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This series, titled “The Supplement Symposium” will take a look at various supplements and which ones you can (or should) utilize for specific goals. Part Two will look at the supplements everyone should be taking for good general health.

 

Cover Your Ass!

 

As we said in Part One, the supplement industry has exploded to over $61 billion a year. There are thousands of different types of products out there claiming health benefits for everything from increased muscle mass and fat loss, to ensuring that you will crap purple bombs six times a day (if you think that’ll help you attain your goals). Much of it is garbage and based on a lot of bad research, but good products do exist. Everyone wants to know which supplements are really helpful and which ones they should be taking. If you had to choose five supplements to take on a regular basis, these are the five that would provide the most benefit for general day-to-day health.

1. Multi-vitamins

 

The supplement product that started the whole craze, multi-vitamins were formulated to make sure that we’re getting ample amounts of all the essential vitamins and minerals on a daily basis. As we discussed in Part One, you should focus on getting as much as possible from your diet of whole foods, but just to be sure, everyone should be taking one of these. The Harvard School of Medicine has said for years that the cheapest insurance you can ever buy is a good multi-vitamin. We might not be able to calculate the exact amount of each nutrient that our body needs for the various metabolic processes required to function, but supplying your body with extra nutrients to play with can’t hurt since anything extra will be excreted as waste. Obviously not every multi will have the same amounts or contents, but for the most part, they all follow the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) issued out by the USDA, which as best we can tell is based on the most recent research. RDA’s aren’t meant to support optimum health or to prevent disease, only to serve as bare minimums, but the bare minimum is better than nothing.

 

The biggest issue with multi-vitamins is absorption rate, or bioavailability – basically how much of what’s in the vitamin your body can actually use. Since the FDA doesn’t regulate supplements and nutrient content is roughly the same for the vast majority of vitamins, this poses a huge problem. Many minerals must be “chelated” in order to be absorbed, and many others need certain nutrient combinations in order to be metabolized. Quality matters, so look for companies that use lab testing, good manufacturing methods and don’t add useless additives.

 

2. Omega-3s

 

The huge fad about Omega-3 fatty acids is for good reason – the list of important benefits is long and well supported by research, which you can read more about here. In particular, the inflammation fighting abilities of these fats are vital to preventing many of the degenerative diseases and conditions plaguing the US population. Omega-3 fatty acids are what we call "essential" fatty acids, which means our body doesn’t produce them by itself and you need to get them from outside sources. Fish oil is the more popular source, but flax oil has a different fat profile and provides a great alternative. The FDA limits the RDA from fish oil to 3 grams per day, but based on the research, supplementation might have some great benefits that might even include fat loss with higher amounts.

 

3. Vitamin D

 

Here is a great article that talks more in depth about the impact of Vitamin D. This includes increased athletic performance, a surprisingly high link to decreased mortality and disease rates, and a ton of aesthetic benefits as well. It is essential for calcium absorption and bone strengthening, helps protect against many types of cancer and might even help with fat loss. Needless to say, it is one of the best things you can take. Vitamin D deficiency is a serious problem, one of the bigger ones we are facing right now and supplementing it should be a priority. Make sure you take the D3 form since it is the most bioavailable.

 

4. Fiber

 

Some experts say that fiber is the missing link, and I tend to agree with them. Our fiber consumption has dropped steadily with the increase in food processing, deteriorating to a measly 12 grams per day for the average American. To put the deficiency in perspective, the RDA (remember, base minimum) for adults is 20-35 grams per day, and depending on who you ask our Paleolithic ancestors ate somewhere between 60-100 grams per day. Proper fiber intake helps to control cholesterol levels, keeps your gut clean and bowel movements regular, regulates weight and can help prevent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and various types of cancer. There are numerous supplements out there containing both soluble and insoluble fibers (both of which are beneficial) and supplementing your meals with some extra fiber can only help make sure you are getting enough.

 

5. Probiotics

 

As written about here, since everything you put into your body goes through your gut, you need to ensure that it is running properly and that your digestive system is utilizing all the nutrients you are putting in your mouth and also excreting all the garbage. You can get sufficient levels of probiotics by eating yogurt and other fermented foods regularly, but you can ensure that you win the belly bacteria battle by adding in some probiotic supplements. Particularly with yogurt, you need to make sure the brand has a “live & active cultures” seal to be sure that it contains the bacteria. Taking the supplements is a good way to guarantee you get them.

 

There are many other good supplements that you can take, such as superfood blends, but if I had to go with five that will give you the best bang for your buck, these are the five I would take to cover my ass.

 

Peter Bauman – Peter is a chef first and personal trainer second. With a background in the biological sciences and degree in psychology, Peter knows how to make food that tastes great and keeps you lean and healthy.