Many of you have questions about supplements, mainly because there are so many variations out there these days, but how do you know that your getting the right ones? Are they helping your progress? Not to mention quality! It can be very difficult to determine good quality from bad.
Over my many years of training, I’ve found that Polquin Group supplements have worked best for me and are a highly trusted manufacturer. Mainly because they exceed the FDA CGMPs (current good manufacturing practices guidelines for nutritional supplements). GPMs ensure identity, authenticity, potency, and purity testing of raw materials and finished products. They are also highly recommended by physicians throughout the world and trusted by professional and Olympic athletes. This is simply a preference, but whichever brand product you choose, the below supplements are essential to your fitness regimine.
Top 5 Foundation Supplements that you should be taking for Overall health and well being
FISH OIL
Benefits of fish oil include, reduced inflammation, increased metabolic rate, increase satiety or feeling full from meals, decrease fat mass, increase muscle mass, promote anabolic pathways, and maximize strength gains from resistance training. One of its myths is Fish oil will make you fat, this is incorrect, in fact, it will actually use the fat to build the outside lipid layer that protects our cells, which will improve activity of insulin. If you have insulin sensitivity it can be difficult to lose fat because your cell receptors have a hard time transfering glucose from carbs into the muscles. By taking adequate amounts of fish oil, insulin will improve the muscle building process that helps load nutrients, like creatine and carnitine, into the muscles. These nutrients are excellent for muscle growth and fat burning. A good starting dosage of fish oil is 2-6 grams of concentrated fish oil, which equates to 1000-3000mg of combined EPA & DHA per day.
MULTIVITAMIN
Why do you need a multivitamin if your eating lots of veggies, fruits and lean cuts of meats? Generally everything we eat has some kind of chemical, pesticide, or herbicide, that contaminates our bodies making us toxic and unable to process vitamins and nutrients efficiently. 2000 years ago when cave man roamed the earth they were lean and healthy due to the fact everything was organic and free of chemicals unlike modern society now. In order to have your body absorb vitamins and nutrients correctly we need to have a nutrient-rich diet that will detoxify these chemicals. But sadly to say the food and environment we live in today hinder our progress by blocking our cells from processing these key nutrients. Best time to take your multivitamin is in the middle of your meal, because that’s when there best absorbed.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is produced naturally in skin by sunlight absorption, although sun block is a protectant, did you know the use of sun block with SPF 8 or above reduces vitamin D synthesis by 95% – 98%. We also spend a lot of time indoors and/or covered up, which is why over 50% of the population is deficient in vitamin D. Having low levels of Vitamin D are linked to increased blood sugar and insulin resistance. Women whom are low in Vitamin D are more prone to gain visceral fat. Men with low Vitamin D levels are linked to low testosterone and depression. Recommened dosage is 2,000-5,000 IU per day.
MAGNESIUM
Benefits of Magnesium, when taken daily, will help improve your sleep by helping you relax and de-stress. It has been linked to improving brain function that can help fight depression and improve memory. Studies have also shown magnesium increases testosterone levels and lean muscle by supplementing 10mg per kilo of body weight a day. Overall, Magnesium is critical for cardiovascular health by helping decrease inflammation. Low levels of magnesium will decrease your insulin levels making it harder to lose body fat and get lean.
PROBIOTICS
Your gut plays an important role in keeping your body functioning properly. High antibiotic use has an extremely negative effect on our gut health, as well as modern lifestyle of refined carbohydrates, junk foods, and processed meats that contribute to an inflamed gut. Good bacteria has a powerful anti-inflammatory affect that’s associated with better overall health. In order to keep your gut in check you should be consuming plenty of vegetables, nuts, and fruits because they provide the fiber that you need to to improve intestinal bacteria profiles. Reducing the amount of processed and refined foods will also improve your gut while making your feel less bloated. Supplementing with a probiotic that has a minimum of 1 billion live bacteria and will help aid in an overall healthy gut.
More Reasons to take these top 5 Foundation Supplements:
- When your inflamed, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your insulin is high, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your cortisol is high, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your estrogen is high, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When you don’t metabolize estrogen well, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your androgens are low, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your toxic, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When you’re nutrient depleted, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your not sleeping well, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
- When your thyroid isn’t functioning well, you don’t burn fat well and you store more fat.
Get Fit Don’t Quit!!