The Supplements

Supplements are a hot topic. Even congress has been talking about them. Seems I am asked about supplements

Supplements galore!

by athletes, parents, patients, clients, or random people in the gym every few days. Everyone wants to know, “What is the best thing to get ripped, huge, lean, cut, bench 300, etc…..”. I will admit that at one time my book shelf looked a lot like a store shelf at the mall. Through years of school and just being a little nerdy, I’m glad to say that now I have a few book shelves loaded with books and the amount of supplements have dwindled significantly. But since I get so many questions about what I take, I will give you a break down of supplements and my reasoning for taking each one.

PROTEIN

Protein powders come in many forms. They may be derived from vegetables, grains, and animal milk. The most common form is whey, which is a milk protein. Quality protein sources contain essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of life (and muscle). Ill drink a protein shake when on the go or for a quick snack. Sometimes I will include protein powder in a smoothie with fruits and veggies. Although meal replacements are available I rarely use protein powder as a meal. A protein shake is very handy and recommended for my athletes as a quick snack when short on time between classes. Good quality protein is very cost efficient and easy to use. A lot of people think that they taste bad and if you haven’t tried protein in the past few years, I completely understand your hesitation. Powders once were very chalky and did not represent the flavor advertised but today’s powders are tasty and smooth. Protein powders are quick, effective, and taste good.

CREATINE

Creatine is the most researched supplement with the first study dating back to 1994. Creatine has been falsely blamed for many negative side effects. Through the numerous studies on creatine it has been shown to be safe and beneficial. It is an effective nutritional supplement that has been proven to increase high intensity exercise capacity, improve lean body mass, and increase anaerobic capacity. Creatine can help in recovery and play a role in increasing strength.



FISH OIL

Fish oil is worthy of a post all to itself but for now I’ll give you some high points. Numerous studies have shown a wide array of benefits from fish oil. Fish oil has been proven to benefit health concerns from heart health to autism to fat burning. Fish oil is high in omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve heart health, help with memory, improve immune function, and decrease the risk of cancer. Taking a few capsules of fish oil a day improves your total health no matter what your goals.

These are supplements. They are meant to be used in addition to your normal whole food diet. While these can be beneficial, whole food will give more nutrients and therefore more bang for your buck. If your diet is terrible, supplements are not gonna help much. The better your diet the more effective your supplements will be. Those huge guys in the magazines advertising supplements may use that supplement but there’s a really good chance they are using other performance enhancement items as well (roids). All the supplements promise great results but without a proper whole food to diet, all the supplements in the world won’t allow you to achieve your potential.

Be Better,

Brooks