Supplementation 101: The "Must Have" Supplements

Editor’s note: I do not endorse any specific brands above others. Any brands/imagery shared on this post is based on my personal preferences and previous uses of such products and are not a direct endorsement or bias towards one brand or product over another.

First of all, there are no “must have” supplements. You know this because I wrote no back there in bold, italic and underlined, so you can tell I’m dead serious. The very notion behind the word supplement is in the meaning of the word. It “supplements” you but it is not a replacement for real meals and real food.

That being said, supplements DO help. The trick here is identifying which ones you need depending on your goals, how often to consume, and how much in order to service both your body and your wallet whilst staying away from the harmful stuff.

Needless to say, unless you have a medical condition, any supplements which are anabolic steroids based are a major No No. These - usually in the form of injections - act as a substitute to other male hormones such as Testosterone which trigger muscle growth - among other effects on the body. Obviously replacing your body’s own production cycle with an external one can and does indeed wreak absolute havoc inside. The adverse effects can be in some cases as bad as having permanently disable natural hormone production due to testicular atrophy in men as the body renders the organ useless in the presence of a synthetic alternative.

Fat Loss & Energy Boosters

Add to the list of baddies the majority of pills that advertise themselves as “fat burners”. Most of these products act by preventing the emulsification of fat, a process by which your body breaks down fat before it goes through your small intestine. Once again, even those amongst you who slept through biology class may realize that hindering a naturally occurring process does not mean good news. Not only do you need to eat fats, but some fats are absolutely crucial for everyday functions including the synthesis and production of the very hormones that trigger fat loss and muscle growth. That being said, there are “fat burners” that do work. Just not the way you think. Fat burners that operate on the mode of increasing your body temperature have a positive effect on fat loss via increased thermogenic effect.

Some sample products in the realm of fat loss include Pro Lab’s “Caffieine” - which you can get from Seif Pharmacies. Caffeine has a notable effect on boosting your body’s thermogenic effect and with 200 mg of the good stuff per pill, you’re guaranteed quite the sweat (plus some intense focus during your workout) without the negative effects such as jitters or crashing. I personally consume only one (and you should never take more than one) of these bad boys 20-30 minutes prior to my workout. Works like a charm every time. Other products with similar effects include green tea extracts (which are also loaded with caffeine).

Pre-workout Proteins

BCAAs, or Branched-Chain Amino Acids for chemists and biology fanatics, are basic building blocks of essential amino acids. The name refers to the unique chemical structure of these amino acids which include isoleucine, leucine and valine. BCAAs are notable for their use in the treatment in various health conditions. They are also most known and used by athletes for their ability to reduce muscle breakdown during intense workout and increasing overall performance during exercise.

These are usually aggregated in pill form (or powders) and are best consumed prior to your workout. They act by providing a steady stream of these essential amino acids throughout your body, instantly lending support to any muscles which require more proteins as your workout starts to take its toll. My personal favorite brand is by Optimum Nutrition (picture below) with 400 capsules in the bottle (4 pills per serving) that can easily last two months at a rather low cost. You can probably find that or equivalent brands in Seif Pharmacies or supplement specialty shops.

Whey Protein was previously discussed in prior articles and has an honorable mention in this piece as both a pre and post workout supplement choice. Whey is derived from milk and is a special brand of protein that is readily and instantaneously digested by the body when consumed, providing a quick surge in proteins and other nutrients to your muscles. Consuming whey protein prior to your workout is most commonly done as a pre-workout meal of its own with additions to the powder scoop in the blender (you can add milk, yogurt, banana, dates, honey, etc.) My favorite brand is once again Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard whey as it does not clump, mixes very well with almost any liquid with minimal stirring and shaking and a wide variety of flavors to satisfy all different tastes (CHOCOLATE RULES!)

Post-workout Proteins/Carbs

Whey Protein was mention above as a pre workout supplementation intake but it is more commonly used as a post workout choice due to the instant delivery nature of whey protein, providing your muscles with proteins and other nutrients right when it is needed the most. One scoop of Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard whey protein provides 24 grams of protein, 4 grams of BCAAs, 3 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbs standing at 120 calories. Other brands can pack on more proteins and a more rapid rate of digestion at varying price ranges, various package sizes with different flavors. Some of them can make you bloated so experimentation is key here.

