What are the most important supplements that someone should take?

[Mai72]

I know that everybody has different needs. Somebody who lifts weights is going to have different needs compared to someone who does mostly cardio. With that said, what would you guys consider the most important supplements for someone to consume daily? Also, age is huge factor as well.

I'm middle age (40 ish) and in excellent health. I do cardio and lift weights.

My take is this...

1) Protein is essential. As we get older we lose muscle mass and you just don't get enough from a diet.

2) Creatine is essential. We can't get enough from our diet, and it's cheap enough to use.

3) Multivitamin. Even if you eat a healthy diet and drink a green nutribullet every day it's still a good idea to take one daily.

4) Vitamin C is fine. I think a multivitamin should cover your needs, but I think adding vit C to your diet can't hurt.

What about beta alanine, fish oil, coq10, hyaluronic acid? Am I just wasting my money on these supplements. For instance, I can get my Omega 3 from nuts and from consuming fish 2-3 times a week. So why take fish oil?

It get's expensive to take supplements on a daily basis. I want to be proactive when it comes to my health. I workout daily and take supplements. What should I concentrate on and spend my money on, and what should I disregard and get in my diet?

Thanks.

 

[gotsmack]

I take:
1-2 scoops of Whey isolate, depending on how much meat and eggs I ate that day.
1 whole food based multivitamin (the recommended dose is 3 tablets)
1 plant based calcium tablet
1 plant based glucosamine tablet
And 1 lutein tablet.

I have CoQ10 that I add to my protein shake sometimes.

When I was in college I took like 10 tablets of different things a day, all it did was make my pee turn neon.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

This should be fun to watch.

 

[smackababy]

I don't take any supplements. I suppose caffeine might count though, as I drink a cup of coffee or tea if I am not feeling the gym.

I suppose I might not be my peak efficiency when it comes to lifting, but I don't care. I prefer to be all natural! Which is kind of ironic, considering quite a lot of what I eat isn't "all natural". =)

I imagine once I get older, I will probably have to take something or other, but I am only 27 right now.

 

[Phanuel]

Just give it 3 years Smacka...

 

[Mai72]

What about fish oil guys? This is one supplement that I'm on the fence about. A good supplement will run about $12-15 usd a month. The recent study on fish oil raised some very good questions. Does it actually help? Can it alleviate the problems that crop up with age? Does it cure depression?

I've suffered from depression time to time and supposedly it's very good at combating it. Can't you get your Omega 3's from occasionally eating fish, and by consuming nuts on a daily basis?

Finally, how much do you guys spend on supps per month?

 

[Mai72]

Also, these supplements haven't even been adequately tested. We'll just don't know the long term benefits and issues from taking supps long term.

I guess we're the guinea pigs.

 

[Zivic]

 

[classy]

Actually depending on the person, that may very well be the most important supplement to take.

 

[highland145]

Get your cholesterol checked. My hdl, the good stuff, was mid 20's and I was very fit. This was years ago.

5+ years ago, I started 6G/day fish oil and a tsp of cod liver oil/day because my knees were killing me after biking. Within a few weeks, they were significantly better.

Next blood check, my hdl was 75. Sweet.

Just had it checked again...I'll let you know the results.

 

[HOSED]

I spend about $70/month - TwinLab Daily one, calcium, magnesium and B12. Swanson D, E and High potency C http://www.amazon.com/Healthforce-Na...ered+vitamin+C
Solgar Fish oil caps & hemp oil

~~ highland145 congrats, did you also exercise heavily to help get to that awesome HDL #?

 

[z1ggy]

Wasting your money unless you are a professional athlete/get paid to look good & be in shape.

IMO, if you are eating a proper diet (meats/veggies/fruits/fish/grains) then why do you need to go spend money, just to gain a small % extra of your vitamin needs.

Worst case, you can take a multi vit if you really feel like it, as the generic type are fairly cheap at a local Walmart or something. But I think it's a waste going to buy like 10 dif vitamins and minerals. Just eat right.

 

[highland145]

~~ highland145 congrats, did you also exercise heavily to help get to that awesome HDL #?

This was 1995-ish, I was early 30s when it was so low (50 now) and the best physical shape of my life. I've read that exercise raises it but I couldn't exercise any more than I was. I'm certain that my diet was the problem. I was getting very little fats...good, bad or otherwise. Don't remember if good fats were promoted back then or is I was just clueless.

And what z1ggy said, proper diet is the best way but mine isn't the best.

