3 Supplements EVERYONE should be taking
- Ross Guirey
- May 10, 2024
- 5 min read
*All these three supplements are suitable for men and women!*
Imagine feeling fuller, losing body fat, getting leaner, recovering faster, lowering your inflammatory markers, building a stronger heart, improving strength, power & endurance AND boosting your memory?
These three supplements help you with all of those!
There is a problem though.
Supplements look great,
promise the world,
but are most of them a scam?
Choosing what supplements to buy is a risky game.
In a world where marketing looks genuine
and products boast hundreds of 5* reviews…
it's easy to think
‘this supplement is legit!’
WRONG (probably).
Instead, the case is...
Bold claims,
Low dosages,
Limited regulations,
Fake reviews,
Companies jumping on the ‘fad’ bandwagon,
Low quality of active ingredients,
And plain old fashioned - lack of proven benefits...
Just covered in a fancy label.
When you know this as the truth,
it’s clear to see that actually…
Basically... without research >> Buying supplements is a HUGE RISK & waste of cash!
In fact, the supplement industry as a whole is as close to scamming people as it gets!
Just because it's a 'supplement' doesn't mean it'll do something for you.
One of a million examples of this is turmeric supplements.
Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric.
I like taking curcumin, it's great! But hang with me here for a sec...
Curcumin is 3-5% of the turmeric.
You need a decent dose of curcumin to get the benefits,
(0-3 mg per kilogram of body weight).
It also needs to be paired with black pepper extract for absorption into the body. Did you know that?
However, there are pills and teas that contain no way near the recommended amount of curcumin AND ZERO black pepper.
Yet not knowing that, people would happily spend their money on a low dosage, low quality product that will only make them go to the toilet more often.
(and supplements aren't cheap!).
Having said this,
before you bin all your pills,
rip up your sachets,
or put your dissolvable vitamin C's in a bottle of coke and fire it across the garden like a rocket,
let me calm your nerves and tell you exactly what you should be getting!
The three supplements below are amongst the most researched supplements on this planet.
Oh… and a good quality curcumin is a great supplement! - although I’m not covering it here.
1. Good quality protein powder
YES!
What is it good for:
Having a high protein diet will support muscle growth and repair. A protein shake is great
especially after exercise due to its quick absorption. It provides essential amino acids needed for muscle synthesis and can help with fat loss, consuming less calories & feeling fuller for longer.
Alternatives?
If you don’t like whey, or more like me - whey sadly doesn’t like you - then you have a few other options:
Lactose-free whey protein
Vegan protein powders
Others such as beef protein powder.
What makes it good quality?
A protein shake that is as lean as possible. There are 4 calories in 1g of protein. So anything that gives you as close to 30g protein per 120 kcals is great! Don’t get meal replacements (protein shakes with carbs added to it) > just get a protein shake! Read the nutritional label on the back to confirm.
The label here is for a protein powder I found online. It's not bad at all. Hardly any carbs, hardly any fats. You can get lower carbs and fats too though.
Which ones taste better?
Whey (8-9/10)
Lactose free whey (7-8/10)
Clear vegan proteins (like juice) (8/10 - very impressive!)
Normal vegan proteins (5-6/10)
Others
Anyone with relevant allergies, kidney issues or digestive sensitivities may struggle with protein powders, but for 98% of people it should be staple to improve your health. Nowadays there are a lot of options so find the one that fits your lifestyle the best.
1-2 scoops a day is grand.
If you don't use protein supplements because "I don't like powders" or "I'll get too muscly", let's be real. No-one accidentally gets too muscly, and everyone benefits from a higher protein diet.
Whey protein is PERFECT post-workout due to it's faster absorption compared to solid food. If you want to pair that with finding the PERFECT WORKOUT PROGRAMME FOR YOU, check out this article here!
2. Good quality fish oil
These are rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Fish oil is a great source of EPA and DHA, two types of omega-3 fatty acids that support heart health and cognitive function.
It is also a natural source of vitamins A and D, which are important for maintaining healthy vision, skin, and immune function.
The omega-3s in fish oil have anti-inflammatory effects, which may benefit joint health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
What makes it good quality?
Anything that has 250–500 mg (or more) per day of combined EPA & DHA. Look on the nutritional label on the back for EPA & DHA dosages.
When taking COD LIVER OIL specifically, be wary of the vitamin a & d intake. Fish oil may have lower A & D than cod liver oil. Also, those on blood thinning medication may need to avoid fish oils.
99% of the population would hugely benefit from fish oil in their diet if regular fish is not consumed.
3. Creatine Monohydrate
This is probably one that most people haven’t tried.
Creatine can improve strength, power, and endurance, making it a popular supplement for athletes or those that workout regularly.
It helps support rapid recovery and muscle growth by increasing phosphocreatine stores in muscles, aiding in the production of ATP (energy).
Some research suggests a nice little bonus that creatine may have cognitive benefits, such as improved memory and mental clarity, particularly in situations where energy demand is high.
A little side note here, it boosts YOUR strength, power and endurance. It doesn't turn you into the hulk. It gives YOU, where you are physically right now, a boost that you wouldn't get without it.
What makes it good quality?
A product that is pure creatine monohydrate - no added stuff (unless you choose a flavoured one) and you need around 5mg a day. Tablets or powder is fine. No need to do a loading phase as some suggest, and also there's no problems with staying on 5mg a day instead of cycling it like older research suggested.
If you’re pregnant, have kidney issues or on other medications - please ask your doctor before starting creatine.
Again, this is suitable for nearly everybody and it improves your workouts immensely and normally kicks in after a week or two.
These 3 supplements are all worth having!
And remember to buy a decent quality one.
That doesn’t always mean super expensive, it means GOOD QUALITY.
Do a little research before you buy,
Stock up
and enjoy your new found mind and body!
Oh... and it's always worth a mention,
I get asked about pre-workouts a lot.
They're good, but for most people a good ol' fashioned coffee will do the job!
A double espresso with honey for me!
Perfect for a great gym sesh.
Want to know more about a particular supplement you’re taking?
Please drop a comment below and I’ll get back to you!
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