SUPPLEMENTATION
In May of 1995 I headed home from college for summer break fresh with my brand new MasterCard and a $5,000 spending limit. Needless to say I could not head out to the bars as my fake ID had been confiscated by the police in an incident that still haunts me from time to time. So where else does a 19 year old head off to, why GNC of course. As I walked into the store conveniently located in Paramus Park food court I was greeted almost instantly by a an older gentleman I will here to fore refer to as Paul. Paul had a name tag that clearly identified him as a salesman and therefore my in house expert on all things supplement wise. Paul was no body builder to say the least, in fact he looked like he had never seen the inside of Gold's Gym, my current home away from home. Paul had the permanently red nose of someone who might have done a little too much boozing and the smell of cigarette smoke could not be hidden by his excessive use of cologne. Alas, Paul was my new best friend and current swole mate, whether he realized or not. I would return to seek Paul's council repeatedly that summer no matter the expense.
After my first encounter with Paul I returned home with my own goody bag full of B Complex, Chromium Picolinate, HMB, Amino Acids, Androgen, Agent Orange (the pre workout formula), Xenadrine and some protein powder. The cost of my goody bag = $575, the experience of walking into the gym ready to rip the heads off stuffed bunny rabbits before I boiled them = priceless. Did it matter that Paul had no idea if I needed B vitamins for energy nor Chromium Picolinate since neither he nor I really knew what it did? Did it matter that I was 19 years old and probably did not need Androgen, a testosterone pre-cursor? I had enough free testosterone floating through my bloodstream I could surely have donated some to Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa and still had enough left over for myself. Who cares that my pre-workout formula shared its nom de guerre with the same chemical used to defoliate trees in Southeast Asia while causing cancer in those routinely exposed to it. Little did I know at the time that combining Agent Orange and Xenadrine was akin to the recipe for Crystal Meth (I was the original Walking Dead). It did not matter if I almost shat myself repeatedly for time, the ensuing feelings of immortality were mitigated only by heart palpitations not seen since Alien's the movie. The only thing I think Paul sold me that summer that made sense was a protein powder, needless to say I probably did not need the version that had 1650 calories in one serving. Imagine drinking that and then trying to eat dinner, not a good combination, on several levels, I assure you. By the end of the summer I had racked up funny money bills approaching $2,000 and I had probably rendered myself impotent, at least temporarily.
Ultimately I learned my lesson from all of this and I can, without question, assure you there is no currently legal quick fix when it comes to what can be accomplished in the gym. There is also a tremendous amount of misinformation and partial information out there about supplements, their uses and proposed benefits. I have often considered myself something of a guinea pig when it comes to fitness. I am not quite on the level of Tim Ferris, and probably have more of a fitness ADD than a rigorous scientific approach to everything I have done or tried. That being said I am obsessive compulsive when it comes to seeking out information, science and data before I ever council anyone on what to do for themselves. I have spent the last 16 years attempting to find the best combination of workout supplements available today. Here is what I have found and what I believe everyone should at least consider taking, mind you this is neither a prescription nor a definitive solution on all levels. This is merely a list based on resources I feel are reliable, consistent and valid across multiple disciplines and domains.
MULTI VITAMIN
In a nutshell, it’s wise to make sure your diet is complete with all the nutrients needed for health and wellness.
Healthy eating remains the best source of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. A multivitamin is not a substitute for healthy food or a healthy lifestyle, but it can provide a nutritional back-up for a less-than-ideal diet.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans identified calcium, vitamin D, dietary fiber, and potassium as nutrients of concern for inadequate intake in adults and children. All of these nutrients, except fiber, come packaged in a multivitamin. Fiber can be obtained as a separate supplement, but it's still best to try to get all your fiber from the foods you eat.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, more than half of U.S. adults take dietary supplements. Multivitamins are the most commonly used supplement, with 40% of men and women reporting they take a daily multivitamin.
The Harvard School of Public Health suggests a once daily multivitamin with extra vitamin D for most people as a nutritional back-up. The Linus Pauling Institute’s Micronutrient Information Center at Oregon State University suggests taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement with 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for most vitamins and essential minerals to maintain health (www.webmd.com).
The risk of dietary deficiencies is greater than the risk of overdosing on a multivitamin. Vitamins and minerals act as coenzymes and allow for very important cellular functions and processes within our bodies to take place when and where needed. The most important of these actions being at the DNA level where all of our body's systems must maintain some semblance of homeostasis for us to enjoy long healthy lives.
One recommendation that comes up often is the multi vitamin made by Synergy.
VITAMIN D3
They say a picture says a thousand words and quite frankly I think this sums up the various aspects of Vitamin D as well or even better than anything else I've seen. That being said I took this image from www.foundmyfitness.com a website run by Dr. Rhonda Patrick who is bar far one of the smartest people I have come across. I will include a video link to an interview she did with The Barbell Shrugged Podcast at the end of this blog post.
FISH OIL
By now everyone should know that when we discuss fish oil we are talking about Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the green leaves of plants, like grass, phytoplankton, algae and seaweed. This is the food that OUR food is designed to eat, which makes grass-fed beef, pastured organic eggs, and most importantly, certain types of fish (wild-caught fish and fish lower on the food chain, like herring, anchovy, sardine and mackerel) are good, natural sources of omega-3′s. Unfortunately, due to poor meat quality, and over-consumption of fast foods, processed foods, and vegetable oils, most of our diets are lacking in these essential fatty acids (and overly rich in pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids).
