Top 5 Supplements

I've wasted some money on supplements in my life. Hopefully this post will save you time trying to work out what is worth taking and what is not, money on wasted supplements (and i will post some links to the cheapest ones I have found) and hopefully they can give you a better quality of life or help you in your particular sport or hobby.

In order of importance:

FISH OIL

This is the single best supplement out there. There is too much to say here so I will link to some other sites if you want to read more. Benefits include reduced risk of cancer, Alzheimer's, lupus, diabetes Parkinson's, depression, improved blood circulation, immune system, arthritis, weight loss, acne, fertility. 3-5g p/day. If you can get this amount without supplementation- great, but it will mean eating oily fish every day. See See how much DHA/EPA is in fish.             http://alanaragon.com/fish-oil.html   http://www.leangains.com/2011/05/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-muscle-growth.html   http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/qa-2.html

WHEY PROTEIN

see my post on is whey protein optimal? on why it is important for anyone on a high protein diet. I advise 1g of protein p/lb of DESIRED body weight e.g. you are 200lbs and you want to get down to 180lbs= 180g protein. Likewise if you are 150lbs and want to bulk up to 180= 180g protein. Anyone that wants to know why I advise such high amounts (and that might be as sad as me and has 2.5hrs of their life to spare) see first and second halves of the protein roundtable hosted by Ian McCarthy.

MULTIVITAMIN

I want to stress the importance of a good quality multi. First, check the doses, you need to be looking at the % of its daily value. The FDA's values are not recommendations, but simply the MINIMUM amount required to prevent deficiencies. Therefore a good quality multi will usually have over 100% of the daily values. Anything less than 10mg of any of the vitamins is too low.  Another tip- look at the vitamin B12 and see what form it is in, eitter cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin. If it is the former, it is B12 with a cyanide molecule attached to it. It is cheaper and of very little use to the body. B12 helps with liver function but if you take cyanocobalamin, the liver has to break down the cyanide which is toxic to the human body before it can use it- defeating the purpose of liver restoration in the first place. I believe that it does more harm than good. In the past used to take a multi with cyanocobalamin after drinking alcohol thinking it could help my body recover but i dread to think what stress I was putting my liver under. Last of all- do not rely on a multi to get all your vitamins. Evidence suggests that real food vitamins and minerals are more efficiently absorbed in comparison to supplementing so make sure to get plenty of fruit, vegetables (especially green) and whole eggs.

VITAMIN D
Ever wondered why everyone seems happier when the sun is out? Most people that do not live near the equator are deficient in vitamin D3 which is why I take this and there is growing evidence to support my claims that supplementing with 200iu a day can boost your energy and increase strength and performance. I think you will be hearing a lot about vitamin D in the next few years. Other health benefits are explained here.

CREATINE  MONOHYDRATE

If you do not do any type of resistance training- ignore this one. If you do, see this study to see why creatine can and will improve your strength and power. It is so cheap so there is no reason why you can't take this. 5g a day. A few tips 1- creatine timing doesn't matter, you can take it all at once at any time of the day. 2- There is no need to 'load' it as anything over about 8-9g your body cannot absorb. 3- 5g is all you need to maintain muscle saturation. 4- All the other types of creatine are inferior to monohydrate that means kre-alkalyn, ethyl ester, phosphate and citrate. Forget them all they are not as effective and more expensive so don't read into the marketing. 5- There is no need to cycle creatine as there is no evidence whatsoever that the body becomes desensitised to it- I believe that it was a marketing technique to make it sound more potent (i.e anabolic steroids are cycled on and off). 

DISCLAIMER

I am in no way financially benefiting from recommending the following supplements:
Fish oil
Whey protein
Multivitamin  - I am aware this one is not cheap but quality wise it is so far ahead so is the only one I will take, but if anyone can find an alternative without lower quality I am all ears!
Creatine Monohydrate
Vitamin D

And that is it. That is all i recommend you take. Pretty much all other supplements are useless. I do take some other supplements (mainly my pre-workout cocktail!) but I did not want to confuse this post I just want to keep it basic with my top 5 so people don't think it is necessary to take loads of things. My other supplements do help me but are certainly not essential. If anyone wants to know my other supplements I take just ask and I will comment back in the comment section below. Also, if anyone is thinking of purchasing a supplement, PLEASE comment below before buying and I will let you know what I think, I will respond as quick as I can.

Peace and love x