My Supplementation Toolkit
My personal tools for supplementation after introspecting my own needs, busting myths about certain supplements and laying out the science of why we need to introduce certain supplements
The literal definition of supplementation is “the addition of an extra element or amount to something”
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary lists “Dietary Supplement” as one of the meanings of the word “Supplement”.
This means that we need to supplement in order to cover up the nutrients that we may be missing through our whole food diets.
The thing is that we often do not get all the nutrients that our body needs through our whole food diet (“whole real food” to some).
We need to take supplements in order to make up for the nutrients that may be missing in our whole food diet.
Three years ago, I would often worry before taking an Omega 3 supplement: Will this cause acne in the short term; will it cause my skin to dry up, etc. Ironically, these worries primarily beset people who do not have their diets in check!
How does one know which supplements to take? I can say from experience that seeking an answer to this question is to descend into a rabbit hole as there is no easy answer.
Supplements are not mandatory, though they may be unnecessary for those getting their nutrients from whole foods.
However, that is seldom so. We need to carefully examine our own diets and consider whether the whole foods that we are consuming are adequately providing our micro and macro nutrient needs. This is particularly true for vegans and vegetarians. Wherever you can discern a shortfall, supplementation is necessary.
Based on my self-analysis, I decided to use supplements for the following:
Vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, zinc, and any other possible micronutrient that I may not be getting enough of
Whey protein powder and creatine for convenience to meet my protein and recovery requirements
Caffeine as a pre workout through black coffee
The questions that one should consider asking oneself before deciding on any supplements are: :
What are the deficiencies in my macro and micro nutrient needs that need to be filled? (This is the central question to consider. You need to self-examine your diet and lifestyle. There is no one answer common to everybody. )
What supplements will help fill these deficiencies?
Are the required supplements cost-effective for me?
Whey Protein
Some dismiss whey protein as simply a drug. It is, however, ‘arguably’ the best form of protein available for consumption. A common concern for many who hesitate to take whey protein is:
“Will I lose my muscle mass once I stop taking the whey protein?” That is like wondering “Will I lose my muscle mass if I stop eating eggs, paneer or meat?”
Whey protein can be a useful tool even for those who do not exercise regularly, to meet their minimum protein requirements for the day which is around 56 grams per day for men and 46 grams per day for women.
Whey protein is an effective source for meeting your protein needs. Though you don’t absolutely have to take it, but it is simply so much more convenient to have at hand than a box of eight eggs or a protein bowl to replenish oneself at the end of a workout.
Whey is not a new-fangled invention. Its usage by humans can be traced back to ancient times. Whey is simply a protein that is found in milk. It is a protein-rich by-product of the process of making cheese from milk. In ancient times, whey was commended for its therapeutic properties. Hippocrates even prescribed it as a means for strengthening the human immune system. Later, another Greek physician named Galen is known to have carried on the Hippocratic practice during the Roman Empire.
The use of whey as a food supplement began in the 20th century. Whey protein powder is a pasteurized and dried form of the whey that arises in the process of converting milk to cheese. It has been commercially available since around the 1940s.
Initially, my parents, like many, were wary of the consumption of whey protein. It was thanks to my brother-in-law, Sid, who is also in tuned into his health and fitness, that they were nudged towards allowing me to buy my first whey protein powder. That was close to 8-9 years back. Now my dad himself consumes whey protein after his workouts on the prescription of his nutritionist.
The protocol I follow to meet my protein needs is around 1g per/ 1 lb of body weight. This works effectively if one is serious about getting lean. 1g per/ 0.8 lb of body weight would also work.
Creatine
Creatine is unfortunately known to have a bad reputation but is ironically the most well researched supplement. This reputation is undeserved and based on misconceptions.
Our body naturally produces creatine up to a certain level. Meat is a principal source of creatine. Due to regulatory and cultural reasons, the consumption of meat is much more restricted in India than in most other countries. That need not be an issue.
