My Supplement Regimen (What I Take & Why)
Should I take supplements? Which ones? Are they worth the cost? Are they safe? What if I’m healthy?
In a world where there are 35,000 supplements on the market today, these are common questions. To top it off, the 35 billion dollar industry is highly marketed and barely regulated.
Every year I become increasingly interested in supplements as a way to improve myself in some form or another: performance, health, longevity, etc. I learn about a supplement, research it, then use an n=1 cost-benefit analysis. Eleven supplements have passed the test and stood the test of time although I don’t take these on a daily basis–something we’ll get into later.
Let’s start with the reason everyone should probably be taking something in the first place though.
Do I Need To Take Supplements?
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors evolved over many years by eating various nutrient-dense foods from nutrient-rich soil on a planet not laden with toxic chemicals and EMF signals as they relaxed and socialized under the sun with friends and family while working 3-5 hours a day. Their lives weren’t peaches and cream but the life of the modern man is starkly unique to that of our ancestors.
Supplements offer a way to embrace our modern world in a more healthy manner. Food quality and nutrient density have diminished over the centuries due to poor soil quality among many other factors. Other features that make us much more different than our ancestors are that we probably have higher levels of stress, spend less time outdoors, eat some amount of processed and non-organic foods, and are exposed to environmental pollutants, EMF radiation, and chemicals on a daily basis.
Popping supplements will by no means fix these issues. Just as you can’t out-exercise a bad diet, you can’t out-supplement a bad lifestyle. We all have gaps in our lives that affect our well-being (shameless plug: you can sign up for a free PDF to help identify those gaps). Instead of plugging those gaps with a supplement, it’s important to start with the low-hanging fruit, my six dimensions of health: sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships, mindset, and stress. While you can begin a supplement and simultaneously create good habits in each of these areas, it’s important to prioritize the latter.
Which Supplements Actually Work?
Over a decade and a half, I’ve downed many, many supplements in an effort to scratch my itch to find ways to live better. Most of these supplements failed the test before the bottle was empty either because they didn’t live up to my standards, they weren’t very effective, or the ROI wasn’t worth it. Below are the 11 supplements that have stood the test of time, work best for me and therefore I routinely take. Most of these supplements have a physiological effect I notice when I take them, however, not all of them. The ones that don’t have this effect have enough high-quality research to hack up their (i.e. fish oil, vitamin D, multivitamin) that I feel confident in taking them.
Things To Consider
I take a supplement holiday at least one day a week. This helps to sensitize my body to the effects and to limit any dependence I may be acquiring through a daily intake.
Do your research. Every supplement I take is third-party tested and undergoes my criteria for quality: reputable brand, no fillers, third-party tested, bioavailable sources, and no fillers. I also avoid buying proprietary blends since you don’t know what’s in them. There are three reputable third-party labels to look for on any supplement packaging: USP, NSF, and Consumer Labs. A little scrutiny goes a long way.
Start with one. Never add more than one supplement to your own regimen at a time. This makes it difficult to nail down the culprit of any side effects you might be having.
Talk to your doctor before taking any new medication or supplement. Some supplements can have interactions with medications you may be taking including blood thinners and antidepressants.
My Supplement Regimen
Ashwagandha
Creatine
Essential Amino Acids (EAA)
Fish Oil
L-Theanine
Magnesium
Multivitamin
Protein Powder
Saffron
Super Greens Powder
Turmeric/Curcumin
Vitamin D
Ashwagandha
What It Is
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a shrub found in India and South Asia. It has been nicknamed the king of Ayurvedic herbs. It is considered an adaptogen which is an herb that helps your body adapt to stress.
The Benefits
Dose
I take 1 capsule (500mg) at least a few times a week. I take it at least 4 hours away from my workout window so that my workout effects aren’t blunted. I also avoid taking it in the morning (or before a workout) so that it doesn’t dampen my natural cortisol rise. It’s recommended that you start with 300-500mg and work your way up to 1,000-1,500mg as needed.
