What Supplements Do You Really Need?

What Supplements Do You Really Need?

Many people would often ask, " What supplements do I really need?". Why waste money on unnecessary supplements that are useless and just heavily marketed by celebrities just to convince you that you MUST have those supplements in order to see good progress.

So Firstly, What Are Supplements? 

As the name goes, supplements are essentially products that supplement your body of essential macro-nutrients and micro nutrients that you are unable to get in adequate amounts. That being said, supplements are not miracle pills that would make drastic changes to your body. People often say that supplements would produce tremendous results but no it does not! For health and aesthetics, working and nutrition from food consumed are the most important factors for progress. Supplements are then used to fill in the gaps of your diet for the nutrients that you are unable to get in your body with whole foods.

What Supplements Do You Really Need?

Personally in my opinion, supplements are really expensive and you should only take those that are essential. If you do have allowance in finances, why not and try out something different! But if you are like me, maybe a student or simply on a budget. Why not give these key essential supplements a try!

1) Multi-Vitamins

This is a no-brainer, The simplest way you can support detoxification is to get adequate levels of those basic nutrients in a multivitamin. If you do not have a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, a multivitamin may be beneficial as nutritional insurance. Generally, people will benefit from taking supplemental magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and B vitamins! Get your multi-vitamins now!!

*Also a tip, for women that are still in the reproductive phase, it is advisable to purchase multi-vitamins with higher levels of iron to make up for the monthly menstrual cycle!

2) Fish Oils

Fish oils to me feels like miracle pills! There are just so many benefits to consuming them that I don't see a reason why people are not taking them!! Fish oils are the most important supplement that helps individuals achieve a rapid physique transformation. In General, individuals are good taking between 3-6 grams of fish oils  (This refers to the EPA and DHA). Injured individuals are better off with higher dosages to clear the inflammation!

Benefits:

-Fish oils increase utilization of fat stores and decrease fat storage. The reason is because of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) & docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) contained in fish oils help maintain the flexibility of cell membranes and make the insulin receptors more sensitive to circulating the levels of insulin. Basically fish oils turn off the lipogenic genes and turn on carnitine enzymes!

- Fish Oils reduces morning stiffness and reduces inflammation in the body.

- EPA in Fish Oils help regulate blood supply to the brain, which helps to maintain focus in weight training.

- Fish Oils increase serotonin levels ( the happy neurotransmitter :D )

These are just some of the benefits associated with fish oils. Which I believe are good reasons for anyone to start taking fish oils. You can read the full article at the following link: http://www.davedraper.com/url/poliquin.php .

3) Magnesium

Magnesium is the mineral of insulin sensitivity. This refers to the human body's ability to restore glycogen and distribute nutrients where they need to go is the function of the magnesium stores. Adequate magnesium levels are essential for recovery after working out because this mineral helps with decreasing magnesium.

Magnesium helps to keep stress levels in check as well. If your magnesium levels are too low, you will be susceptible to  be very responsive to stress. Stress also causes muscle tightness, which is something to be avoided for maximum performance and injury prevention. That being said, a magnesium supplement is NOT A MUST, but it is recommended to individuals who face high stress in their daily life or that they often have tight muscles. 

4) Protein Powders

This have been a controversy for a long time. Does protein powder really work? Many people debate that we can still progress in the gym without a protein supplement. Yes that is true. But is it also true that a protein powder can aid in recovery from gym sessions and help in progression? Yes that is also true!

Firstly don't worry too much about where you are getting your protein from. Soy proteins, milk proteins, beef protein, whey protein and many more.... The first target would be to hit your daily protein intake. For starters a typical target would be 1gram per lb of body weight/for kilograms that would be 2.2 grams per kg of body weight.To reach your body composition goals as well as goals in the gym, you have to hit your daily protein intake. 

After you are able to hit your daily intake, then it is time to discuss about what source should the protein come from. Usually I would prefer to stick to whole foods. Beef, poultry, dairy, seafood and eggs are good choices. For vegetarians and vegans, legume & beans are also good quality sources. As for powders, I would suggest whey protein to be taken. Due to it's fast acting properties and sources it is favorable over the other protein powders. If whey protein can't be taken because the individual is vegan or maybe lactose intolerant, he/she can try out the soy protein, which also works as a good alternative for getting your in on a daily basis. 

Protein powders are not a must, but if you are a big dude who is 200 lbs and above, taking protein powders are definitely a good alternative as it is difficult to consume so much protein from whole foods and it would also be fairly expensive to do so.

Conclusion

For all individuals who take parts in sports or weight training, I definitely feel that multivitamins and fish oils are an essential supplement to be used for daily well-being and performance. As for magnesium supplements and protein powders, it would be good to have if you have the finances to sustain the purchase. Even without it, you are good to make great progress in the gym!




References:
German Body Comp Program by Charles Poliquin
Mass Made Simple by Dan John 
http://www.davedraper.com/url/poliquin.php .