We can supplement our way to optimize the level of creatine in our bodies. Skeletal muscle makes up the storage site for most of the body’s creatine (~95%) with the remaining small amounts found in the brain, heart, and testes. The daily creatine produced (endogenously) and taken up by muscle amounts to approximately 1 – 2 g
Creatine is a vital supplement. Studies have shown how creatine improves:
Muscle Mass
Improve Power output
Improve brain function and cognition
Improve memory
Improve blood sugar management
Through the intake of creatine, I have been able to see tangible, marked improvements in the first 2 elements mentioned above. Improved brain function and memory, of course, cannot be tangibly measured. Blood sugar management could not solely be attributed to creatine. However, creatine caused better output for workouts, thereby leading to increased muscle mass which in turns leads to better blood sugar management. Furthermore, improved muscle mass leads to increased testosterone and studies have shown that higher levels of testosterone leads to better glycemic control.
Should creatine be taken by someone who doesn’t work out? I would hesitate to recommend it as I have no experience of taking it when I was not working out. But studies have shown that creatine not just helps physical performance, but also helps to improve mood and to reduce depression. Creatine has also been shown to improve brain health
I supplement with creatine monohydrate. It is the most widely studied and effective supplement available. It is super cheap as well so cost will never be a cause of concern.
I try to keep my consumption of creatine at between 3-5g per day, I generally mix it with curd or a protein shake. There is a small incremental benefit of taking creatine post a workout as per recent research but barely anything to lose sleep over!
Jeremy Ethier has done a great video on the process of supplementation that should be useful for athletes, regular gym goers and even those who do not engage in physical activity.
Research shows that creatine supplementation can increase creatine content in muscles anywhere from 10-20% in meat eaters or those that have high levels to begin with up to 20 – 40% in those with lower muscle stores, such as vegans and vegetarians
Dr Andrew Huberman has offered an exposition of the positive benefits of creatine and how it improves mood disorders and stress. Among other things, he states that that there is a phosphocreatine center in the brain and that the phosphocreatine system has everything to do with the dialogue between neurons. The phosphocreatine in the forebrain is shown to have a link with certain elements of mood and depression.
"Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation Improves Physical Performance & Mood" - Andrew Huberman (@hubermanlab)3. Magnesium Glycinate
I have been supplementing with magnesium glycinate for over a year now and I can positively tell you that it has had a qualitative impact on my sleep and overall recovery!
Making a case for supplementing with Magnesium
There are multiple ways to supplement magnesium levels. However, in my opinion, magnesium glycinate is the most effective. Magnesium L-Threonate is reputed to be extremely effective too but it is not easily available in India. Some Indian companies are working towards introducing Threonate into the market here, though.
According to World Health Organization statistics, as much as 75% of the U.S. adult population does not meet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Recommended Daily Intake of 420 mg. I assume the global numbers are also somewhere around that figure.
Here is a list of foods through which one can obtain magnesium naturally! The recommended dose for men is 400-420 mg per day while for women it is 310-320 mg per day!
Some Indian Options here as well
Why do we need magnesium?
Magnesium plays many crucial roles in the body. Among these are supporting muscle and nerve function and energy production.
Low magnesium levels usually don't cause symptoms. However, chronically low levels can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis.
Dr Mark Hayman mentioned certain symptoms of magnesium deficiency which he finds in his patients:
Muscle Cramps
Insomnia
Anxiety
Irritability
Chronic Fatigue
Menstrual Cramps
He stated that stress even causes the body to flush out magnesium
Too much magnesium from foods isn't a concern for healthy adults. However, the same can't be said for supplements. High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
In addition, the magnesium in supplements can interact with some types of antibiotics and other medicines. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're considering magnesium supplements, especially if you routinely use magnesium-containing antacids or laxatives
Stats on Magnesium Supplementation
As per a study magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body and serum magnesium levels are a good way to judge magnesium levels.
