Supplements: What You Should Know First
By: Josh Proch, CSCS, PN1
We get ask daily from clients about supplements. While some are looking for that magic quick fix, most are looking to improve their health and maximize their efforts in the gym.
The first thing we need to get across is that there is no supplement that is going to out perform bad nutritional habits. If our diet is full of processed foods, take out dinners, and other low nutritional quality food, no supplement is going to be able to fix that.
So, we first look at the client’s current nutrition habits. Are they eating by our guidelines at each meal – a palm sized serving of protein, two fist sized servings of veggies or fruit, a cupped hand sized portion of carbs, and a thumb sized serving of fat. How much water do they drink? How much alcohol? Can they and do they know how to cook basic meals? These are the basic guidelines we like to get in place with all clients in order to help them be successful.
As you can see, none of these basic guidelines include supplements. However, there are four basic supplements we do recommend for most clients. These are a multi-vitamin, an omega-3 supplement, a greens supplement, and protein powder.
The multi-vitamin is to fill in any gaps in nutrition and cover basic deficiencies from a poor diet and as a client progresses will help with any deficiencies created through increased activity and training load.
We find that many people do not consume enough Omega-3’s in their diet, but do consume high amounts of Omega-6 & 9 fats.
Omega-3’s fats help to control and reduce inflammation in the body, which has a whole host of health benefits, and they also play a role in fat loss.
While, Omega 6 & 9 play important roles in our body, they are pro-inflammatory – meaning the promote inflammation. When we maintain a healthy balance of the three different Omega fats our body functions well and remains healthy. But, due to the high concentration of Omega 6 & 9 fats and low amount of Omega-3 fats consumed in our daily diets this creates an imbalance that can create havoc for our body.
How many servings of veggies do you eat each day? If you’re like most it’s probably not as many as you should. These greens provide our body with many vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which help our body function and thrive. This is why we recommend a greens supplement for most clients. It makes it easier for them to get in these needed nutrients.
There are many options of green supplements that you can choose from including: freeze dried spinach & kale in shakes, wheat grass, spiralina and chlorella to name a few. Check out a few and see what each provides and make a decision from there.
The fourth supplement we recommend is a protein powder. Whey is our preferred source, but vegan and soy options are good too for people following vegetarian and vegan diets.
By adding in a protein powder this makes an easy way for clients to increase their daily protein intake, makes for a quick meal, is an easy way to add in a greens supplement, and helps promote recovery when consumed post-workout.
These are our top four supplements that will benefit most clients. Are there others that can be beneficial? Yes, but they will depend on the client, their goals, and commitment level, as they are only slight edges that compliment a consistent fitness and nutrition plan.
Let’s say you are looking at adding in some additional supplements. How do you know if they are good for you? What the harmful effects could be? And are they produced using clean and ethically practices?
This can be challenging to say the least, as the FDA does not regulate supplements, supplement manufacturers have a reputation for using less than ethical production methods, banned substances can be included causing you to test positive on a drug test, labels can be misleading, and many so-called “professionals” are just not educated enough on the supplements they may be recommending.
If this has you doubting taking any supplement rest assured there are sources out there that provide these answers.
Here is what to look for:
ConsumerLab, NSF – products labeled with this have been verified by independent third-party labs and should contain what is claimed.
Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) – this is used in Canada, which has stricter regulations in place on supplement companies than the U.S. They ensure that each manufacture has a proper license, follows good manufacturing practices (GMP), and that clinical trials support claims and adverse affects, as well as, proper labeling.
You should also be your own researcher and look into what you are planning on supplementing with. A few great resources to check with are:
- Your doctor and/or pharmacist, especially if you are taking other medications, as supplements can interact with them.
- Merck Manual of Medical Information (Home Edition) online
- The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database online tool
- com for brand testing and reviews
- com for research reviews of the evidence supporting specific supplements.
Ultimately as a consumer it is your job to do through research on any supplement that you are considering putting into your body and then decide if the risk to reward ratio makes sense.
If you are looking for more help with your fitness and nutrition check out our 30-Day Personal Training Experience at the bottom below.
