There are shady characters in every industry, but it’s seemingly within the nutrition and supplement industry where the shadiest of shady characters reside.
How else to explain an industry where (celebrity) doctors cut their ties to integrity and shill the miraculous fat loss properties of Raspberry ketones?
Or where some of the product descriptions on the backside of a bottle or package resemble that of a science-fiction movie?
Like this one for example:
“The World’s strongest vaso-anabolic psychoactive experience. Our secret cellular volumizing formula is patented to nanomolecularize your vascular expanders.”
For those scratching their heads, in supplement speak, I’m pretty sure “nanomolecularize” means you’ll cause an earthquake when you flex your pecs.
Or you suddenly gain the ability to fly.
I don’t know, something will happen.
Whatever the case may be, now, more than ever, with all the varying pills, powders, and diets being “sold” to us as the next great thing, we need someone we can trust to cut through the BS and help filter through the phony facade.
We need someone to serve as the “shadiness police.”
My friends at Examine.com have just launched their new and vastly updated Examine.2.0. They’ve built an amazing resource; one that’s hands-down THE most extensive, thorough, and UN-BIASED tool at our disposal as fitness/health professionals (or people who are generally more curious and proactive with their health information).
They stick to their lane – cute kitty pictures analyzing research information – and that’s it.
No fluff
No opinions
No up-sells
No BS
If one of my clients or athletes walks in and asks about Keto, creatine, vitamin D, caffeine, or whether or not Deer Antler Root dipped in Unicorn tears harvested from a remote mountain range in Minas Tirith is worth trying…I can usually provide a competent, well-informed answer.
However, if I ever get stumped – which definitely happens – I can gather all the information I’d ever need from Examine 2.0.
And I know it’ll be the most recent, relevant, and scientifically peer-reviewed information out there.
What’s more, they include monthly updates and they also provide CEUs for American RDs, NASM, as well as the NSCA.
Starting today (through 8/25) you can take advantage of their re-launch sale:
Monthly Membership – usually $29/month will be $19/month
Yearly Membership – usually $199/year will be $144/year
It feels so weird to be typing the numbers “2016” doesn’t it?
Time truly does fly.
This year will mark a full decade living in Boston for me.
In that time I’ve survived living with Eric Cressey[footnote]And by “survived” I mean our respective girlfriends at the time (Anna is now his wife) survived how disgusting our fridge was.[/footnote], helped co-found Cressey Sports Performance, never used the phrase “wicked pissah” once in a sentence, and have had the luxury of witnessing the RedSox win two World Series, the Pats play three SuperBowls (and win one), the Celtics win one NBA Championship, and the Bruins with one NHL Championship.[footnote]Ironically, the only time I have ever stepped foot into TD Garden (where the Celtics and Bruins play) was for a Star Wars in Concert event. So, actually, not at all that ironic.[/footnote].
2016 also marks the 30 year anniversary of when ten year old Tony vowed he’d become an honorary member of G.I. Joe.
That didn’t happen. But only because my Mom wouldn’t let me.[footnote]And, you know, it’s fictional.[/footnote] Thanks a lot Mom. You RUINED MY LIFE!!!!!
[slams door]
Anyways, it’s 2016…and I h0pe everyone’s year has started off with a bang; or at the very least some arbitrary Resolution that you’ve already dismissed eight days in….;o)
A Few Things First
I’m a minimalist when it comes to supplementation. I’d tend to fall into the same camp as Alwyn Cosgrove whenever I’m asked about them and generally respond as follows:
“Supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters.”
If your current nutrition and training regimen isn’t getting the job done or inching you closer to your goal(s), then taking Gogi Berry Extract laced with diluted unicorn tears and belly button lint from a post-menopausal dragon fire roasted over a live volcano isn’t going to be the “x” factor.
This isn’t to say supplements don’t have a time or place and that there’s little efficacy in their use. That’s just crazy talk.
However, if you click the links above (DO IT!), you’ll note I don’t recommend anything too out of the ordinary or quack(ish). Actually, nothing is out of the ordinary or quack(ish). Namely, because I’m not an a-hole.
On the same topic, one supplement and company I can’t recommend enough is Athletic Greens.
Ingesting a high-quality greens product daily is just about one of the the best “cover your bases” healthy habits you can implement – outside of the Dan John staples of flossing and wearing your seatbelt.
Real food is going to trump any supplement, but at least here you ensure you ingest a cornucopia of good ingredients for your body in a convenient, quick-n-easy manner. And the best part is that this greens product doesn’t taste like seaweed blasted out of a whale’s rectum.
It actually, you know, tastes good as a stand alone thing.
Nevertheless, it’s something I take daily – as does my wife – and it’s also something I recommend to all my athletes and clients.
As it happens, Athletic Greens is running a special sale at the moment where you get a FREE trial (some travel packets to test the taste out yourself) in addition to a generous discount off the original price.
I finally posted all of my upcoming speaking engagements in 2016 onto my website HERE.
Two that are right around the corner are:
Motivation and Movement Lab (hosted by Mark Fisher Fitness) – I had a BLAST speaking at this event last year, and if it’s any consolation I was up until 3AM the night of. Those people can party.