What I Recommend
Creatine
What It Is
Creatine has a robust safety and efficacy record and for those reasons, it’s one of the most researched and popular supplements in the world. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance that creates more ATP in your cells. ATP is the main energy currency of the cell and having more of it gives the brain and body a host of benefits.
The Benefits
Improves cognition and stress in the elderly (study and study)
Low intake (.26g/day) correlated with a higher rate of depression
Improving health conditions such as
Why I Use It
The reason I started to take creatine after workouts was purely to be stronger and to put on some muscle mass. I still take it for those anabolic benefits but I’ve also noticed the cognitive effects on my attention and general thinking. Given creatine’s ability to help with a variety of health conditions, I suppose it may help to prevent these health conditions in the first place.
According to a 20-year study with almost 90,000 participants, 68.6% of Americans aren’t getting enough of it. This concern on top of the ample research, list of benefits, and safety of this supplement mean that I will be taking creatine for a long, long time.
Dose
I take 5g in water within a half hour of my workout (and sometimes an additional 5g after a hard workout). I will also take it in the morning of a more cognitively demanding day (giving a presentation, learning new information, or if I am sleep deprived).
What I Recommend
There are many different forms of creatine available on the market, but creatine monohydrate is the cheapest and most effective. I prefer the micronized creatine monohydrate which dissolves in water more easily and has a less grainy texture.
Essential Amino Acids (EAA)
What It Is
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They’re broken down into essential amino acids (EAA) which consist of all 9 amino acids and branch chain amino acids (BCAA) which consist of just 3 amino acids. EAA are not made by the body while BCAA are made by the body.
The Benefits
Why I Take It
I take EAA (with some creatine and coffee) in a fasted state in the mornings before I do a strength training or HIIT workout. I take EAA instead of BCAA because there are multiple studies indicating negative effects of BCAA including contributing to insulin resistance and being linked to obesity.
Dose
6-10g with water
What I Recommend
Kion Aminos Essential Amino Acids for capsule form
Thorne Amino Acids for powder form
Fish Oil
What It Is
Fish oil supplements are capsules filled with oily fish (typically herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel). Fish oil contains omega-3 fats which are unable to be made by the body so ingestion through food or supplements is crucial. The fish oil consists of omega-3 PUFAs: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). More on how to pick the healthiest fish here.
The Benefits
Why I Take It
The evidence behind the benefits of fish oil is strong. These benefits are holistic and the risk is low. Who doesn’t want less body fat, wrinkles, and cancer in a capsule?
Dose
I take 2-4g of fish oil 5 times a week.
What I Recommend
Choosing a good fish oil is important. Many fish oil supplements tend to be rancid by the time they get to your countertop causing the inflammation you are trying to get rid of in the first place. It’s crucial that you find a fish oil that comes from a quality source of fish (wild-caught), uses natural triglycerides (to avoid oxidation and improve absorption), and avoided other forms of oxidation through the water-to-countertop process (light, oxygen, heat). As with all supplements, make sure it’s third-party tested to ensure you get what it says you get. A reputable certification to look for on fish oil is the IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards).
Primal Blueprint Omegas (Use MINDBODYDAD for a 10% discount)’
L-Theanine
What It Is
L-theanine is an amino acid. It is naturally found in green tea, black tea, and mushrooms (giving that umami taste).
The Benefits
Improves sleep including those with ADHD
Improves cognitive performance and alertness (combined with coffee)
Provides relaxation without drowsiness (same study as below)
Improved learning ability, immune function, cancer suppression, and vascular relaxation
Why I Take It
I primarily take L-theanine with my magnesium right before bed. I also use it if I am having a particularly stressful day. And it works synergistically with coffee to allow you to have the caffeine energy without the jitteriness so I will take it when I drink a little too much coffee too.
Since L-theanine is also found in tea I will occasionally have a cup of green tea on the weekends, however, there are only about 25-60mg per cup.
Dose
I take 200-600mg 5 days a week. I primarily take it with my magnesium right before bed. Since I use it for multiple purposes, I will sometimes take it in the morning as well as at night.
