The supplement industry is a huge topic of interest for those of us striving to achieve a fitter body, reduce body fat, perform better, and ultimately feel our best.
Supplements are so heavily marketed, but almost to the point where people are convinced that they’re the magic ingredients to attain the body and self they desire. These supplements will be backed by anecdotes claiming this ONE pill or powder got them more muscle, less fat, or reduced their bloat, but these claims should be considered with a grain of salt.
It’s not very likely that supplements are the answer to your problems. If you are having trouble losing weight, taking a fat burner is not the solution. If nothing else changes, you’ll essentially have to continue taking these fat burners–forever–if you want to lose and keep the weight off. And if you barely consume enough protein in your diet, a protein shake might help, but not to the extent that a protein-rich diet would to help build more muscle.
So are supplements really worth the hype?
For some people, yes, it is–but only when they are doing all the other “things”. These other things include getting adequate and restful sleep, consuming a diet rich in nutrients that includes all 3 macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs), and consistently follow a workout schedule. Ideally, this work out schedule should include resistance training, but that discussion is for another day.
If you are doing all of these things right, but you feel like you need a little extra to get yourself to that next level in your health and fitness, the supplements below are the ones we can confidently say are safe, beneficial, and worth your time–and money.
Creatine Monohydrate
As a heavily researched supplement, this is one ergogenic aid that I would be happy to recommend. Ergogenic aids are performance-enhancing substances that enhance energy production or improve recovery. Essentially, these aids are designed to give athletes a competitive advantage.
Creatine is used as an anabolic agent to help increase anabolic output (strength or power) and promote muscle protein synthesis. Without getting too technical, creatine in the body gets converted to phosphocreatine, which is then used to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is the source of energy that is used to allow your muscles to contract and maintain continuous energy, especially for shorter duration exercises that range from 10 seconds to 4 minutes.
Time and again this supplement has been shown to not only be safe to consume, but allow your muscles to more efficiently recover and increase muscle growth.
Protein Supplement
As much as I love my protein shakes, they aren’t necessary if you are hitting your protein goals from whole foods. However, if you find that you are struggling to consume enough protein in your diet, a protein shake can definitely be a handy tool.
Keep in mind, that not every protein powder is made the same. There are SO many options out there, that it can be overwhelming. Some things to consider when selecting a protein powder is that it should be free of artificial sweeteners, flavors, and other unnecessary chemicals, should include no proprietary blends, and each scoop of powder should have about 20 to 25 grams of protein.
You can use protein shakes as a supplement, but it shouldn’t replace actual meals. As beneficial as it can be for muscle recovery and growth, whole food, protein sources are always superior.
Mind Pump partners with Legion, and they make a high-quality, whey isolate protein powder that we’d recommend if you are in the market for a protein powder without the chemical junk.
Certain Vitamins and Minerals
I know this sounds very vague, but there are so many micronutrients that we need to consider when it comes to overall health. Some of them may seem insignificant, but falling short on nutrients like vitamin C and magnesium can disrupt the efficiency of your sleep, recovery, ability to sustain energy during your workouts, immune system, and so on.
I don’t recommend buying every vitamin and mineral under the sun, but it does help to get blood work done to know what you are deficient in. This is super important, because when it comes to certain vitamins and minerals, more isn’t always better. In fact, it can lead to other health issues. For example, vitamin D may be recommended to some older adults because of its positive influence on bone health, but those who unnecessarily supplement with vitamin D can develop muscle weakness, vomiting, and kidney stones, among others.
Always talk to your doctor when considering supplements, to better understand if it will truly benefit your health and fitness.