Lets give it up for my wife on being featured on Girls Gone Strong last week. Woo-hoo!
I am incredibly proud of this, and it goes without saying I feel Lisa is someone who has many, many positive and encouraging things to say to help better prepare and empower women on the benefits of strength training.
As a licensed psychologist, Lisa is pretty much a Jedi when it comes to helping people better understand and change their behaviors. Too, she’s very much a champion of peeling back the complicated onion when it comes to each individual’s mindset and why, sometimes, they’re their own worst enemy when it comes to progress in the gym.
This article is just the tip of the iceberg and keep your eyes peeled for her name – along with Artemis Scantalides – as they combine forces for a handful of I Am Not Afraid To Lift Workshops.
Yesterday in Part One of this series Sol Orwell and the guys over at Examine.com discussed a handful of supplements that they feel are about as useful as a poop flavored lollypop. Which is to say: not very useful.
As a strength coach and as someone who’s routinely discussing supplementation with younger athletes and general population clientele, especially to those who feel that they’re the magic bullet they’ll need to take their performance (and physique) to the next level, it was great to see some of the more well recognized ones thrown under the microscope for further inspection.
Besides, as I like to tell the vast majority of people: if your current nutrition and training routine isn’t eliciting the results you’re after, no supplement is going to become the “x” factor.
More often than not it’s just a matter of making better food choices and actually going to the gym to train rather than wasting time on the internet talking about it.
That said, not all supplements deserve the bad rap. In today’s post, Sol discusses some of the supplements he feels deserves their reputation, as well as those he feels should steal a bit more of the spotlight.
Enjoy! And please, share your thoughts below. Any supplements you feel deserve more recognition?
Supplements that Deserve their Reputation
Creatine
Creatine is a molecule that seems to have a vitamin-like effect on the body. Relative creatine deficiency (especially common in vegetarians) may result in suboptimal cognition and strength levels. True creatine deficiency (only achievable via genetics) results in mental retardation.
Creatine is most commonly used for the purpose of increasing power output and the rate of building muscle, and it is definitely proven for these roles as it is currently the most well researched ergogenic aid (performance enhancer) in existence.
Creatine works for increasing power output during anaerobic exercise (powerlifting, bodybuilding, sprinting, etc.) and although it may have crossover to endurance based events it doesn’t seem as reliable. It has less evidence for increasing the rate of building muscle but this appears to also be true. Putting muscle cells in an energy surplus state tends to increase the rate of which they grow, and creatine is a very readily available source of energy.
Evidence is being gathered in creatine also have positive effects on cognition.
Beta-alanine (and a note on its “big brother”)
Firstly, beta-alanine needs to have a jab taken at it for two things: potency and instances when it is used.
Yes, beta-alanine works; no, it is not magical. It might enhance endurance performance by around 2% or so, nothing astonishing although it can provide a needed benefit
Yes, beta-alanine works for endurance; it doesn’t really do anything reliable for strength (it might, some weak evidence for building muscle like creatine) and seems to only reliably increase physical performance for exercise exceeding 60s (and under 240s; these numbers derived from the only meta-analysis on the topic)
However, given those two qualifying statements, beta-alanine does increase performance and secondary to that can increase training adaptations.
Beta-alanine is essentially a lactic acid buffer (hence its lack of efficacy for power output – lactic acid is not the reason you fail on a 5 rep max test) similar to its lesser known big brother, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Both of these compounds are essentially the same, just reduce the influence of acidity on muscle failure and you can go longer until failure; they aren’t too potent as you cannot disturb pH in the body easily, but they do work.
Vitamin D
The increased popularity of vitamin D in the last decade is actually quite remarkable, and its growth in popularity seems to even exceed that of fish oil when the latter first arrived on the scene. In regards to vitamin d, it is definitely beneficial in a few disease states for preventative purposes although it is not the panacea it is sometimes held up to be.
Vitamin d is stored in the body and when it is needed it is converted into a bioactive hormone known as 1,25-dihydroxycalciferol. Negative things are associated with a state that attempts to produce the hormone but has insufficient vitamin d to do so, and supplementing vitamin d alleviates this possible negative.
Thus, Vitamin d is critical for people in a deficient state. The combination of our indoor lives coupled with pollution means that most people outside of the tropics tend to be in a deficient state. Supplementing with 2000 UI while you get your vitamin d levels tested is a smart way to go.
So although the outcome is still beneficial, vitamin d supplementation is more about alleviating negatives rather than inducing positives.
Supplements that Deserve More Recognition
Sodium Bicarbonate
Referred to earlier as beta-alanine’s bigger brother, sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) actually has a fair bit of evidence for performance enhancement. It shares a lot of similarities with beta-alanine, being an acidity buffer and improving performance that is hindered by lactic acid.
Recently, it has been shown to provide benefit to hypertrophy exercise in resistance trained males at the dose of 300mg/kg bodyweight.
The pros of sodium bicarbonate include its very good cost-efficacy in regards to the financial price (you can buy baking soda at a grocery store) and pretty good performance enhancement.