Casein Protein is the antagonist to whey - not that it cancels it out - in that unlike whey (which is instantly digested) it can take up to eight hours to be processed by the body. This is arguably the supplement of choice for hardcore weight lifters and fitness enthusiasts who want to give their body something to keep working on before bedtime. Casein protein act by means of supplying a controlled stream of proteins throughout the digestion process, preventing your body from going into a state of catabolism during your sleep. Editors Note: I only used to take this in the past back when I was an iron buff, it made me a bit bloated but I know others whom it did not affect as such so definitely not a generalized effect, but the Optimum Nutrition variety tasted amazing (Chocolate fudge is indeed an available flavor).

According to Wikipedia, “Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to all cells in the body, primarily muscle. This is achieved by increasing the formation of adenosine triphosphate.” Simply stated, creatine is a naturally occurring substance in the body (not hormonal) which can help improve your muscles’ ability to store more energy. It is naturally synthesized by your body and derived from amino acids - mostly in the liver and kidneys - and then transported to the muscles via the blood stream. It's also worth noting that more than 95% of your total creatine storages are found within skeletal muscle.

Creatine is stored within muscle fibers and cells so while you might assume it’s best consumed prior to your workout (and most people do so) it’s in fact the other way around. Since Creatine is stored in your muscles and produced by the body, your muscles are already loaded with it before you start working out and as such are in desperate need of replacement and refuelling AFTER your workout. Aim for buying Creatine Monohydrate brands which are pure creatine and nothing else. If you can find a flavorless one all the better, it might taste like crap but it’d have less additives and chemicals. My brand of choice and the one I currently use is CreaLean by Labrada.

Multi-vitamins

Drop the goddamn Centrum right fucking now. That shit is for pregnant women, ladies going through menopause and senile citizens. You workout. You lift. You run. You kick ass and take names. You cross the Great Wall of China via handstands only while eating glass noodles using the power of focus. You….I forget where I was going with this. Right, multivitamins, yes.

It’s pretty important to choose the right brand which offers you a good mix of all the important vitamins and minerals, not just that, but one that packs enough of a punch to make a difference. Remember that you get the majority of your vitamin intake from your nutrition, and your body is quite adept at synthesizing some of them (Vitamin D for instance is created naturally in the body via skin exposure to UV light, i.e., the sun!)

My personal favorite brand recommendation includes Optimum Nutrition’s “OptiMen” which packs enough of a punch that you only need to take one pill per day (180 pills per bottle) in the morning unless you weigh more than 90 kgs in which case you need to up the ante by one more pill at night. Overall it’s pretty good although the texture of the pill makes it hard to swallow without a ton of water and its odor is a tad foul.

Another personal favorite and the one I currently use and have been using for some time is “Anavite” by Gaspari Nutrition. The bottle tells you to take three pills a day, but you really only need two, one in the morning and one at night. Works like a charm. Odor isn’t too bad, and the pill coating makes it super easy to gulp down.

It’s easy to forget that some of these, such as whey and casein, are just supplements seeing as they can give you nutritional resources equivalent or even superior to some meals. But remember that they are no replacement, but a mere supplement. And remember that the abuse of anything - even healthy protein shakes - can have adverse effects. I know plenty of folks who ended up gaining fat by over-consuming and relying on whey shakes (which pack more than just proteins). Stick to the serving sizes on the label - or adjust according to body weight - as per your workout plan. If you’re not working out today, you can skip out on the workout shake unless you’re a powerlifter with intense metabolism that burns through muscle without enough protein. As a rule of thumb, you need an average of 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. If you weigh 70 kgs, you need to be ingesting about 140 grams of protein a day for maintenance only, increase at your discretion for muscle gains while avoiding too much intake to avoid fat gain and so on.

Does everyone need supplements? Not really. Our ancestors have gotten by just fine with good old fashioned nutrition and exercise. But we’re not our ancestors, my office desk lifestyle does not offer me the luxury of increased activity so I must seek out help where I can. Our ancestors didn’t have complex notions about body fat % or the overly complex fitness goals and ambitions we’ve developed today. I doubt - at least the ease of it - that one achieve a body fat % under 8% while weight lifting relying on proper - even perfect - nutrition alone. Supplements do help. Just don’t abuse them.

Obviously there’s like a billion other supplements out there you can take for all kinds of things, but these are the ones that matter to me. It’s my blog goddammit I write about what I want!

I’d say these form the cornerstones of my supplementation strategy, coupled with a powerful multi-vitamin, they can be a formidable arsenal which supplements your wholesome and balanced nutrition and aid you at reaching your fitness goals. As with anything you put into your body, consult a professional nutritionist or licensed physical trainer before going through a full-on supplementation course.