Supplements are one of the most OVERrated things you can do for your health. We tend to associate taking vitamins with being healthy…but the truth is that popping a pill is, at best, a stopgap. A way to fill in the “nutritional cracks” in your diet.
So I want start by sharing my philosophy on supplements, which is this…
Only supplement with nutrients that meet these 2 qualifications:
- First, it should be something you can’t realistically get from your diet. This rules out most common vitamins and minerals. It’s better to get your nutrients from real food.
- And second, it should be a nutrient that you KNOW is PROVEN to be effective. This rules out nearly all muscle-building supplements, which aren’t worth taking because they simply don’t work well enough to make a measurable impact for the vast majority of us.
That said, taking the right supplements can make a big difference in your health and your performance at the gym.
So without further ado, here are the 5 supplements that ARE worth your time.
Top Health & Muscle Building Supplements, #1: Vitamin D
This is a super important vitamin that many, many people are deficient in because most of us fail to get a lot of sunlight year-round. Unless you’re a lifeguard in Miami, it might be a good idea to supplement with some vitamin D.
I used to take 1000 IU per day, and then I had my blood levels measured. It turned out I was borderline deficient at about 32 ng/mL. So I increased my dosage to 5000 IU per day, and my vitamin D levels rose to a much healthier 54 ng/mL.
Remember: what matters isn’t necessarily how much you take…what’s important is how much you absorb and use. That’s why getting your blood levels measured, using a service like WellnessFX, is such a good idea.
Top Health & Muscle Building Supplements, #2: Magnesium
Magnesium is another critical nutrient that many, many people are deficient in.
Now, you CAN get enough magnesium from your diet…it’s just difficult, because you need so MUCH of it. Another problem is that many of our crops have less and less magnesium due to nutrient-poor soil caused by over-farming.
So I like to supplement a healthy diet with some extra magnesium to make sure I’m getting enough.
If you decide to do the same, make sure to AVOID magnesium OXIDE because your body doesn’t absorb it well. Studies show your body absorbs as little as 4% of magnesium oxide.
One great way to supplement with magnesium is to use a magnesium spray, since it absorbs well into your skin. Check amazon.com for “magnesium spray.”
Magnesium is a very relaxing supplement, so it’s a great supplement to take before bed.
Top Health & Muscle Building Supplements, #3: Vitamin K2
Vitamin K1 is found pretty easily in leafy greens and other vegetables. But vitamin K2 is much more rare, and incredibly healthy for you.
Vitamin K2 works to transport calcium OUT of your blood vessels and INTO to your bones…improving your bone health while reducing calcification of your arteries. K2 has also been linked with anti-cancer properties.
The PROBLEM with K2 is that it’s tough to get. The only food I know of that has a significant amount of vitamin K2 is a Japanese food called natto, which is fermented soybeans. It has a super strong flavor and it’s really hard to find.
Now you body can convert vitamin K1 into vitamin K2…but you don’t do a very good job of it. So almost all of us could use more vitamin K2.
And that’s why it’s a good vitamin to supplement. Because if you don’t, you almost certainly aren’t getting enough.
Now there are 2 TYPES of vitamin k2: MK-4 and MK-7.
Personally I like the LifeExtension brand…because it contains both MK-4 and mk-7. MK-4 creates a rapid increase in blood levels, while MK-7 has a longer half life. So the two together make a really good combination.
Top Health & Muscle Building Supplements, #4: Whey Protein
Now you don’t actually *need* whey protein. If you eat enough meat, then you can easily get enough protein to build muscle.
But I like whey, and I recommend whey, for 2 reasons.
First, because your body absorbs whey very quickly, it’s a good pre- or post-workout drink…because the amino acids will get into your muscles very rapidly.
The other reason I like whey is because a good whey protein will have a balanced combination of amino acids. A lot of meats are low in glycine, which is an important amino acid. So having a scoop of whey each day is a good way to get a good, balanced amino acid profile.
Top Health & Muscle Building Supplements, #5: Creatine
Creatine is found naturally in some foods, like beef, but in order to get enough to saturate your muscles with it you need to take a supplement.
Creatine works by increasing your muscle cells’ ability to produce ATP, a form of energy, which is how creatine helps you to lift heavier weights and, by extension, build more muscle.
Creatine is probably the #1 most studied muscle building supplement there is. It’s been tested over and over again for efficiency and safety.
And the results are VERY clear: creatine is totally safe and extremely effective for lifting weights and building muscle.
For example, one study compared people who were only doing weight training against people who were weight training and taking creatine.
The group that was ONLY doing weight training gained 11 lbs on their squat and 15 lbs on their bench press.
The group that was weight training AND taking creating gained 52 lbs on their squat and 33 lbs on their bench press. That’s an increase of 4.7 times and 2.2 times. Just from taking creatine.
The same study also showed a testosterone increase from 5% to 20%…a 4-fold increase.
All of which goes to prove that creatine is a highly effective and very inexpensive muscle building supplement.
There are different kinds of creatine you can take, but luckily, the best kind is the cheapest: creatine monohydrate.
Take 5 mg a day, either after your workout or with your first meal. If you want to saturate your muscles a little faster, you can take it several times a day for the first week. But taking creatine once a day will also saturate your muscles…it’ll just take a little longer, like a few weeks, to happen.