Which Suppliments Are Worth It?

[sleeperstakes]

so I've been doing some research and there seems to be a lot of conflict between some places which claim nearly all vitamin, mineral and protein supplements are a waste of money, and others which say how invaluable they are. I currently take slow release vitamin C, Red krill oil, multivitamins and ginseng and ginkgo biloba tablets. I'm currently considering: Maca, baobab, protein and antioxidant powders. Are these a huge waste of money? or will i see genuine long term health benefits?

[Voyager]

I'll give you one suggestion from my personal experience. If you haven't already, invest the money in getting a full blood work done by a naturopath or functional medicine doctor. That way you're spending your money on supplements and plant medicines that actually will help you. For example, what my body needed most was not some exotic amazonian herb, but Magnesium, Copper, Zinc and B6, which restored my neurotransmitter function and allowed my GABA and Serotonin to start being produced normally again. This was a huge shift for my calmness and happiness. 

Considering there are so many different supplements and they are used for many different purposes, you'd need to be more clear on specifically what you're looking to achieve. Calmness? Happiness? Alertness? Reverse Diabetes? 3rd Eye awakening? Perhaps then some relevant advice can be provided to you

 

[Michael569]

The only vitamin that large % of population is chronically low on is B12. 

Other than that it is wise to cycle Magnesium as the agricultural soil has been largely depleted across vegetable and food farms. 

D3 if you live in a climate that has little to non sun exposure such as northern Europe in Winter. 

And maybe an algae source of DHA 

Edited August 6, 2017 by Michael569

[Psychonaut]

I take a large amount of supplements. Not quite as much as Leo in his supplement video but almost.

For me Fishoil, Magnesium, Maca, Caffeine+L-Theanine, Ashwaghanda, Bacopa Monnieri (Brahmi) are the most important. 

Supplements/nootropics are the last step in my opinion though. OFC you need to supplement the missing things, no question.

However I would first adress diet (I do Keto), then exercise (swim/run/lift) and then as a reward take whatever you can afford.

[SFRL]

Creatine, cafeine, and protein. 

All the other stuff you should be getting from food. Preferably protein as well. 

Al lot of supplements are driven by the sports nutrition industry. They want to sell, it's a big money industry. Not everything they tell you is true. 

Testosterone boosters work as well, not for making muscle gains really, but they can increase your sexual performance. 

 

Edited August 7, 2017 by SFRL

[Ferdi Le]

I would strongly advise you to purchase Cod Liver oil Capsules. Cod Liver Oil contains various very critical micronutrients in a very sufficient amount, including:

Vitamin D (which most people in nothern states like North Dakota are deficient in, and even if you live in a sunny area you can protect yourself from the sun more because the main benefit (Vitamin D) is already covered

Omega 3 Acids: Most people eat too much Omega 6 and too little Omega 3 which causes hearth diseases. 

Vitamin A: Good for the skin, hair and also an antioxidant

[sleeperstakes]

@Ferdi Le i take red krill oil which I think has all of cod liver oil and a couple of other things.

@SFRL Do you need  caffeine? Is protein and creatine still useful/essential as someone who's more interested in strength and fitness than size/tone?

@Psychonaut how do you plan your meals for keto? I'm interested in starting it but I don't know any good places to get started in terms of meal planning, recipes, and what foods to eat/avoid

 

[SFRL]

@sleeperstakes you don't need creatine. It's very addictive as well, so you become dependant on it. Although black coffee isn't all bad, it got health benefits as well. 

But as far as a pre-work out formula, coffee with sugar works fine for me. I think a lot of pre-work out formula that get sold are very unhealthy. Although I don't have a lot of experience with those. I took it two or three times. The first time I was all amped up shaking all over my body and spacing all over the place, and I was pushing twice the weight I normally would. Then the second time and after that I hardly felt a thing and it didn't really do anything else then what coffee does for me. I might try it again in the near future. A lot of guys take it, and like it though. 

Creatine is by far the best sports supplement out there. It increases your strength and endurance. Also another fun effect of creatine is that your muscles will look more full/bigger. So basically you look more muscular just by taking the creatine. That effect disappears very soon after you stop taking creatine though. 

I can tell you this: 80% of the guys in the gym is using creatine. I can guarantee you that. 

If you use creatine the best effects you get when you train hard multiple times a weak. Otherwise there is little use in taking it. You won't get the same effects. 

You don't need creatine, but you will probably like it. 

As far as protein goes, the supplements work. I just don't like them. You can get all your protein from food. I like that a lot better. It gets disgusting after a while to me drinking so many protein shakes. They do work though. 

If you want to pack on size protein Iis important. On a side note though I think that the whole advice of eat 1 gram of protein for every lbs of bodymass is overdone. You have to understand that the supplements industry will tell you this because they want to sell you as much protein as they can. Also there is a difference between a guy who is starting to workout or Mr. Olympia who already maxed out is genetic potential and needs to do everything he can to maintain his mass or add on a little bit more. 

So yeah protein is important. But the truth of how much is somewhere in the middle. You need a lot. Not as much as the fitness industry is telling you necesairly though. And fats and carbs are important too. 

Too answer your question straight: Yes you can get lean and strong without eating extra amounts of protein or creatine. 

Also realize that a lot of the great body's you see on TV and in magazines involve steroids. I don't judge. But you have to realize that so you don't go off on a wild goose chase. 

[pluto]

Buy a supergreens powder like (Green Vibrance) or something its all in one

 

[Raquel]

Spirulina is the best!!!

[Natasha]

@sleeperstakes Known as nature's multivitamin, Chlorella has full spectrum of Vit B, all major vits and minerals, amino acids, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, omegas, etc. plus it detoxifies body of toxins/heavy metals. You can take it in tablets, I mix a table -spoon-full in my green morning smoothies. Chlorella is single cell algae and is sold in a broken cell wall form for better absorption. Buy organic. I use Microingredients Suprerfoods and HealthForce Superfoods brands.

I also supplement with 5,000 mg of B-12 and 500 mg of L-Glutathione (anti-oxidant).   

[Michael569]

@Natasha 5000 mg of B12?? Are you sure that's the right number? That's 5 grams, literally a teaspoon

Human RDD is around 3-5 mcg which stands for 0.003-0.005 mg. 

 

[pluto]

Sunlight is the most important supplement known to man. Pair it with daily exercise, healthy diet, fresh air, clean water and adequate rest. You will thrive one way or another

[Natasha]

14 hours ago, Michael569 said:

@Natasha 5000 mg of B12?? Are you sure that's the right number? That's 5 grams, literally a teaspoon

Human RDD is around 3-5 mcg which stands for 0.003-0.005 mg. 

 

Sy typo. Thanks for the correction  It's 5,000 mcg.

[pluto]

Too be honest if you want vitamins/minerals just eat a lot of fruit and veggies to get all the vitamins you will need. Isolated vitamins don't work the same in the body as whole foods because the plants have their own system that works for efficient absorption/delivery/communication ect.. within the body.

As we are a part of nature when we consume nature in its natural state there's a greater intelligence that takes place within the body or a greater understanding/communication that modern science has yet to fully understand. This is why we feel so good when we eat mostly fruit for example.

Nature has been evolving and perfecting life for millions if not billions of years, we are only scratching the surface and know very little so the best thing we can do is use common sense and just be simple with life as simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and simplicity is seen everywhere in nature.

Man's problem is he tries to do "better" than nature instead he needs to learn to "be one with" nature.