the gym policy on prescribing and sales, and her response. This record supports a professional, within-scope decision if questions arise later.