Supplements 101

Nothing beats a good diet. You’re grandma told you this, so did your mom. And it’s 100% true. If you’re able to get all your nutrients from real food, good. That’s ideal.

But we’re willing to wager that you’re probably eating burgers, wings, pizza and hot pockets at least once a week. NOT JUDGING, just the reality. We have pizza too. But you have to realize that in our modern world, it’s highly unlikely that you’re truly getting even you RDA (recommended dietary allowance), let alone optimal amounts of nutrients.

Which is where supplements come in. You CAN NOT replace your diet with supplements (Read Nutrition 101 here), but you can fill deficiencies and optimize certain nutrient levels that are impractical to get from real food sources.

So, view supplements as add-ons or amplifiers to an excellent diet, rather than a replacement for good nutrition.

What supplements are beneficial? Which ones should you take? These are common questions, and with so many choices available, it can be difficult to figure out which supplements are the most effective, which claims are accurate, and where to spend your money wisely.

We’re going to break down the most important supplements, and let you know our overall take on how to prioritize them.

Our Top Supplements

1. Multivitamin

Flintstone Gummies anyone? The good old multivitamin. These are broad spectrum vitamins that include all the vitamins we “need” from our food. Overall, we take a multi almost every day because even though our diet is 90% great, there’s always that 10% to improve upon. Plus, todays foods are generally less nutrient dense than they would’ve been in the past (numerous reasons, not going to cover that here) so the multi covers any areas we miss.

Two big things to note here: One being that a multivitamin will not replace a decent diet (already beat this dead horse) and also that multivitamins will overshoot your RDA on almost all of the vitamins and minerals it contains, which will lead to you not absorbing the nutrients and peeing them out (yellow pee).

This is normal, but it is something to be aware of as you may just be peeing out all the vitamins you’re spending money on if you get a bad multivitamin or you already get enough of a particular vitamin. Just to note.

OVERALL: We take a multivitamin every day, mostly as a precaution. Importance of a multi depends on your diet quality.

2. Whey Protein

The classic massive GNC tub of whey protein every gymbro had in their cabinet in high school (and hopefully still do!). Whey protein is honestly our favorite supplement ever, and we strongly believe it’s a critical part of anyone’s fitness journey.

Reason being that unless you’re eating a bunch of meat every day (maybe some of you are) you’re likely under the recommend amount of protein you’d need to maintain your current muscle mass, let alone build new muscle.

Research indicates (here) that 0.73 grams per pound of bodyweight (or goal bodyweight) is the ideal amount for maximizing muscle gains from a training program. This is also the level that’s best to maintain existing muscle mass as protein intake alone can trigger mTOR (genetic signal to build muscle) as seen here.

So for a 200lb man to get 146g of protein, a 20-40g whey protein shake can go a long ways to ensuring that number is hit on a daily basis.

Moreover, protein is critical for men and women as we age because sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) causes falls. Protein intake helps stave that off. Muscle is also critical for quality of life mobility (being out and about as you age vs sitting all day). Lastly, muscle is critical for a healthy glucose metabolism, giving your body somewhere to put excess glucose.

OVERALL: Whey Protein is our number 1 supplement, bar none. A daily essential for all ages and profiles. Including the elderly!

3. Creatine

ALERT: Creatine is not a steroid.

Phew. Now that we got that out of the way, we can talk about creatine and how awesome it is. Creatine is a NATURAL nutrient found in meat, and it’s quite good for us as humans. Let’s list the benefits, shall we?

• Increased muscle strength and power during high-intensity, short-duration activities (creatine is the fuel source for these movements).

• Enhanced muscle mass due to improved water retention and protein synthesis (you retain water in your MUSCLE CELLS, which is a good thing).

• Improved recovery from resistance training (lifting).

• Cognitive benefits in some populations, such as improved memory and mental performance.

Think I’m a liar? See here.

Creatine is also very safe, it won’t make you bald, and it’s perfectly fine for your kidneys (see link above).

Which kind is best? Creatine monohydrate, it’s the best and (thankfully) the cheapest.

OVERALL: Creatine is our number 2 daily supplement. Daily essential

4. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is quite easy to be deficient in. According to studies, at least half of Americans are under the estimated average requirement (which is not to say the optimal amount, just the average requirement).

Magnesium is also relatively difficult to get from our food, the largest sources being nuts, seeds, and leafy greens — eating a lot of those are you?

If not, supplementing with magnesium makes a lot of sense as it confers a ton of benefits:

• Muscle and Nerve Function: Regulates contractions and prevents cramps.

• Bone Health: Supports calcium absorption and bone density.

• Heart Health: Maintains blood pressure and reduces heart disease risk.

• Blood Sugar Control: Improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

• Mental Health: Enhances mood, reduces anxiety, and aids sleep.

• Energy Production: Converts food into energy by activating enzymes.

• Anti-Inflammatory: Reduces inflammation, lowering chronic disease risk.

• Digestive Health: Relieves constipation and supports gut function.

Wow, that looks pretty good eh?

For men, the optimal dose is around 400mg a day, and about 300mg for women.

OVERALL: This comes in third on our daily essentials, but is still a daily supplement for us. With our stressful times, magnesium supplementation is a boon.

5. Honorable mention supplements

• Pre-workout = Great if you like buzzing during a workout. Don’t take a caffeinated one in the afternoon because it will kill your sleep (and thus your gains and health)

• Fish Oil = Solid, can sometimes be beneficial, sometimes could throw blood lipids out of whack. Depends on your Omega3/Omega6 ratio status

• Vitamin D = Get in the sun. This is best, for so many reasons including Vitamin D. Supplementing with it is largely fine, but sun is best.

• Collagen = Elite supplement, top of our honorable mentions. Could’ve easily made our daily essential list but better for beginners to stay focused on overall protein before diving into collagen.

• Pro Biotics = Can be good, but if you don’t continue to take them they wash out. Better to eat a pro and prebiotic rich diet to optimize your own gut microbiome. Fiber plays a massive role here. We’ll have a post on this at some point.

Remember, diet first. Nutrition from real whole foods is critically important to nail if you’re at all interested in improving your health.

Supplementing is just an add on and an amplifier. Not a replacement.

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Leave a question in the comments to be answered next week!