A quote picked up from the study:
“Recent studies have shown that individuals with serum magnesium levels around 1.82 mg/dL (0.75 mmol/L) are most likely to have a magnesium deficiency, while those with serum magnesium level more than 2.07 mg/dL (0.85 mmol/L) are most likely to have adequate levels”
4. Omega 3 Fish Oil
Omega 3 supplementation is a must for me because I do not eat foods high in omega 3 on a daily basis. I do eat walnuts, chia seeds and flax seeds, all of which contain Omega-3. I do not, however, eat these in significant quantities Omega-3 is primarily present in oily fish. So, if you are a regular eater of seafood, you may not need to worry too much about Omega-3 supplementation.
Here is a list that contains the various foods which one can consume for their omega 3 requirements. Most may be out of reach or not cost efficient for the general public.
The primary nutrients obtained from Omega 3 supplementation are EPA and DHA which can be obtained through whole sea food supplementation on a regular basis per week. You may be getting the required dosage of EPA and DHA if you have the fish high in Omega-3 listed above in your diet.
Dr Rhonda Patrick – whom I often listen to and read – has done extensive work on Omega 3 supplementation. For those interested, the following short video explains how Omega 3 can reduce the possibility of premature death and help in reduction of triglycerides
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/omega-3-heart
If you are allergic to fish or shellfish I urge you to consult your doctor for the same.
5. Caffeine
I consume caffeine (in the form of black coffee) mostly for my workouts and have another coffee at around 11 30 a.m. or 12 00 noon, after which I stop all caffeine consumption.
I have documented my caffeine protocol in detail in my blog:
6. Probiotics
I had recently taken a gut microbiome test and even did an informative twitter thread on the test:
Turns out even a strict diet, which involves not too many variations in foods, can be a cause of having a poor gut microbiome score.
The conclusive evidence of the test was that my gut microbiome diversity was poor and that I needed to improve my score by bringing more diversity into my diet by introducing probiotic and prebiotic foods. Having an inefficient gut microbiome can sometimes even come from a well balanced diet! For example- I generally eat pretty much the same foods everyday to meet my micro and macro nutrient needs but bringing diversity into my lifestyle actually allowed me to improve my gut microbiome. An uncomfortable issue of bloating that I experienced was alleviated by bringing more diversity to my diet.
Other issues that can be fixed by working on your gut microbiome:
· Anxiety
· Stress
· Acidity
There is something known as the gut brain access and Huberman Lab explained this superbly. Improving the quality of our gut would directly lead to better neuron functioning of the brain!
These probiotic and prebiotic supplements are just a stopgap measure to fulfill my body’s needs as I slowly transition to introducing more varieties of natural foods into my diet. The aim is to be free of the supplements, I use them as a source of introducing good gut microbiomes into the body to begin the process.
That being said, it is important to note that too much of pro and prebiotics can in fact cause further bloating and inflammation issues. You need to properly understand how to work with supplements when required and then switch to whole foods.
Here is a list of fruits, vegetables and proteins in order of their impact on the gut microbiome:
https://www.trifectanutrition.com/blog/prebiotic-foods-to-support-digestive-health
Conclusion
Apropos of supplementing for workouts, I would like to leave you with this pithy rule by Peter Attia:
"Avoid Arguing About Supplements & Nutrition Until You Can Deadlift Your Body Weight for 10 Reps”
This is what works for me. But, of course, everyone’s needs will differ.
Disclaimer: Consult your doctor, nutritionist or medical practitioner before applying any of these principles.
Another one: which are the top 1-2 brands you tried and would recommend for creatine? (easily available to order online/offline in Mumbai)
Excellent post Ankush, highly appreciate it! 👍🏽
A small follow-up: how did you answer the crucial central question (What are the deficiencies in my macro and micro nutrient needs that need to be filled?) before deciding on the supplements you would need? I mean, what did your "self-analysis" involve?