We had a free supplement seminar last month at the gym and since many of you couldn’t attend, I wanted to summarize some of the things we talked about. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us, but know that we won’t give any medical advice.
First and foremost, some supplements can make a difference in your health and performance. The supplement industry is, however, full of empty promises and marketing messages that make any one individual supplement seem like a miracle. Many are BS and few are great. But, (and this is a big but), there are three pillars of health you must focus on first or the benefits you see from supplements may be negligible. And they are:
Nutrition
Exercise
Sleep
Have you got those dialed in? Great! Let’s dive further.
We received some questions regarding vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D, B vitamins, calcium, etc. Our answer here is “it depends.” The best way to know if you are deficient in anything is to have a blood panel drawn. The same goes with hormones.
Third-party testing is important. This ensures that what is listed on the label is actually in the product. Third-party testing increases the price of a supplement, but it’s a worthwhile expense. Don’t just look for the cheapest option on Amazon!
What are supplements we love?
- Creatine Monohydrate. We’ve dedicated entire articles on creatine. It’s the most widely-studied and effective supplement for preserving and building muscle. There are even cognitive benefits. Effective dosage starts at 5 grams per day, so make sure to read those labels. Creatine gummies have become popular, but in reviewing many of these, the dosage is low. The unflavored powder is both effective and inexpensive.
- Nootropics. Think of these as brain supplements. They can help you to focus and even contribute to staving off things like dementia. Two natural ingredients we like are Lion’s Mane mushroom and Bacopa.
- Adaptogens. These help your body adapt to stress. Ashwagandha is a great one.
- Fish Oil. If you aren’t eating at least two servings of fatty fish per week, these can help to reduce inflammation and boost brain and heart health. But, not all fish oils are the same. Look for a balance of DHA and EPA as well as third-party testing.
- Protein Powder. Protein Powder is an effective way to boost your protein intake if you are having problems getting enough from food. Whey protein is excellent, but for some people, it’s a little rough on their stomachs. Plant-based protein powders are also great. Don’t go for the cheapest option. There have been studies showing lead in many of these. So, do your research.
- EAAs. Essential Amino Acids contain all the amino acids needed to build muscle. Don’t confuse these with BCAAs. In a 2023 study, EAAs showed the ability to increase anabolism (muscle building) when taken before exercise. But, what’s even more interesting is that a cohort of the study didn’t exercise at all and still showed a restoration of strength and functional performance. You can read the study here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10561576/
- Collagen. Collagen is know to support skin, hair and nails, but research is also promising for tendon and ligament strength.
Save your money on:
- BCAAs - Branch chain amino acid supplements don’t contain the spectrum of animo acids needed to build muscle, so EAAs are a better choice.
- Testosterone boosters. If your testosterone levels are low, there are natural ways to boost it - strength training, sleep, managing stress. But if all those are in check, consider seeing a hormone specialist.
- Possibly greens powders. There are so many ingredients in these that most lack the effective, researched dose of any vitamins. They won’t harm you, but may not be necessary if you have a good, diverse, whole food diet.
We also talked about caffeine. Caffeine is actually a great pre-workout and is considered safe if you keep it under 400 mg per day. I don’t recommend it if you work out later in the day as it will disrupt your sleep. The problem doesn’t lie in the morning cup of coffee, but instead in the high-caffeine energy drinks like Bang, Celsius Heat, Rockstar, etc. Some people drink multiple cans per day. The risk here is poor sleep, higher heart rate and even anxiety.
That was our conversation in a nutshell. And, again, I will stress that dialing in sleep, diet and exercise will be more effective than any supplement you can take.
