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Zillagreybeard 5 years ago.
Supplements that you should consider.
Discussion in 'Nutrition and Supplements' started by Zillagreybeard, May 29, 2020.You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
DeusChem replied 2 months, 4 weeks ago
Kristenmitchell replied 2 months, 4 weeks ago
DominicThomas replied 3 months, 1 week ago
If you are consistent in your training/nutrition efforts and are looking to maximize that last 5% of your results, it’s worth looking into supplementation. But there are only a few supplements that have stood the test of time. Today, I’d like to discuss three supplements that are widely supported in the scientific literature.
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First, we have whey protein. If you currently struggle with consuming enough protein, a whey protein supplement can help you gain more muscle and strength. A casein protein supplement has similar effects [1]. But if you already have a daily protein intake of 1.6g/kg BW or higher, having a protein supplement won’t do anything in terms of boosting muscle growth [2].
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The next two are creatine and caffeine. In the literature, these two supplements consistently have been shown to improve training performance [3, 4]. When it comes to creatine, 3-5g/day of creatine monohydrate (no timing/cycling) is all that’s needed. For caffeine, having ~3mg/kg BW of caffeine 30-45 min before training is beneficial.
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Lastly, if you swipe left 3x you can also see an image with a few common supplements that are not very effective (including references). For most people with general fat loss/muscle growth goals, I’d say using caffeine, creatine, and whey protein are more than enough.
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References:
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761774/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28698222
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30298476
4. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
All products labeled as a dietary supplement carry a Supplement Facts panel that lists the contents, amount of active ingredients per serving, and other added ingredients (like fillers, binders, and flavorings). The manufacturer suggests the serving size, but you or your health care provider might decide that a different amount is more appropriate for you.
Effectiveness
If you don’t eat a nutritious variety of foods, some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements can’t take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy diet. Good sources of information on eating well include the Dietary Guidelines for Americansexternal link disclaimer and MyPlateexternal link disclaimer.
Scientific evidence shows that some dietary supplements are beneficial for overall health and for managing some health conditions. For example, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong and reducing bone loss; folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects that; and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils might help some people with heart disease. Other supplements need more study to determine their value. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether dietary supplements are effective before they are marketed.
Safety and Risk
Many supplements contain active ingredients that can have strong effects in the body. Always be alert to the possibility of unexpected side effects, especially when taking a new product.
Supplements are most likely to cause side effects or harm when people take them instead of prescribed medicines or when people take many supplements in combination. Some supplements can increase the risk of bleeding or, if a person takes them before or after surgery, they can affect the person’s response to anesthesia. Dietary supplements can also interact with certain prescription drugs in ways that might cause problems
Agree – they should be used as supplements and not primary. Protein drinks are often used that way.