There is so much heavily biased information readily available today; so many marketing dollars at work; and so many outlets pushing supplements at the consumer today, that it can be nearly impossible to know whether a supplement is necessary, legitimate, safe, or effective. In this post I’ll cover which supplements I take, including creatine, protein power, LMNT, and AG1, where I draw the line, and how I obtain the minimum effective dose and save money while moving the needle on my health.
Before I think about what I can add or “supplement” to my regimen to help me achieve my health and fitness goals, I first ensure I am dialed in on the things that are going to drive the most significant impact. Supplements, by the very nature of them, generally support the incremental 5-10% improvements on top what is already working – to elevate performance from good to great – and if I am not focusing on the 80/90/95% of drivers, I’m wasting my time and money focusing on which supplements to buy.
If I am not getting adequate and quality sleep, drinking enough water, and eating clean (the “big three”), I could spend my life savings on supplements, and they won’t ever move the needle for me. I feel so strongly about getting my foundational habits right that if I start to see my sleep or other habits slip, the first thing I begin to pare back is supplement use, because they simply aren’t doing me any good if my sleep or diet sucks. Usually, the act of “grounding” myself from supplements I spent money on is enough of a kick in the ass to get the big three back on track.
I suspect (really, I know) that sleep, water intake and diet are often overlooked or outright ignored because they are meaningfully harder to follow through on – it is significantly easier to take a pill and mix a powder every day than it is to go to bed early, at consistent times, and with the right bedtime routines to ensure quality sleep; it’s not easy to monitor water intake throughout the day or drink one to two gallons of water each day; and eating right takes some (a lot of) self-control. But, if you get these three levers working for you, you’ll see far greater health and fitness results than from any supplement. Further, you’ll then give supplements an opportunity to work for you.
The key to supplement use is in the name – supplement. These should not be used to replace a healthy diet and lifestyle, but rather, to supplement a lifestyle that is already optimized. Once I am comfortable I am doing everything I can, to ensure proper and consistent sleep, hydration, and diet, then I start looking at what I can add to my routine. I love hearing about the latest research and I’m not opposed to trying things out, but I don’t see any value in going overboard on supplements and I have yet to see any support that supplements can fill the gaps that poor sleep, hydration and nutrition leave. I’ve outlined my supplement regimen below and highlighted why these are the one’s I continue to come back to.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine Monohydrate is one of the longest studied supplements on the market, and is well known to be highly effective and safe. Creatine has historically been thought of as a muscle building supplement found in high-school locker rooms, but over the last decade or so has finally gotten the attention it deserves as a whole-body fuel source for men and women. Creatine supports both body and brain health and functionality.
Creatine supplementation promotes muscle growth in both older and younger adults through the formation of proteins that increase muscle fiber size. Creatine has been shown to increase lean muscle mass and increase force and power output, as well as muscle endurance, improving muscle performance, and thereby, physical performance. It acts as a fuel source supporting and enhancing early bouts of high intensity activity, as well as enhances hypertrophy and improves recovery time post-exercise. Creatine also helps in injury prevention, as well as muscle atrophy in older or those recovering from surgeries, making it the ideal supplement for a wide variety of athletes and individuals focusing on maintaining lean muscle mass and improving daily life. Consumed in tandem with a disciplined diet and workout regimen, creatine will enhance strength and size.
The cognitive benefits of taking creatine, which are only relatively recently coming to light, in many ways outweigh the physical benefits of the supplement, making it increasingly more important to add to a routine. Creatine has been shown to act as a fuel source for neurons in the brain. This fuel source improves brain energy metabolism, which can result in cognitive enhancing benefits, including enhanced short-term memory and reasoning. Additionally, creatine aids in reducing mental fatigue, and has been shown to slow cognitive decline in older individuals. Creatine is viewed as a neuroprotector against conditions stemming from including traumatic brain injuries, as well as neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s Huntington’s disease.
Given the breadth of benefits of creatine, supporting both the body and the mind, this is one that I have been taking for years, and will continue to do so, in the context of a broader healthy diet. I take 5 grams per day which is in-line with recommended dosages based on my approximate 180lbs. I don’t load creatine as I’ve never heard or seen any significant evidence that this is necessary. Also, interesting enough, while I do take it every day, the creatine stores are built up over time, and do continue to work for me even if I’m not actively taking creatine on a daily basis – say if I go on a trip and can’t bring my powder with me. Creatine stores continue supporting physical benefits up to two weeks after the last dose, so while its recommended that I take it every day, I don’t get too stressed out if I miss a few days when life happens.