The main downside is too much taken at once will cause a snowstorm coming from your butt; the sodium bicarbonate doesn’t even change color when it does this, actually being quite hilarious the first time it occurs (to somebody else).
Note from TG: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaha.
Due to this, sodium bicarbonate is taken in multiple doses throughout the day and with soluble fiber containing meals to try and minimize this side-effect which appears to be related merely to taking too much at once.
Beetroot
Beetroot is merely a vessel for the molecule known as inorganic nitrate. Nitrate is absorbed in the intestines and regurgitated (surprisingly a good term) into saliva where it is converted to nitrite. When swallowed the saliva nitrite can be converted into nitric oxide and sustain physical performance.
Beetroot is most commonly used for nitrate due to it being in the class of vegetables that are the richest source of nitrate (alongside spinach, rocket, celery, and swiss chard). It’s cheap to purchase in bulk quantities and the tastiest to blend and consume before exercise.
It does not appear to be effective for acute power output improvement, but similar to beta-alanine it can enhance physical endurance exercise and more prolonged endurance exercise.
Similar to other nitric oxide related supplements, it is also ‘healthy’ from a cardiovascular health perspective and also may confer other benefits related to nitric oxide (namely reductions in blood pressure and increased frequency of erections).
In regards to the connection between nitrates and cancer (nitrate, used as food preservative, is thought to be a factor in the connection between pink meats and processed meats with cancer) the cancer link is dependent on production of nitrosamines from nitrate. This production seems to occur at a greatly reduced rate in the presence of any antioxidant, with vitamin c being used most frequently in research. Due to antioxidants present in beetroot, nitrosamine production is not a concern.
This is also a reason why, if using supplemental nitrate, a coingested antioxidant would be a good idea (or just to take the supplement with some fruit).
Citrulline
Citrulline is essentially a more effective form of arginine (which tends to be pretty popular).
L-Citrulline is an amino acid that, following absorption, is sent to the kidneys and simply converted to l-arginine. It is superior to l-arginine itself because of its superior absorption rate; l-arginine is poorly absorbed, and malabsorbed l-arginine proceeds to the colon to then induce diarrhea.
Citrulline carries all the same benefits of l-arginine except at a lower dose due to enhanced absorption (5-8g commonly being used). It usually comes as citrulline malate, which gives it a slight sour/tangy taste.
Author’s Bio
Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell are cofounders of Examine.com, where they spend their time making sense of scientific studies on supplements and nutrition. They also have a Beginners Guide to Supplements, which you should really, really check out (subtle hint).
The topic of supplements is about as controversial as they come – right up there with homeland security, government deficit spending, global warming, that silly ban on big gulp sodas in NYC, and trying to figure out who the best Spice Girl was back in the day.
Scary Spice obviously. No, wait…..Sporty Spice!
On one end of the spectrum you have those who take a minimalist approach (like myself) and generally advocate people to lean more towards those supplements which elicit positive health benefits outright; such as fish oil, vitamin D, multi-vitamin (or a Green’s product), protein powder, and I’d even throw creatine into the mix.
On the other end of the spectrum you have those who take anything and everything under the sun and whose kitchen cabinets look more like a pharmacy than where they keep their peanut butter and canned peas.
Regardless of which side of the spectrum you fall on, to say that the supplement industry is a bit confusing is a massive understatement. Which ones work? Which ones are a waste of money? Which ones cause explosive diarrhea? These are all very important questions.
Thankfully my buddy, Sol Orwell of Examine.com, offered to sift through the muddy waters and provide some much needed insight on some common supplements and whether or not they’re worth the hype.
Enjoy!
Overrated Supplements
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is usually marketed as a joint health supplement, and is commonly used by many athletes to either help alleviate joint pain and/or increase the mobility of joints.
Despite how popular glucosamine is (one survey found that 5% of the entire population had taken glucosamine), beyond exhaustive research into people with osteoarthritis, there is very little research done into glucosamine usage by athletes.
Glucosamine is usually associated with being a building block of collagen or otherwise stimulating its synthesis. While glucosamine can do that, it’s in concentrations that you cannot achieve with oral supplementation. What it can do is help decrease the rate of collagen breakdown; essentially it can slow down further degeneration, but it cannot actual cure the problem.
Glucosamine is not outright crap; it could potentially be an anti-catabolic (but not anabolic) agent for connective tissue in athletes undergoing high impact training.
However, using it to help deal with joint health is likely wasted money. It can slightly help (a meta analysis found that it can slightly reduce pain), but it is nowhere near as amazing as marketed.
Tribulus Terrestris (and “testosterone boosters” in general)
Tribulus is a triumph in marketing and human psychology. It is one of the few supplements that has ample evidence to outright demonstrate that it doesn’t work. Still, it is the most popular testosterone booster on the market (with d-aspartic acid coming up fast).
Tribulus is a libido enhancer, confers some urogenital benefits (reduced formation of kidney stones), is generally a healthy herb, has some antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, and is potentially heart healthy.
It does not boost testosterone, nor luteinizing hormone, at all; there is no evidence to support this claim and there is quite a bit of evidence against it. Treat it like a vegetable (good for you) that also makes you horny, but does not actually increase testosterone
On the topic of testosterone boosters in general – they do exist, there are a few studies (mostly in animals) to support their actions and efficacy in increasing testosterone.
