With all of the information out there, supplementation can be a tricky topic. Also keep in mind, there is a lot of MISINFORMATION that you need to avoid. I am amazed when I go online and see some of the information I do about crazy recommendations that people make with no rhyme or reason to do so. That being said, I am not a doctor and the information you read here you can choose or choose not to follow. I am just sharing what has and is currently working for me, so take it for what it's worth. I also read A LOT of peer-reviewed studies and texts about sport nutrition and supplementation and I personally would NEVER recommend any supplementation to someone that could be deemed unsafe. On a side note, I usually don't recommend supplements that simply do nothing to your benefit either.
Realize this, just because a supplement says you get a certain amount of micronutrient from taking it, doesn't mean that it benefits you. Some supplements may contain 1,000 mg of a given micronutrient but if you only absorb 600 mg then it isn't giving you the full benefit. Many factors affect absorption so it is important that you utilize supplements appropriately and effectively. Before starting any supplement, I would recommend you do some reading and consult a professional to make sure that you are safe. In the best case scenario, you should get your blood tested to know exactly what nutrients you are deficient in and need to be supplemented. And this could change every 6 months, so that is how often you want to get tested. If you do not get your blood tested, know that what you supplementing is a compete GUESS at what your body needs. So take that for what it is worth.
I always hear this: "But I want to do it NATURALLY from food, I mean I don't want to put synthetics in my body." Interestingly enough, the same people that say this are typically not in the best shape. Ironic to me. Personally, I know that it is damn near impossible to get all the micronutrients that your body needs for OPTIMAL health through food alone. Sure, you could be healthy eating clean and consuming 8-10 cups of greens every day and timing your exercise and pre- and post-workout nutrition perfectly to include the exact balance of macronutrients to improve your health but who actually does this?? If you do, more power to you! Supplementation can offer a great way to SUPPLEMENT your nutrition with micronutrients necessary for optimal health. If you want to settle for average, that is fine. But I prefer optimal.
MY BIG 3:
1. Protein
2. BCAA's
3. Fish oil
If you could only pick three supplements, these are the three I would pick. This is assuming you take a multivitamin, which, if you don't, please step out of 1937 and join the rest of society.
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| This is one brand I recommend..very tasty! |
Protein: Type and quantity will depend on your goals and activity level. As a general rule, if you are trying to lose weight (fat) and improve your body composition, you will want to stick with a whey protein isolate. This type of protein is easily digested and utilized by the muscle. A typical American diet is lacking in enough protein to support a lean composition leading to increased fat storage and muscle atrophy. If you are kicking up your workouts in an attempt to lose weight, protein will help "spare" your muscle. The LAST thing you want to do is lose muscle, as it is your body's primary mechanism for burning fat. Check the label, make sure the FIRST ingredient is whey protein isolate. If it is whey protein concentrate, or mixture, or anything but "whey protein isolate" then don't buy it. These products should contain 24-30 g of protein per serving, with minimal carbohydrates or fat. If weight gain is your goal, then carbohydrates and fat are less important. Also, it may be advantageous to utilize a casein protein as it takes longer to digest and can stay in your system longer. In either case, please, please, please do yourself a favor and do NOT buy your protein from Walmart. Please, just don't.
On a side note, with flavors like Double Rich Chocolate, Cookies N' Cream, Peanut Butter, Vanilla Bean....um hungry yet??? These can be a great whey (haha word puns) to kill a sweet tooth craving!
BCAA's: This stands for branched chain amino acids. For a quick science lesson, BCAA's are the building blocks of protein. When you ingest protein, it must first be digested and broken down into amino acids. When you ingest BCAA's, they are taken up directly at the muscle, to be metabolized for energy, recovery, and strength. Essentially, BCAA's are fuel for the muscle. They can also aid in satiety, which may be related to ingestion of more water. BCAA's are available in capsule, liquid, and powder form. Most people will prefer powder form (there are great fruity, sweet flavors to kill that sweet craving!) and you can sip on it. Also, make sure that your BCAA's contribute minimal calories if you are trying to lose body fat. Most are sweetened with artificial sweeteners so they won't have sugar content (everything in moderation). Obviously, the more often and more intense you workout, the higher your requirements will be. Most supplements will provide 5-10 grams of BCAA's. The BCAA's leucine, isoleucine, and valine should be present in a 2:1:1 ratio. So if your BCAA supplement contains 5 grams of BCAA's it should contain 2.5 g of leucine, 1.25 g of isoleucine, and 1.25 g of valine. Without going into too much detail, know that many studies have confirmed this to be the best ratio because this is the ratio in which they are found in animal protein. Leucine is a hot topic these days, with some of its major benefits including increased metabolic rate (fat burning), hunger blunting, and signaling the brain that amino acids are present in the blood (keeping your brain from switching to "starvation mode"). The best time to supplement BCAA's is upon waking, in between meals, pre-workout, post-workout, and just before bed. Keep those muscles happy, they are YOUR BEST FRIEND!