Protein Powder
Protein powder is another one of the supplements that I feel like gained notoriety in high-school locker rooms. While there is generally nothing special about protein powder, I take it to supplement my diet in order to ensure that I hit my recommended thresholds of protein each day.
There are a ton of varying opinions on how much protein to get per day based on your (target) weight, ranging from:
- 0.8 grams per kilogram per day (.36g/lb/day)
- 1.6 grams per kilogram per day (.72g/lb/day
- 2.2 grams per kilogram per day (1g/ lb/day)
So, for an 185 lb. person, or someone targeting weighing 185 lbs., this would be a range of protein per day of between:
- 67 grams(low)
- 135 grams (mid-point)
- 185 grams (high)
There are some who suggest the gram per lb is even a low threshold, but as you’ll see its challenging to exceed that amount assuming you’re eating a whole, balanced diet. There is no evidence that overdoing it on protein causes negative effects, and give how crucial maintaining lean body mass is to an overall healthy life, and protein’s role in supporting lean body mass, I don’t see any reason why I would limit myself on the low end of the range, so I trend closer to the 1 gram per pound per day, which is generally a challenge for me to meet. Protein powder helps me get closer to that target, and I figure that as long as I stay close, I’m probably doing fine.
My goal is to continue to build muscle, and as a result, evidence suggests that high protein consumption in the morning after the first 60 minutes of waking is most beneficial. Further, the old myth that you need to get your protein in within the 30 minute window of lifting is just not true – there is no magic window for when protein can most optimally be synthesized in the body, and studies suggest that if you workout every day, the timing of protein intake and consumption is irrelevant as you have about two days to consume and utilize the protein and nutrients taken in during meals. Which means that not only is your post-workout meal important, each next meal is just as important, so the fewer meal “misses” you have, the more productive your recovery and rebuilding will be. The other question I’ve seen posed online is whether intermittent fasting is detrimental to the ability to grow or increase muscle size and strength, given the inherent limitations of protein consumption. The research suggests that assuming total protein intake is adequate, intermittent fasting likely does not inhibit the ability to increase muscle size and strength.
Most protein sources are going to be effective at accomplishing the goal of maintaining and building muscle, with the exception of collagen protein – this is a poor total protein source and is likely not worth spending money on.
AG1
AG1, or formerly Athletic Greens, has become a staple in my routine for a few reasons. While I do eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, I’m not perfect and I use AG1 as an extra layer of insurance to ensure I’m supporting my brain, body, and gut the best way that I can. AG1 is a comprehensive multivitamin, supergreens, adaptogen, mineral, antioxidant, and probiotic complex that eliminates supports overall immune health, while strengthening gut and brain health, which we continue to find out are closely linked, as well as supports and improves digestion.
I don’t use AG1 as a replacement for whole foods, but it’s a great tasting, easy to drink supplement to ensure I’m hitting the last 10% to optimize my health and wellness. I take it before I hit the gym in the morning and not only does it taste great, but it boosts my energy levels, as well as helps me stay active and maintain focus throughout the day.
LMNT
I take one or two LMNT packets per day to aid in hydration given that hydration is such a critical component to overall health and fitness, as well as cognitive performance. LMNT is a formulation that contains 1,000 milligrams of sodium, 200 milligrams of potassium, and 60 milligrams of magnesium. Also critically important – it contains no sugar. I sweat a good amount during the day while training, and replenishing those three minerals is essential for overall health and recovery.
Even on off days, I still like to ensure I’m getting enough of those three core minerals to keep me sharp – both physically and mentally. LMNT helps keep me hydrated, which is important given that even just a 2% decrease in hydration can result in acute cognitive impairment. Sodium deficiency can lead to subtle cognitive impairments, and sodium, potassium and magnesium are all great for brain health. Sodium supports the brain/body connection and supports the firing and communication of nerve cells with muscle. Appropriate levels of salt in my system ensure the neurons in my brain are firing well and my nerve to muscle connection stays strong.
Final Thoughts
Supplements should be just that – a supplement to a well-rounded health and fitness routine. Before I focus on fine tuning my regimen with supplements, I ensure that my lifestyle factors which are driving 80 to 90 percent of the results are in line. Only once I have dialed in the big three lifestyle factors – quality sleep, adequate water intake, and a healthy diet – do I feel that experimenting with supplements is appropriate. If I cant get the big things right, the small things aren’t going to matter anyways.