Fish oil is not a magic bullet, but there are an infinite number of well-documented benefits for a whole host of lifestyle diseases and conditions. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA ( docosahexaenoic acid) are specific types of polyunsatured omega-3 fatty acids found is fish oil supplements. Your body cannot produce these fatty acids – you must get them from the food or via supplementation. EPA and DHA are natural anti-inflammatory agents. They both play a role in brain health (over 30% of your brain is composed of DHA) and heart health (specifically through a reduction in C Reactive Protein levels). These omega-3's also help fight of insidious diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression. Additional benefits include but are not limited to improvement of skin conditions like psoriasis and acne, fetal brain development, inflammatory bowel disorders, and arthritis.
Always read the ingredient label before purchasing a fish oil supplement, or any supplement for that matter. Try to find a version of fish oil that is mostly free of soy (including lecithin), dairy, wheat, rice, sweeteners or other artificial ingredients. The caveat here is that trace amounts of soy are usually considered acceptable as they may be a necessary evil in your actual supplement's production cycle.
Always focus on the EPA and DHA amounts per serving instead of the "total fish oil" amount. A concentrated source means you have to take fewer pills or teaspoons a day – it’s more efficient, and makes it more likely that you’ll actually take your recommended dose each day. You can even get prescription strength fish oil if your doctor is willing to prescribe it for you, as this is the most concentrated form available on the market.
One of the effects of fish oil is a reduction in the stickiness of platelets, your blood's clotting factor. It is recommended that if you have any of the following conditions, that you see your physician to discuss whether you should take fish oil capsules:
-You have a bleeding tendency
-You are on blood thinning medications
-You are about to have surgery
-You are a first responder in specific danger of being wounded
Then again always consult your physician if you have any concerns before starting a new medicinal or supplement regimen.
It is generally recommended that you aim for around 2-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day. However, if you eat lots of wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef and other natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and generally avoid sources of omega-6 (like vegetable oils, factory-farmed meat, nuts and seeds), you may not need to supplement as heavily.
Keep fish oil in a cool, dark place. Your refrigerator is the ideal location, especially in summer. If your pills don’t have a dark capsule coating and/or come in a light colored bottle, this is especially important. Fish oil reacts to light and heat, and can turn rancid. Rancid fish oil – obvious based on the smell – should be immediately discarded.
We currently carry the PurePharma 3-in-1 packets. These are 30 daily servings organized in pouches for ease of use. They also contain magnesium and D3. If you would prefer another brand they are easy enough to find in Vitamin Shoppe or GNC and Nordic Naturals is another reputable brand.
VITAMIN E
The inclusion of Vitamin E in this list is almost exclusively to assist in the consumption of our fish oil supplement. Omega-3's are polyunsaturated fatty acids meaning they are missing their full complement of hydrogen atoms in their molecular structure. Without getting all nerdy scientist on you, lets just say that this means oxygen can attack and potentially damage these fatty acids through a process conveniently known as oxidation or oxidative stress. In a worst case scenario as it pertains to fish oil this can cause rancidity. Rancidity in turn can do damage to our bodies cells and ultimately lead to negative impacts on our DNA in effect reversing the very benefits we are attempting to harness.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that stops the production of reactive oxygen species formed when fat undergoes oxidation. Hence it ameliorates the potential damage caused during the consumption of fish oil.
We do not need to consume any great abundance of Vitamin E here. Anywhere from about 22.5 IU for basic maintenance up to 1000 IU for more active individuals should suffice.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is probably one of the top three recommended supplements for athletes as it is an essential element in biological systems and most athletes are likely deficient. I’ve seen recent studies stating that 85% of Americans are deficient and we all know that most Americans most certainly lead the typical sedentary, American lifestyle so imagine the deficiencies in the trained and even arguably over-trained population. Magnesium is found in every cell in our bodies and and over 300 enzymes within the body require its presence for catalytic action.
Magnesium is important to athletes because it regulates heart rhythm, allows muscles to contract and relax properly, reduces blood pressure, and is necessary to produce ATP (the main source of energy in our cells) which must be bound to a magnesium ion in order to be biologically active.
In nature you can find magnesium in high concentrations inside chlorophyll. Chlorophyll you may remember is the chemoprotein that gives plants their green color. Natural sources of magnum can be found in dark leafy greens (think kale, spinach and swiss chard), nuts and seeds (squash and pumpkin seeds), fish such as mackerel, avocados, low-fat dairy (plain non fat yogurt), bananas and even dark chocolate.
If you are using a supplement version check your bottle to avoid Sudden Poop Onset (SPO) here: Supplements based on amino acid chelates, such as Mg glycinate and Mg malate are much better tolerated by the digestive system and much more absorbable by the body the other (cheap) forms of magnesium such as Mg oxide or Mg carbonate. This is best taken post-workout on an empty stomach. Sedentary individuals need 600 mg a day and larger athletes in heavy training mode could do up to 2,000 mg a day.
VIDEO LINK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWa4aJE8YpU&autoplay=1
If you have a spare hour some where over the next few days click the link above and check out Rhonda Patrick's interview on The Barbell Shrugged Podcast. It will be well worth your time I promise!!