What I Recommend
Magnesium
What It Is
Magnesium is an essential mineral that’s involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions in your body. Magnesium comes in a variety of forms including magnesium citrate, oxide, chlorate, threonate, and glycinate.
The Benefits
Improved muscle power and muscle mass (other studies: decreases muscle damage, improves the ability to shuttle glucose to muscles; found in Healthline)
Improves sleep quality and duration, especially when paired with L-theanine (study)
Decreases anxiety symptoms (same study as above)
Improves cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood glucose
Why I Take It
An estimated 75% of people don’t meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium. Magnesium is depleted by a variety of things such as stress, alcohol, sugar, and processed foods.
There are many different forms of magnesium out there but I alternate between magnesium L-threonate, which works great for cognition and anxiety, and magnesium glycinate (also called magnesium bisglycinate) which works great for sleep.
Dose
I alternate taking 2 capsules (800mg) of magnesium glycinate with 1 capsule (2,000mg) of L-threonate.
What I Recommend
If you’re looking for the powder form then go with Thorne’s Magnesium Bisglycinate
Multivitamin
What It Is
Multivitamins contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and oftentimes additional compounds.
The Benefits
Why I Take It
There is some research suggesting that multivitamins are a waste of money and for some, this may be true. The headlines of these reports tend to throw the baby out with the bath water because they usually focus on one correlation (heart attacks, mental decline, etc.) and make a grand generalization without looking at other potential benefits.
For me, a multivitamin is my insurance pill. I eat a balanced and nutrient-dense diet, however, I rarely do any blood testing so I’m not sure if I have any deficiencies on a day-to-day basis. There are likely nutrients I am missing (like 31% of the U.S.) so a multivitamin safely rounds out any deficiencies I might have. If you have a more exclusionary diet then you’re more likely to reap the rewards of the multivitamin.
Dose
I take a half serving (1 pill instead of 2) of a multivitamin 5-6 days/week with a meal. I don’t take the full serving because I think that is overkill given the way I eat and live, however, I will take the full serving if I am feeling a cold coming on, run-down, under-recovered, etc. I take it at least 4 hours away from my workout window so that the effects aren’t blunted.
What I Recommend
Choosing a quality multivitamin is not as easy as it sounds. There are many things to consider including how shelf-stable the vitamin is, absorption, the type and amount of vitamins and minerals in each vitamin, etc. Things to look for in a good multivitamin include no fillers, no GMO’s, using capsules instead of tablets, and finding a multivitamin with bioactive forms of each vitamin and mineral.
Protein Powder
What It Is
Protein powders are basically concentrated forms of protein. They are an easy way to get a high amount of protein easily. The main forms are whey, casein, egg, pea, hemp, brown rice, plant, etc. The three types of protein powders are whey isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysate.
The Benefits
Why I take It
Protein is critical to our health and most of us aren’t hitting the minimal effective doses of protein each day (~1.6g/kg of body weight for the active). Whey protein also contains the amino acids leucine which is important for muscle growth and cystine which helps glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, synthesize in the body.
I take protein powder out of convenience when I know I won’t hit my protein targets through a natural diet. It travels well, it’s relatively cheap, and I tend to mix it in a very nutrient-dense smoothie for taste and a better nutrient profile overall. It is also an effective way to make sure I am hitting my minimum protein requirements. I tend to use a combination of whey isolate, concentrate, and hydrolysate which all have their pros and cons.
Dose
1.5-2 scoops (19-27g) into a smoothie
What I Recommend
Choose a clean protein powder that comes from organic, grass-fed cows raised without hormones, antibiotics, and steroids. Make sure it does not contain fillers or GMOs.
Learn more here: Levels Protein Powder Review: An In-Depth Breakdown
Saffron
What it is
Saffron comes from a plant originally found in southern Europe. It is one of the most valuable and expensive spices in the world (it takes up to 125,000 flowers to produce just one pound).