The category is just overhyped; no testosterone booster will give you the muscular gains that are classically ascribed to testosterone boosters and no study has actually measured the muscular gains from a testosterone boosting herb intervention. Theoretically, it should be dose-dependent (assuming you eat right and work out, the more testosterone the better) but the magnitude of benefit could be so small it isn’t even that visible.
Statistically? Significant. Practically? Irrelevant. Most of the testosterone boosters being marketed increase your libido; people incorrectly assume their increased libido is due to a correlated increase in testosterone.
Testosterone boosters should be viewed as cognitive enhancers. They make you horny and a bit confident and might increase cognition and output in the gym, but the ones currently on the market are unlikely to ‘pack on muscle’.
Glutamine
With the importance of dietary protein come the individual amino acids being sold as their own supplements. Common ones include BCAAs, leucine, glutamine, arginine, and tyrosine. Glutamine is one of the more popular ones, and really the only one that truly does not fit its claim (arginine technically does, although is subpar; glutamine just seems to be lying).
Glutamine is said to build muscle, and supplementation of glutamine in real-life situations just does not.
Glutamine is involved in cell anabolism, and is especially important for the cell when it is sitting outside of a body in a culture. When glutamine is introduced to a muscle cell in isolation, there is dose-dependent muscle growth; this has been demonstrated repeatedly, and glutamine is basically a requirement for a proper in vitro study to just keep the cell alive (glutamine being the food source).
That being said, glutamine is highly regulated in a living system; there will not be such an excess of glutamine at a cellular level since it can simply be converted to carbohydrates in excess or otherwise partitioned to other organs. Oral glutamine supplementation is well known to be sequestered by the intestines and liver, leaving barely any to reach the muscle cell (only as much as the body seems to allow).
The only time glutamine builds muscle mass is when the body is in a glutamine deficient state. This is obscenely rare, and seems to only frequently occur in physical trauma patients or burn victims. Glutamine can build muscle in these settings (or at least, slow the incredible rate of muscle loss) and has absolutely no evidence beyond these settings.
There is a school of thought that glutamine can be a sacrificial amino acid during periods of carbohydrate and caloric restriction, and thus provide an anti-catabolic effect by being gluconeogenerated itself in place of skeletal muscle; this works in theory, but has not yet been demonstrated.
Check back tomorrow for part two, where I’ll cover supplements that I actually like and those I feel are drastically underrated.
Author’s Bio
Kurtis Frank and Sol Orwell are cofounders of Examine.com, where they spend their time making sense of scientific studies on supplements and nutrition. They also have a Beginners Guide to Supplements, which you should really, really check out (subtle hint).
A few days ago I responded to an email where I was asked my general thoughts on supplements: do I find them useful?, which ones do I take?, which ones do I feel are useless?, so on and so forth.
Now, I’ve written similar posts in the past – HERE and HERE – but since I ended up writing more than I thought I would, I figured I might as well use my response as its own impromptu blog post.
It’s my blog, I can do what I want!
Compared to many, I take more of a simpleton approach to supplementation. For me, and I’m completely stealing a line from Alwyn Cosgrove here – “supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters.”
More often that not, if someone’s not making any progress – whether it’s strength related, fat loss, or performance based – you can usually chalk it up to sub-optimal training, nutrition, or both.
I’m sorry, maybe it’s the cynic in me (although I like to think it’s common sense) but taking some super-duper-crystallized-dragon’s breath-protein-synthesizer-mass-bulking formula supplement which promises things like packing on 30 lbs of muscle AND increasing your bench press by 100 lbs (while instantaneously turning your abs into a bulletproof vest) – all by next Wednesday – is utter nonsense.
I had an athlete of mine ask me the other day what supplements he should be taking to add a little weight.
I said, “calories.”
After a few awkward seconds of starring at one another, he realized I was serious and then we had an awesome ten minute conversation on how he could go about including more quality calories into his daily repertoire.
This isn’t to say that I don’t think supplementation isn’t efficacious or worthwhile for some – it absolutely is!
I just feel that far too often people resort to some mythical “magic pill” that’s going to get them results, when in fact, it’s nothing more than putting in their time under the bar (and doing so consistently) and actually giving a shit what they put into their bodies in the form of REAL, natural, minimally processed, nutrient-dense food.
Bringing this full circle, I feel supplementation is highly overemphasized by some. But I can also appreciate that certain supplements are invaluable in what they have to offer as far as general health benefits are concerned.
Moreover, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge those supplements that undoubtedly help people take their training to the next level.
Which Leads Us To This
Pigging back off my comments above, and despite the contrary, I actually do personally take (and advocate that others do as well) some supplements.
For their health benefits alone, I take: fish oil (heart health, reducing inflammation, and a encyclopedia’s worth of other benefits), Vitamin D (deficiency in this vitamin is almost universal), a powdered Green’s product (I think of it as mineral/vitamin safety net), and dandelion root and ginger (both for their role in reducing inflammation and promoting liver health).
