Supplementation for Dummies-Recommendations for Basic Nutritional Support

Many of you will have seen the ads in the magazines, claiming you will add a phenomenal amount of muscle or lose a significant amount of fat in a short space of time if you take Supplement X or Y.

This is just marketing hype, designed to fool you into buying the product-many of these products are no better than snake oil and do not have sufficient scientific data to back up the astonishing claims they make. Do not be fooled! Many studies are conducted on rats only and extrapolated to assume the same results in humans. Only choose supplements which have good solid scientific testing on humans.

There are however a number of nutritional supplements that I personally recommend and these are described below.

PROTEIN POWDER

Protein powder has been around a long time and has evolved considerably from the thick, lumpy, nasty tasting mixtures of the 1980’s and early 1990’s. I cannot tell you how many times I had to rush to the bathroom after consuming one of these ‘concoctions’! They were definitely not made with the sensitive stomach in mind. Luckily this has changed.

The quality of the protein is better with the advances in production and filtration methods available to manufacturers and there are also a number of different forms of protein on the market, giving the consumer a much better choice in terms of what they need the protein for. Once upon a time there only used to be Calcium Caseinate and Whey Protein Concentrate but now there is Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate, Micellar Casein and Soy Protein Isolate just to name a few. For those of you needing to consume additional protein without having to spend hours in the kitchen, protein powder is definitely worth the investment.

(If you need some help choosing a powder, please feel free to email me and I am happy to help you out)

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

For mass building, creatine monohydrate powder is the proven winner, whether it is in its micronised or effervescent form, it has multiple scientific studies backing its performance effects in strength and power athletes. Some trainers recommend loading in high doses to build up intramuscular stores but my own preference is to take it in several smaller servings throughout the day. Your muscles will still get saturated but over a longer time frame and you will be much less likely to suffer gastrointestinal upsets. Depending on your bodyweight, a maintenance dose may be as low as 2.5g per day or as high as 5g as your body will only excrete the excess anyway.

For general nutritional support, there are two supplements you cannot go past-Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) and a multi vitamin/mineral supplement.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

There are a number of EFA supplements on the market, the two most popular being flax and fish oil. Fish oil is best consumed in capsule form due to its smell and taste, whereas flax oil can be consumed as liquid(off a spoon or in a shake) or capsules, whichever is more convenient. Another option I have tried successfully is adding ground flaxseed to my morning oats or protein shake. They have a nice nutty taste and are quite palatable. There is also the option of adding in ground almonds to your oats or using avocado oil as a salad dressing.

MULTI VITAMIN/MINERAL

The most basic of all supplements is a multi vitamin/mineral, for one good reason. As athletes our bodies use a lot more vitamins and minerals through activity than the average sedentary individual, in particular minerals. Women in particular may also need an iron supplement, because based on my own experience, even regular consumption of red meat may not be enough to stave off exercise induced anaemia.

As for choosing a multi vitamin/mineral supplement, I would recommend one that is designed for sports people because these are generally higher in vitamins and minerals than the average ones in health stores. Some of you may prefer one that is specifically designed for female athletes but that is merely a matter of personal preference.

THE QUESTION OF FAT BURNERS

You will have seen a lot of products in magazines that claim to have fat burning properties. I am not a big fan of these, purely because there is no such product that actually burns fat. What these products actually do is enhance energy so that you can sustain your cardio workout for longer or more intensely, thereby burning more calories and potentially fat calories.

What you must be aware of with these products is that they have the potential to interact with thyroid, heart medications and antidepressants. In this instance please consult your pharmacist or physician before taking these supplements or you may end up with some nasty side effects. In my own experience, I am on antidepressants and have being strongly advised NOT to go the fat-burner route, because they exacerbate my anxiety symptoms.

In summary, as long as your existing diet is clean, then you should not need a lot of supplements to gain significant advantage. Supplements are just an additional support to an existing healthy diet, and that is why I recommend less rather than more.