Supplements useful or a waste of time?

RoxieDawn

No one should, no has to, its not required to take supplements.

Whey - added to my diet when short on meeting protein goal.

BCAA - 5gr a day, I do take this

Creatine - Not for me. Side effects for me were terrible

Caffiene - I take this is pill form about 100 mcg's a day (not including my coffee)

Additional supplements: Vitamins - calcium + D, and mag daily.

CSARdiver

The very fact that these products are classified as supplements means that you don't need them.

Unless you have a diagnosed medical condition you do not need supplements. The fact that they are unregulated basically tells you they don't work.

Fish oil is about the only exception and one supported with hard data.

Gallowmere1984

For me personally?
-Thyroid T3 is immensely helpful.
-Thermogenics paired with my ECA stack have been useful.
-Multivitamin is great, due to the fact that I live on a lot of protein shakes, and I'm not paying $15 per pound for solid vitamin infused powders like Isopure.
-A solid triple dose fish oil for the same reason as above.

Everything else? If it's not a proven PH, ain't nobody got time for that.

tillerstouch

CSARdiver wrote: »

The very fact that these products are classified as supplements means that you don't need them.

Unless you have a diagnosed medical condition you do not need supplements. The fact that they are unregulated basically tells you they don't work.

Fish oil is about the only exception and one supported with hard data.

Creatine is very well supported.

daz2270

I believe if your eating a varied diet you can probably get by without any. That being said, I have a multivitamin, fish oil (as I don't tend to eat fish often), vitamin D and creatine.

VintageFeline

Whey very occasionally to hit protein and calorie goals but for the most part I don't need it these days.

Vit D+K, Magnesium + calcium and a multi-vit. When I remember, I go through phases but definitely feel better when I am taking them.

My morning coffee, maybe a second, though it really has no effect on me anymore.

Anything else I don't really see the need.

rainbowbow

I'll try and help as best I can! I may not cover all the possible supplements/products out there, so if you have a question about a specific one let me know and I can try and help.

***First and foremost, you do not NEED any powder/supplement/etc. Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is probably out to make a profit off of you or is simply ignorant. **

Supplements should be just that, a supplement to your diet. Can't get enough vitamin b12 in your diet? Okay, take a supplement. Can't get enough iron in your diet? Okay, take a supplement.

The same goes for protein. Although, i highly recommend trying to fill your diet with more satiating protein sources (like greek yogurt, meats, fish, cottage cheese, etc.) before adding in a protein supplement. You don't need to drink protein shakes, eat protein bars, etc. so long as you are hitting your macronutrient goal with the food you're consuming.

That being said, adding something like a protein powder might be beneficial if you struggle to hit your protein goal and are consuming relatively low calories. Most protein powders are 120~ calories and 25 grams of protein.

Then there's pre-workouts, these are also unnecessary. As a matter of fact, I usually instruct my clients to dial in their diet FIRST (meet all their micros) before adding caffeine back in. Then if they need a little pep in their step start with some coffee/tea, and work their way up. If you find yourself NEEDING a pre-workout just to get a good workout in, there's usually something else going on (poor sleep, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal issues, etc.). In general, I take great caution recommending these supplements as I personally (and two of my clients) have experienced panic attacks while on them. In addition, if you workout at night you can really inhibit restorative sleep taking a stimulant so close to bed-time.

That said, if you want to take one and you don't have anxiety, you can certainly give one a try.

Then there's creatine. Which is.. you guessed it.... unnecessary. There are plenty of studies showing that a creatine supplement may assist in muscle recovery and endurance, however, as creatine is naturally found in red meats, salmon, tuna, AND your body can produce creatine from additional amino acid sources you may already be consuming enough creatine naturally. Creatine supplements can cause some bloating, water retention, or digestive issues for some people.

That being said, this supplement MAY benefit you if you don't consume a lot of these natural sources (ex. vegetarians reportedly see a greater benefit). This supplement is cheap, so if you'd like to give it a try, in general the benefits outweigh the negatives.

There's BCAAs... which.... assuming you're consuming whole protein sources (meats, fish, dairy) are.... you guessed it again! Unnecessary! While taking these during your workout or throughout the day is certainly not harmful, it is not necessary in the least. Again, vegetarians/vegans will benefit the most from taking an amino supplement as certain amino acids can be limited in plant foods.

Considering the price, and it's unlikeliness to be harmful, you can use your own judgement here.

There's theres fish oil (not necessary and not in a blender bottle, but hey, why not include it). If you're consuming adequate healthy fats in your diet.... it's not necessary! Things like flax, chia, fish, olive oil, and more should be sufficient. Common complaints are fishy burps and a fishy body odor.

It's cheap, so you can try it if you see fit.

In my opinion and according to all of the research I've done on this subject... a consistent progressive and periodized training program along with the proper calories, macro and micronutrients are all that's needed to have a more strong and fit body. Trying to do too much more just complicates things unnecessarily and wastes a lot of money and effort.

minniestar55

The AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) classifies many supplements according to scientific evidence, to determine if they are safe, legal, & effective in improving sports performance. Its a good resource & very handy when researching supplements you're interested in.

Category A supplements are approved with science-based evidence. There are 3 subcategories. Sports Foods include sports drinks & gels, sports confectionery, liquid meals, whey protein, sports bars, & electrolyte replacement; Medical Supplements include iron, calcium, multivitamin/multi-mineral supplements, vitamin D, & probiotics Performance Supplements include caffeine, B-alanine, bicarbonate, beetroot juice, & creatine. Other supplements are in other categories, sone of them deserving of more scientific investigation.
(AIS is a great resource)

Personally, as a mature woman who works out strength / cardio 6x weekly, I take vitD+calcium (diagnosed as D deficient), multivitamin, omega oils, & creatine. I'm researching B-alanine in Alzheimers prevention. Also I use protein powder when protein intake from food is inadequate. I take caffeine but only in my morning coffee!

So I think it depends on your diet & nutrition, & what your goals are. Also depends on budget, as many supplements can be pretty dear.