On the performance side of things, I think anyone who lifts weights on a consistent basis (and not the pink dumbbells) should include two supplements: protein powder and creatine.
Granted protein powder may be a moot concept assuming someone ingests ample protein in their diet (grass fed beef, chicken, eggs, fish, yogurt, cottage cheese, Bambi’s mom, etc), but you can’t argue with the research which routinely demonstrates that downing a protein drink shortly after – or even better, before – training helps to promote protein synthesis and recovery.
Likewise, creatine is the most researched supplement in the history of the world, and I’m always amused at those people (sadly, even physicians at times) who claim that taking it is going to make your kidneys explode or give you a third nipple.
While there’s a small portion of the population who are “non-responders,” I think it behooves anyone who weight trains not to consider including creatine into their daily mix, as it’s been routinely shown to increase strength, performance, and recovery.
And sometimes increases your chances of seeing someone of the opposite sex naked. It’s a win-win.
Supplement Hijinks
Embarrassingly, I don’t keep up with the latest supplement superstars. Every now and then I’ll notice one of our athletes walk in with some flashy container with the typical flashy words on the label and roll my eyes.
I’m sure if I walked into my local GNC store I’d find a plethora of related supplements that will just as equally make a small piece of my soul die.
I especially love those souped up creatine formulas that promise all the bells and whistles and end up costing what mounts to a student loan payment for a month’s supply.
Fun fact: just stick with plain ol’ creatine monohydrate which costs like $15 for a three month supply. It’s just as “effective” as the more expensive brands, and you’ll save yourself a bit of money in the long run.
Having said all that, there have been several times where I used myself as a
guinea pig and tried a few supplements – some of which I KNOW have some solid research behind them – that I never really got much out of.
The one that comes to mind the most is beta alanine.
I realize there are a lot of people who swear by it – particularly endurance based athletes or even the CrossFit diehards out there (and like said, there is plenty of research out there that backs it up) – but for me it was sorta like “eh.”
At the end of the day, I try to stick with the mantra that supplements are exactly that……supplements.
Far too often I feel many people are under the assumption that the missing link as to why they’re not getting results is because of some hidden supplement they’re not taking. The truth of the matter is: 1) they don’t train nearly as “hard” as they think they do and 2) their diet doesn’t reflect their goals. Think of that last point the next time you chug an energy drink (which typically contains a boat load of sugar) just to go for a walk.
Q: What, if any, supplements do you actually take? I know you’re a whole-food-before-supps kind of guy, but I also know that you get your goody basket from Biotest every month. Just curious as to what stuff you find worthwhile.
A: I’ve discussed my stance on supplements in the past, so at the expense of sounding like a broken record, those interested can click HEREto read more about it.
Admittedly, it’s a bit old (I wrote it like four years ago), but all in all my views on the topic still stand.
Which is to say, much like Dr. John Berardi, I like to divide my supplements into two categories:
1. Supplements that help you get your dieselfication on.
2. Supplements that increase the likelihood that someone of the opposite sex will want to hang out you. Sometimes, if you play your cards right, even with your clothes off. What whaaaaaaaaaaat.
Okay, just kidding. Those aren’t the actual categories. If you really want to know, just click on the link above and find out! Do I have to do everything for you?
………Fair warning, though: the actual categories aren’t nearly as boss.
Anyways, since the question is about ME and what supplements I take, I’ll preface everything by being as clear as possible:
REAL food is the best supplement out there.
Yes, I feel REAL food takes precedence over ANY supplement you can get your hands on.
Supplements are exactly that……..SUPPLEMENTS. They supplement your current diet or way of eating.
For instance, if we’re going to be honest with ourselves, the limiting factor of why we have an ever growing obesity problem in this country isn’t because we’re not taking enough supplements (it’s a multi-multi BILLION dollar industry after all). On the contrary, it may be due, in no small part, to one of two scenarios:
People have no idea what REAL food actually is.
People can’t seem to step away from the damn cookie jar.
The latter seems pretty intuitive if you ask me. It’s no secret that crushing a row of Oreo cookies while watching The Price Is Right probably isn’t doing your waistline any favors.
It’s the former – not knowing what real food is – that throws a monkey wrench into things.
A stack of five chocolate chip/banana pancakes covered in syrupy goop, topped with whipped cream and a pint of ice-cream for breakfast? Cool. Bring it on.
Ask that same person to eat five whole eggs using a vat of butter? Most will look at you as if you asked them to club a baby seal. Someone call the cholesterol police!!!!
It’s astounding how much callous disregard most people have towards their bodies. It’s not uncommon for some to be more concerned about what type of gas they put into their car than what type of fuel they put into their own body!
I know when I have a night of less than exemplary eating (last night, actually), I feel like complete garbage the next day. Seriously, as I type this sentence, my stomach is one massive ball of gluten, and I’m pretty sure I’m going to give birth to a food baby any minute now.
I can’t help but think to myself, “this is what A LOT of people out there feel like every…….single…….day.” This is normal to them. This overall sense of lethargic, groggy, insulin coma, all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch tv…….is baseline.
YUCK!