 

[Zivic]

Wasting your money unless you are a professional athlete/get paid to look good & be in shape.

IMO, if you are eating a proper diet (meats/veggies/fruits/fish/grains) then why do you need to go spend money, just to gain a small % extra of your vitamin needs.

.

while I agree a proper diet is key, I know a couple things I use are worthwhile... and am starting to believe a third is worth the asking price.....

 

[blackdogdeek]

I'm 43, don't take any supplements, and workout 6 days a week. You can find my log in this subforum to see what types of exercises. But I am on a statin for cholesterol. I also drink coffee every morning before working out.

 

[SP33Demon]

What about fish oil guys? This is one supplement that I'm on the fence about. A good supplement will run about $12-15 usd a month. The recent study on fish oil raised some very good questions. Does it actually help? Can it alleviate the problems that crop up with age? Does it cure depression?

I've suffered from depression time to time and supposedly it's very good at combating it. Can't you get your Omega 3's from occasionally eating fish, and by consuming nuts on a daily basis?

Finally, how much do you guys spend on supps per month?

Dude, just eat sardines everyday and you don't need to buy/take fish oil. You're also getting protein and calcium from the sardines as well with the mercury concerns of tuna.

Supp's that I take are just ON protein, Creatine, Animal Pak multi twice a week, glucosamine/condroitin if joints hurt, and then random other ones depending on my energy levels (resveratrol+Astaxanthin, caffeine) or inflammation/recovery (cissus quadrangilaris). If I'm heavy metal detoxing I'll use Chlorella/Spirulina about once every 6 months but not really necessary since my multi has milk thistle in it.

 

[z1ggy]

while I agree a proper diet is key, I know a couple things I use are worthwhile... and am starting to believe a third is worth the asking price.....

Do tell.

Only ones I could justify are a multi vit (b/c large amounts of protein in the diet sans fruits will leave you lacking in vit A & C) and creatine. I've had mixed bag results with prework outs like NO Explode, J4cked, etc. I started just having some coffee and a glass of water before lifts, and that seemed to do okay.

 

[Squeetard]

What about fish oil guys?

Do you like to shart your pants? My Doctor golf buddy said I had to take omega12 fish oil pills. Tried them for a week and had a constant feeling that there was a tablespoon of oily mess just inside my spincter, waiting for me to lower my guard for an instant.

I exercise don't body build. In great shape. But, I'm 49. When I was tiling my place a few years ago I was very sore and stiff in the mornings, hard awkward work. Started taking a pill with Glocosimine, MSM and Chondroitin. Felt like a new man, 25 again. We can train our muscles and stay in shape but the joints and ligaments are just timed parts, they wear out and get cranky.

 

[highland145]

inflammation/recovery (cissus quadrangilaris)

to heal broken bones and injured ligaments and tendons

Any opinions on this?

 

[surfsatwerk]

Any opinions on this?

I used it for a time, stopped because I didn't feel like it did anything for me.

Edit: For the record I was using the bulk powder available at nutraplanet.

 

[SP33Demon]

Any opinions on this?

Similar to surfsatwerk, I'm not sure it's doing anything but I'm still on the first bottle. It doesn't have any adverse side effects though. I'll have more to report once I get through the first bottle.

 

[highland145]

I used it for a time, stopped because I didn't feel like it did anything for me.

Edit: For the record I was using the bulk powder available at nutraplanet.

Similar to surfsatwerk, I'm not sure it's doing anything but I'm still on the first bottle. It doesn't have any adverse side effects though. I'll have more to report once I get through the first bottle.

Thanks. Let me know if you would. The ligament in my elbow is still on the fritz. Better but not able to lift.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Thanks. Let me know if you would. The ligament in my elbow is still on the fritz. Better but not able to lift.

Have you tried capsaicin arthritis creme? I buy the little bottle with the built in applicator thingy. I keep a bottle at home, werk, and in my gym bag. Best thing I ever did for joint pain.

 

[highland145]

Have you tried capsaicin arthritis creme? I buy the little bottle with the built in applicator thingy. I keep a bottle at home, werk, and in my gym bag. Best thing I ever did for joint pain.

Voltaren gel. I "think" it's stretched. Somewhere I heard 6 months recovery. I'm past that, sadly. On the bright side, I can lift ~20lbs pain free where I was at 5lbs.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Any opinions on this?

Cissus quadrangularis has really poor research. Definitely not worth the money for recovery. There is low quality research that shows it can help with bone healing from a fracture, but nothing really has shown benefits for tendons and ligaments.