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| Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega Oil: 3.2 g omega-3 oil per teaspoon (now that's bang for your buck!) |
Fish Oil: What I am really recommending here is Omega-3 fatty acids. The primary omega-3 fatty acids in a fish oil supplement are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). I understand why they abbreviate those! These are precursors to eicosanoids, which have numerous positive health effects including decreased inflammation. If you read any health magazine or articles, you know that inflammation is BAD. The Western diet has become overridden with omega-6 consumption over omega-3. An ideal diet has a higher ratio of omega-3 fatty acids over omega-6. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids include improved cardiovascular health, immune function, brain and cognitive function, joint mobility, healthy skin and hair, and eye health, among others. Basically, this is my favorite supplement. Oh, you have acne? Take fish oil. You have high cholesterol? Take fish oil. Your hair won't grow? Take fish oil. Trying to lose fat? Take fish oil. You get sick all the time? Take fish oil. Get the point?
EPA and DHA are found in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel, but high intake of predatory fish could lead to ingestion of toxins such as mercury. The majority of salmon consumed in the U.S. is farmed (never good in my humble opinion), hence fish oil supplementation. Also note that fish oil supplements typically contain a much more concentrated amount of omega-3 oil than fish. So when someone tells you, "I eat a lot of fish," this usually means they don't even know what type of fish has omega-3 oil and that they are not consuming near enough fish to equal your tiny little supplement that takes you 2 seconds to swallow so just smile and say, "Ok!" That's what I do...
How much should you take? You can safely consume 3 g of omega-3 oil per day. Buyer beware: A typical fish oil pill contains 1 g of fish oil, of which only about 300 mg of that pill is omega-3 fatty acids. Again, I'm not a math major but it seems like I would have to take 10 pills a day to get my 3 g. No thanks. I prefer taking a high-quality oil. You should find a fish oil that is at least 70% omega-3 fatty acids per dose (in prescription form this is known as Lovaza). See the above picture for what I use. If you absolutely can't do the oil, they also make pills.
Other supplements:
Vitamin D3: Benefits go waaaaay beyond bone health. May be involved in body compositional change. Intake is highly dependent on geography as your body produces from sun exposure. But note this: if you use sunscreen of SPF 8 or above, it can reduce your body's ability to synthesize vitamin D by up to 95%. Again, blood test comes in handy here but you are safe to consume 1,000 to 4,000 IU per day. It is a fat-soluble vitamin so it is best absorbed when consumed with fat. Your body will also not produce vitamin D if your levels are sufficient, so no worries about "overdosing" through sun exposure (give your body some credit here, it is after all a highly evolved piece of machinery!).
Green Powder: Most contain the nutrients equivalent to 8-10 cups of green veggies. Not intended to replace your veggie intake, but to complement the nutrients lost through cooking.
Probiotics: Take these to promote healthy digestion. You can also get this through Greek yogurt, a natural source of healthy bacteria.
Magnesium: A commonly looked over supplement, magnesium has a role in over 200 mechanisms of the body. So you might want to consider it! Important for bone and muscle health, it may aid in recovery.
Other supplements for training:
If you are participating in hard training more than 4 times per week, you may also consider these.
Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM: This is for optimal joint health. Many brands out there for this. Reviews are mixed on results but I personally think it works. I have had clients swear by it.
Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine helps supply energy to the muscle by aiding in formation of the body's primary and initial source of energy, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Creatine monohydrate is the superior form of creatine to use over creatine ethyl ester or other forms. Supplementing creatine will help you push out more reps during exercise, which will lead to improved lean body mass (more fat burning muscle). Creatine is found in naturally in meat, but in no where near the amounts of a supplement. Doses of 5-20 g daily have been demonstrated as safe. Timing of intake is up for debate. Personally, I would consume prior to exercise. Creatine has a short half-life, and you will achieve peak blood concentration within 1-2 hours of consumption. If your goal is to lift more and heavier, wouldn't you want to achieve peak concentration during your workout? Thought to consider. Contrary to popular (and unproven) belief, creatine supplementation does not cause water retention (or bloating). What could cause water retention is eating more carbs after a hard workout because you were able to push harder...just sayin!
Glutamine: Supplement for immune health. Ever notice that when you go from not being very active to starting an exercise program, you get sick? This may be due to the fact that your body utilizes more glutamine during exercise training. Supplementation can aid your body in restoring glutamine levels after training. You will not feel anything from this supplement, but you may not have as many sick days. Some proteins include glutamine in their formulation for this reason.
Beta-alanine: Used to increase carnosine in muscles, resulting in decreased fatigue and increased muscular work. It is used as a pre-workout supplement. This supplement may cause a "tingling" feeling that is desirable for some, but like any stimulant, as soon as your body adjusts it will take a higher and higher dose to achieve the feeling.
Thermogenics (AKA Fat Burners): Use these with caution. Most are a combination of caffeine and derivatives, green tea extract, L-Tyrosine, Yohimbe, and some used to contain ephedra. Thermogenics are supplements intended to increase internal body temperature resulting in increased metabolic rate and heart rate so you burn more calories and lose fat. Substances such as 1,3-dimethylamylamine (DMAA) are a hot topic right now as the FDA cracks down on what is deemed safe for use. Originally intended for use as a nasal decongestant, it is now used as a pre-workout and in some countries as a "party drug" in extreme amounts. Until products are taken off the shelf, these should be used with extreme caution because everyone will react uniquely to various products. One thing we KNOW is safe, drink a cup or two of green tea every day to aid in fat burning!
Take home point:
Before you start putting anything in your body, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Read up on what is in the product, and make sure it is safe AND effective. The information is out there, but it may take some investigation on your part to make sure it will benefit you.