Worse still, for many, they feel that by taking “x” supplement, which they have no idea what it actually does – without changing their dietary habits, no less – is the key to covering all their nutritional bases.
Is that REALLY the missing link? Answer: you bet your ass it isn’t!
Sadly, they have no idea what it’s like to feel energetic, lively, or any other adjective that’s the exact opposite of “dude, I feel like complete ass”……….without popping a pill or spending an exorbitant amount of money on supplements.
I can’t stress it enough……………………EAT REAL FOOD.
Trust me, for most trainees that’s the only supplement they’ll ever need.
If only this was how politicians REALLY talked.
That said, concurrently, it’s impossible to think that one can cover ALL their nutritional needs through food alone.
In this sense, supplements do have a time and place. Sometimes – whether it’s due to allergies, various food intolerances, religious beliefs, or maybe someone is prepping for a figure competition or bodybuilding show – supplements do play an important purpose and role when trying to achieve a certain goal or look.
Welcome to the Part You Probably Skipped to Anyways
To that end, firstly, I actually do practice what I preach and do go out of my way to eat food as much as I can. If you don’t believe me, check out my fridge.
Secondly, and more to the point, there are several supplements that I take on an almost daily basis. Some I take because the Biotest Fairy drops them off every month.
Most of the supps I take, however, have no bells or whistles attached to them. They don’t promise 417% more muscle growth, or say they’ll turn my chest into diamonds. Instead, the ones I do take, I choose for the health benefits alone.
Daily Supplement List
Flameout – Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the many health benefits of fish oil. Literally, you name it and fish oil probably cures it. Except gonorrhea.
But seriously, everything from reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, helping reduce inflammation, joint health, to improving blood/lipid profiles – fish oil has all the bases covered.
I won’t belabor the point here, but suffice it to say, Flameout is easily one of the best fish oil products on the market.
Vitamin D – This won’t matter as much for those who live in warmer climates, but for those us who aren’t as fortunate, vitamin D supplementation is almost a necessity (less exposure to direct sunlight). Behind fish oil, I’d rank vitamin D as my “go to” supplement as it plays a role in alleviating/reducing things like chronic fatigue, depression (seasonal affective disorder), joint pain, osteoporosis, and uncontrollable weight gain (to name a few).
And don’t let the haters fool you. Direct sunlight isn’t the end of the world. As little as 20 minutes per day will more then meet your vitamin D requirements. For those who live in colder climates, though, supplementation (especially in the winter months) is paramount.
Greens Product – while I think it’s important to listen to you mother and eat your fruits and vegetables; sometimes there just isn’t enough time. The best alternative is having the ability to toss a scoop or two of a greens product into one of your shakes.
Protein Powder – This one is pretty easy. We all know that protein (or more specifically, amino acids) is the building block of muscle. When we lift heavy things, we break muscle down, and it’s important to take in ample protein to ensure proper recovery, and in the long-term, growth, of said muscle.
Most often, eating various cute, furry animals will easily do the job – but like everyone else, I’m busy and sometimes it’s more convenient just to pound a shake and be done with it.
Ideally you’d want to try to find a brand that have little to no artificial sweeteners. I like Grow. But I know there are plenty of other brands out there that are equally as high quality, and may have a smidge less sweetener added.
Dandelion Root – after reading Jonny Bowden’s 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth a few years back, and how much he RAVED on dandelion root, I hopped on that train ASAP.
Clearly, I wasn’t about to head out to my yard and pick dandelions and eat them, so I opted to supplement instead.
While the health benefits are many, the most important is arguably dandelion’s affect on the liver. To quote Dr. Bowden:
Since the liver’s job is to detoxify every chemical, pollutant, and medicine that we’re exposed to – according to some experts it performs more than 5,000 enzymatic reactions – keeping it strong and functioning smoothly is of prime importance to our health.
Probiotic – in the past, I’ve supplemented with a pill. But now I’m obsessed with kefir as well as with this wholemilk yogurt (made from grassfed cows) that I buy from Whole Foods, which provides more than enough “good” bacteria to keep my intestinal tract (and digestive system) healthy.
I add about 1/2 cup to one of my shakes and I’m good to go.
Spike – taken intravenously through the left ventricle. I need to try to ween myself off of caffeine at some point, but when I’m coaching upwards of 7-8 hours per day, sometimes I just need that added kick.
At least I’m not THIS bad (an old video of one of our powerlifters warming up)
ZMA – I find this helps me with recovery. And more importantly, it definitely helps with my sleep quality. It doesn’t help with getting to sleep (I have no issues there anyways), but it does help me attain a deeper sleep. Moreover, if I ever want to dream about, I don’t know, riding a dinosaur through the hallways of my old high school or something equally as wacky, ZMA is where it’s at. It gives me the most vivid dreams. It’s awesome.
And that’s about it. Pretty boring in the grand scheme of things. Every now and then I’ll throw in some creatine, but for the most part, that’s my supplement list.
To reiterate, most of the one’s I take, I take for the health benefits they provide, and not to offset anything I’m not doing with my regular eating habits and training.
It’s been said supplements are progress enhancers, not progress starters. If your current diet and training program isn’t getting the job done, then taking “x” supplement probably isn’t going to be the answer.
