Key Points
- Supplements should only be considered if your diet is lacking or to specifically improve performance in certain areas.
- They will not make a night and day difference and should be considered AFTER your nutrition is in place.
- Most advertised supplements offer little to no benefit that has been backed by science, always be wary of big claims without understanding the facts.
- There are some supplements that have shown to be beneficial which cannot be obtained through your diet(in effective dosages) such as caffeine and creatine.
- You may want to take some supplements to “cover the bases” but be sure to consult with your GP and get regular blood tests to check for deficiencies.
The following are supplements we recommend based off of current research as found on Examine.com:
Caffeine
“Caffeine dosages should be tailored to individuals. If you are new to caffeine supplements, start with a 100mg dose. Typically, 200mg of caffeine is used for fat-burning supplementation, while acute strength increases occur at higher doses, 500mg and above. Researchers tend to use a dosage range of 4-6mg/kg bodyweight.
Caffeine can be supplemented through popular beverages, like Coffee, Tea and Energy Drinks, but it can also be taken in a pill form.
Many of caffeine’s effects, including fat burning, strength benefits, and euphoria, are subject to tolerance, and may not occur in people used to caffeine, no matter how large the dose is.”
Creatine
“There are many different forms of creatine available on the market, but creatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most effective. Micronized creatine monohydrate dissolves in water more easily, which can be more practical.
Creatine monohydrate can be supplemented through a loading protocol. To start loading, take 0.3 gram per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 5–7 days, then follow with at least 0.03 g/kg/day either for three weeks (if cycling) or indefinitely (without additional loading phases).
For an individual weighting 180 lb (82 kg), this translates as 25 g/day during the loading phase and 2.5 g/day henceforth, although many users take 5 g/day due to the low price of creatine and the possibility of increased benefits. Higher doses (up to 10 g/day) may be prudent for those with a high amount of muscle mass and high activity levels.”
Multivitamin
“A multivitamin tends to be a good idea if:
- You are at risk for several nutrient deficiencies and your diet cannot otherwise be modified
- The multivitamin provides adequate dosages to cover the deficiency risk
- The multivitamin is a better purchasing option than the nutrients by themselves
Theoretically, multivitamins would provide more overall benefit to people with a lower income, who are financially unable to buy a wide variety of foods. Ironically, this group is the least likely to consume multivitamins.[1]“
This final statement just goes to show that you should ideally be getting a wide variety of whole foods to satisfy your vitamin requirement.
Vitamin D3
“The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin D is currently set at 400-800IU/day, but this is too low for adults. The safe upper limit in the United States and Canada is 4,000IU/day. Research suggests that the true safe upper limit is 10,000IU/day. For moderate supplementation, a 1,000-2,000IU dose of vitamin D3 is sufficient to meet the needs of most of the population. This is the lowest effective dose range. Higher doses, based on body weight, are in the range of 20-80IU/kg daily.
Vitamin D3 supplementation (cholecalciferol) is recommended over D2 supplementation (ergocalciferol), since D3 is used more effectively in the body.
Vitamin D should be taken daily, with meals or a source of fat, like Fish Oil.”
Fish Oil
“Fish oil doses vary depending on the goal of supplementation. For general health, 250mg of combined EPA and DHA is the minimum dose and can be obtained via fish intake. The American Heart Association recommends 1g daily. If the goal of supplementation is to reduce soreness, a 6g dose, spread over the course of a day, will be effective.
Since fish oil is a combination of two different fatty acids, these numbers reflect a combined total. Total eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) consumption should come from a mix of real food and supplements. The more EPA and DHA is provided by the diet, the less supplementation is required.
Fish oil can be taken throughout the day. To minimize the “fish burp” taste, take fish oil with meals.
Pregnant women should increase their intake of DHA by at least 200mg a day, as long as there is no risk of elevated mercury levels.”
If you’d like to learn more about supplementation and specific supplements then we’d highly recommend heading over to www.examine.com to see if the supplements you are taking are backed by research and worth taking!
