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The lowest dose, is the best dose.
I’m often asked what supplements I take, or I recommend taking. I’m always a bit hesitant in answering this question. And don’t get me wrong, I do take supplements, but I am particular in what I take and why I take it.
A quick disclaimer… I view supplements as the name intends “supplements.” Food should always be your first choice, and you shouldn’t rely on them to replace anything; only add. Which is where I believe a lot of us fail to realize or understand.
Which I will clearly define using the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) definition. They define it as:
A product (other than tobacco) that is intended to supplement the diet and contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin; a mineral; an herb or other botanical; an amino acid; a dietary substance for use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any of the ingredients described above.
The main points of issue I have with the current way we consume supplements: 1) Over reliance; 2) replacement or cure to “blank”; 3) incomplete understanding of what is being consumed and why.
I’m going to briefly touch on each of my points through this next bit.
The unfortunate part of the health & fitness industry, is it has become a fear mongering and marketing engine. Doing everything it can to sell you “health.” They pay influencers, use clever wording, and play on the notion that more is better.
I’ll give you an of example of something you probably do:
When you start feeling sick or are sick, you decide to indulge in packets of Emergen-C believing that 1000/mg+ is going to ramp up the immune system to full capacity and you’ll be better in a day or so.
Reality: Adults are recommended roughly 70-90/mg daily (up to 120ish for pregnant women). High dosages, especially randomly can lead to stomach & gi issues. Not to mention, most effects fall off after roughly 200-400/mg daily.
Fix: Eat fruits and some vegetables like bell peppers few times a day, every day, not only when you’re sick. Obviously citrus fruits are typically higher in vitamin C; but most don’t know that a single bell pepper contains more vitamin C than an orange. So consuming these will give you more than enough vitamin C along with other immune boosting vitamins. And if you are going to take in large doses of vitamin C, spread one Emergen-C packet out throughout the day. Giving you a steady dose and not overloading the system.
You don’t need to take in a ton of supplements. You can honestly get by with taking none. Whole foods come with everything. At the very least: stop replacing your frutis and vegetables with green powders, eat a variety of whole foods, and if you’re deficient in something… try implementing a food that contains it, before jumping straight to a supplement.
Stop replacing things. Start only supplementing when needed.
I do want to end this with my earlier notion that I’m not against supplements; I do take them. I’m very sparring though.
I will list my norm:
Fish Oil: 2000mg (EPA & DHA) -as much as I love sushi & fish, I just do not consume enough to get these levels daily.
Creatine: 10g (monohydrate) -I believe everyone should be taking at minimum 5g daily (male & female) due to the overwhelming research of benefits with virtually minor to no side effects.
Vitamin D3: 125mcg (5000IU) -I only take during the winter months here in the PNW due to lack of sunlight.
Magnesium Complex: 100-200mg -Taken every other night to aid sleep and recovery at these low doses. I typically eat enough food that contain it, that I shouldn’t be deficient… However, Americans are typically deficient in magnesium and vitamin D, so I like to cover my bases.
“Without proper diet, medicine is of no use. With proper diet, medicine is of no need.”
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MINDSET
Supplements are not a replacement. They are to supplement your diet when you cannot consume something or get enough of it in.
Whole food options should always be your first choice.
Stop giving into the supplement hype. You aren’t going to live forever. And that’s okay.
Remember that stress will shave years off your life and cause faster aging. So relax and enjoy the ride.
Train smart, but never forget to train hard.
Thanks for reading this week’s edition of Unmasked by The Weekly Standard!
If you found value in these insights, share it with a training buddy or post it on your social feed; let’s spread the knowledge and push each other to new levels. See you next time!