As I noted in Part I yesterday, when it comes to supplements, I take more of a simpleton approach. Which is to say, I’m not one of those guys that spends a mortgage payment each month buying everything on the shelf in order to get my swoleification on.
While I’m pretty lucky in the sense that I get a “goodie package” sent to me every month from Biotest, many are surprised to learn that even though that’s the case, I still don’t go out of my way to take that many supplements (relatively speaking).
Truth be told, though, I give away a lot of my stuff to co-workers, friends, and family – and, I hook my girlfriend up as well. Which begs the question: does she date me for my uncanny wit and charm, or my supplements?
Me: Hey babe, how was your day?
Girlfriend: Great! You got a package in the mail today.
Me: Oh, that must be my goodie package. Say, I was thinking that later tonight I could light some candles, make us dinner, wash the dishes, rub your feet, and then afterwards take you to…..
Girlfriend: Lets cut through BS Gentilcore – do you have my Hot Rox or what?
Me: Um, yeah, here you go. I love you.
Girlfriend: I love you too. Where’s the Flame out?
Okay, all kidding aside – given all the options out there, from the hundreds (if not thousands) of supplements to pick from (most of which suck pond water), they’re really are only a handful that I feel are worthwhile to take.
Protein Powder
This one is pretty easy. We all know that protein (or more specifically, amino acids) is the building block of muscle. When we lift heavy things, we break muscle down, and it’s important to take in ample protein to ensure proper recovery, and in the long-term, growth, of said muscle.
Most often, eating various cute, furry animals will easily do the job – but like everyone else, I’m busy and sometimes it’s more convenient just to pound a shake and be done with it.
While we could make an argument either way on which “type” of protein powder is more worthwhile…those who argue whey protein will say it’s absorbed quicker and is most ideal to take immediately after training. Those who are proponents of casein will note that its absorption rate is slower and helps “preserve” muscle to a greater degree.
At the end of the day, I don’t think it really matters much, and you’re best just using a product that uses BOTH (since that’s how nature intended it anyways).
Fish Oil
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the many health benefits of fish oil. Literally, you name it and fish oil probably cures it. Except gonorrhea.
But seriously, everything from reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, helping reduce inflammation, joint health, to improving blood/lipid profiles – fish oil has all the bases covered.
The only caveat, however, is which brand you buy – as it’s important to take into consideration the PURITY and POTENTCY of the product.
Ideally, you want to buy a fish oil supplement that’s at least 50% pure.
To do this, simply divide the amount of combined EPA and DHA (the omega 3’s) by the total amount of fat in the product. Most fish oil products you’ll find in your local grocery store contain 180mg of EPA and 120mg of DHA per one gram capsule.
180mg + 120mg = 300 mg of total omega-3’s (EPA/DHA combined)
0.3/1g (of fat per capsule)=.3 or 30%
Essentially most fish oil supplements found in local drug stores or grocery stores are 30% pure. Sure, they’re cheap, but they’re also potentially loaded with mercury, toxins, and other contaminants.
While you’ll end up forking over a little more for 50% pure fish oil products, it’s definitely worth it. As an added bonus, the purer the product is, the less likely you are to experience any fishy after taste or burps.
Vitamin D
This won’t matter as much for those who live in warmer climates, but for those us who aren’t as fortunate, vitamin D supplementation is almost a necessity (less exposure to direct sunlight). Behind fish oil, I’d rank vitamin D as my “go to” supplement as it plays a role in alleviating/reducing things like chronic fatigue, depression (seasonal affective disorder), joint pain, osteoporosis, and uncontrollable weight gain (to name a few).
What’s more, considering that vitamin D deficiency is almost at epidemic levels (regardless of living in warmer clients or not), it stands to reason that most people reading this blog post would benefit from including more it in their daily regimen.
Probiotic
As my colleague, Brian St. Pierre, has noted on numerous occasions, gut health is kind of an important thing. Consider the following:
The gastrointestinal system comprises 75% of the body’s immune system.
There are more neurons in the small intestine than in the entire spinal cord.
It is the only system in the body that has its own, independently operating nervous system, called the enteric nervous system.
If you stretched out the gastrointestinal system in its entirety, it would have the surface area of a regulation sized singles tennis court.
There are over 400 species of microbes living in your gut, totaling over 15 pounds of mass and containing more bacteria than there are known stars in the sky.
To that end, even though I include things like Greek yogurt in my diet, I still feel that supplementing with an additional probiotic is important.
While I tend to lean more towards The Pearl, it’s important to vary the types of strands you take on a month by month basis.
Bromelain
Pigging back on the above, bromelain is another supplement that plays a huge role in gut health/digestion, as well as speeding wound healing and helping to reduce inflammation. Up until a few months ago, I had never really given it the time of day, until the Mountaindog himself, John Meadows, introduced it to me.
Almost within weeks, I noticed my knees feeling better. And, as an added bonus, I wasn’t nearly as “gassy.” Win win!
Interestingly enough, while many people are quick to point to pineapple as the best source of bromelain – it’s actually the stem where the good stuff is. Hence, if you’re going to try it, supplementation is almost a neccesity.