The Benefits
Why I Take It
I learned about saffron relatively recently. I bought a bottle of Olly Hello Happy Gummy Worms on a whim and my wife and I have been taking it ever since. We noticed a subtle but definitely noticeable mood lift not too long after taking it. It became our “happy pill.” From there we upgraded to a more reputable source without the gummy goodness (to my wife’s dismay).
Dose
I take 1 capsule (88.5mg) once or twice a week. I tend to take it in the afternoon when I may be more tired (and thus, more irritable). Be careful: you can take up to 1.5g a day however, very high doses (12-20g) can cause death so consult with your doctor and use low doses.
What I Recommend
Super Greens Powder
What It Is
Nested Naturals Super Greens is a powder supplement that contains a blend of 19 different greens and superfoods, including spirulina, chlorella, kale, spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass, and barley grass. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes.
The Benefits
Boosts energy levels
Improves digestion
Strengthens the immune system
Supports overall health and well-being
May reduce inflammation
May improve cognitive function
Why I Take It
I take Nested Naturals Super Greens because it is a convenient and easy way to get a wide range of nutrients in one serving. It contains digestive enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants, and fiber to help round out any deficiencies I may have that day. I also like that it is made with all-natural ingredients, it’s 100% organic, third-party tested, free of artificial additives, and it’s the least expensive powder with these qualifications.
Dose
I take one scoop of Nested Naturals Super Greens in water, a post-dinner yogurt desert bowl, or my protein shake most days.
What I Recommend
Turmeric/Curcumin
What It Is
Turmeric is a spice that has been used in India for thousands of years. Turmeric contains curcuminoids, the most powerful of which is called curcumin.
The Benefits
Why I Take It
I used to pop NSAIDs for the occasional headache, low back tightness, or joint issue (more on injury recovery here). Now I only take curcumin which is safer and as effective. I also take it about 5 days a week to manage my inflammation levels and address the above benefits.
Dose
I take 1-3g 5 days/week. Again, I take it at least 4 hours away from my workout window so that my workout effects aren’t blunted. Curcumin must be taken with piperine (contained in black pepper) to enhance absorption by 2,000%. Many brands include piperine in the capsule. Curcumin is also fat soluble so it is best to take it when eating fat. I avoid taking NSAIDs at all costs and take curcumin instead.
Vitamin D
What it is
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble (dissolves in fats) vitamin. The two forms are Vitamin D2 (found in plants and yeast) and Vitamin D3 (found in animals). Vitamin D3 is more effective than D2.
Natural sources of Vitamin D are great but if you live above the 37th parallel then you are not able to get enough Vitamin D from November to March. The rule of thumb is that if your shadow is longer than you are tall then you’re not making much or any Vitamin D. The DMinder app is great at telling you if you’re getting enough sun and when to get the best bang for your buck (andoid, iOS). This “Sunshine Calendar” can also give you a general idea of your seasonal sun dosage potential.
The Benefits
Higher vitamin D levels are associated with “Increases in muscle protein synthesis, ATP concentration, strength, jump height, jump velocity, jump power, exercise capacity, and physical performance.”
Why I Take It
Like all of the supplements I take, the risk is low and the reward is high. I live outside of Philadelphia where the winter days are cold and short. Vitamin D is my insurance to help manage my mood, strength, immunity, and longevity.
Dose
I take Vitamin D from October to March. Technically I live in an area where my vitamin D window is mid-November to mid-January but since the days are shorter, I do not always get enough sun on my skin (although I do use a happy lamp these mornings). The rest of the months I just get out in the sun.
The only way to truly know how much vitamin D you need is to take a blood test and to continue to test regularly. The dosage depends on your skin type, genetics, etc. I take 5000 IU once per day in the winter,
What I Recommend
Primal Blueprint Primal Sun (Vitamin D) (Use MINDBODYDAD for a 10% discount)
Pro Tip: Pill Organizer
I found a great weekly organizer to use at work or when you’re traveling. This one checks all the boxes: air-tight, waterproof, metal (not plastic), and it doesn’t let light in to degrade the supplements.
What supplements do you take? What moves the dial for you? Leave your thoughts in the comment section.
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