BONUS – Athletic Greens
Note: I originally wrote this article a few years ago, and since then Athletic Greens has entered my life.
Ingesting a high-quality greens product daily is just about one of the the best “cover your bases” healthy habits you can implement (outside of the Dan John staples of flossing and wearing your seatbelt).
Real food is going to trump any supplement, but at least here you ensure you ingest a cornucopia of good ingredients for your body in a convenient, quick-n-easy manner. And the best part is that this greens product doesn’t taste like seaweed blasted out of a whale’s rectum.
It actually, you know, tastes good as a stand alone thing.
Nevertheless, it’s something I take daily – as does my wife – and it’s also something I recommend to all my athletes and clients.
And there you have it – my supplements I can’t live without. Yes, there are a few others that I take (creatine, Superfood, vitamin awesome), but the ones listed above are the ones I tend to place the most emphasis on, if for nothing else the health benefits alone.
Before I give you my list, I need to rant a little bit. Sorry.
To me, supplements are exactly that – SUPPLEMENTS (they “supplement” your current diet). Take, for example, the guy who is 40 lbs overweight, asking which supplements he should be taking in order to get back into shape.
Me: What did you have for breakfast?
Him: Uh, I don’t eat breakfast.
Me. What did you have for lunch?
Him: Dunkin donuts.
Me: Do you see a problem here?
Him: [blank stare] So, uh, what should I take?
Unfortunately, this is more common than you think. People are generally under the assumption that so long as they’re taking supplements (any supplement) that there’s no reason to hold themselves accountable for their own actions.
Supplements will fix everything!
Why should they hold themselves accountable when you can just walk into your local GNC and haphazardly drop two-hundred bones on something that sounds like it belongs in a science fiction movie?
I mean, how can you not want to try something that will give you:
The World’s strongest vaso-anabolic psychoactive experience. Our secret cellular volumizing formula is patented to nanomolecularize your vascular expanders.
For those scratching their heads, in supplement speak, I’m pretty sure that it means you’ll cause an earthquake when you flex your pecs and/or you’ll be able to fly. Or, maybe it just means you’ll end up with explosive diarrhea. I don’t know, something will happen.
Listen, outside of getting contest lean, if your current diet/training plan isn’t getting you the results you want, taking a plethora of supplements probably isn’t going to make any bit of difference. I’d go so far as to say that if you’re making a concerted effort to eat whole, un-processed, real foods, you probably have all your bases covered – so save your money.
But, the kicker is that most people have atrocious eating habits. And well, you can’t deny the many health benefits that certain supplements have to offer.
That being said, I don’t like blanket statements such as “all supplements are a waste of time and money.” On the contrary, there are a host of supplements that I recommend to my clients (and take personally) that I don’t necessarily consider “supplements” in every sense of the word.
I like to use the same approach as Dr. John Berardi with regards to categorizing supplements.
Essential Supplements (Non-supplement, supplements): proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals These can all be used by everyone based on their dietary needs.
Protein – Protein Powder (whey, casein, milk protein isolates, etc)
Fats – Fish Oil, flax oil
Carbohydrates – Post-Training drinks
Green’s product – Greens plus, Superfood
BCAA’s (Branch Chained Amino Acids)
Multi-Vitamin
***All of these can technically be attained through whole foods alone, but supplementation is often utilized to meet daily requirements/needs based on lifestyle. For the most part I feel that everyone could benefit to some degree using many of these “supplements.”
Targeted Supplements (the supplement, supplements): CNS stimulants, thermogenics, acid buffers, etc Used only in special physiological situations based on special needs.
Important questions to ask before taking these supplements, however:
1. What physiological system do I hope to target with this supplement?
For instance, ask most trainees what Beta Alanine is, and you’ll most likely get a quizzacle look – kinda like what happens when my girlfriend asks me to vacuum.
Simly put: if you don’t know what the heck the supplement is supposed to do, then you don’t need to be taking it. Period.
2. Is there objective research demonstrating real benefit and safety?
Using the popular NO Explode as an example…is it safe? If you ask Dave Barr, the answer would be a resounding nope.
The combination of screwing with key enzymes in the heart and brain, while also hindering creatine uptake into those two organs, makes this one about as useful as a poop flavored lolly pop.
[Side Note: I added the unsavory lolly pop flavor for effect ].
What about creatine? Is it safe? First off, it IS NOT a steroid contrary to what many people (particularly parents) may believe.
Do you eat red meat? That contains creatine. Secondly, it’s the most studied supplement in history. I just typed “creatine AND performance” in the search engine and came up with over 1600 studies. A review of over 500 studies evaluating effects on muscle physiology and/or exercise capacity; 300 have evaluated performance value and 70% showed positive results. Of these, very few showed any negative effects.
Short answer: it’s safe and it works. And no, your kidneys will not explode.
In a nutshell, do your research and ask qualified people on the merits of supplements and whether or not you should be using them. While many supplements do deserve the negative press they get, there are also many out there that do not.
Tomorrow, I’ll share my top five. Can you feel the excitement???????
PS: If you like this article, be sure to do me a favor and click the “like” button below. Every little bit helps!
