Supplements I Use & Why
As a personal trainer and nutritional coach, my clients often ask me about supplements. There are so many supplements out there that I understand it can be very confusing to choose which ones to take for your needs and desired outcome.
Instead of going over all types of supplements (which could take days), I'm going to discuss my favourite supplements I use and why I use them. Please keep in mind that supplements are only meant to be taken when you either cannot get the appropriate nutrients in a natural way, or if you cannot get enough of them that way.
As someone who exercises daily, has digestive issues, and tries to maintain a certain level of "healthiness", there are quite a few supplements I depend on. I categorized the supplements by fitness/weight loss and digestion/well-being to help you navigate through them more easily. For those that are a combination of both, they're in the category that is most relevant.
My hope is that by reading this you'll have a better understanding of what's right for you. As always if you have any questions, please reach out: marissa@hauptintoshape.com. Good luck!
Fitness/Weight Loss
1. Protein
There are various types:
Milk protein blend
Most common type of protein powder if your digestive system can handle it
Various options: whey isolate, whey concentrate, or a blend
Isolate is most common
Some people with lactose intolerances can still handle whey isolate
Click here for my recommendation
Egg or rice
Not a fan:
Eggs are a top food allergen in both adults and children
Rice protein is higher in fat and carbs than alternatives
Click here for my recommendation
Plant-based protein
Since I am dairy-, egg-, and largely rice-free I rely on plant-based protein. I also cannot stand the taste of peas, so hemp protein it is for me!
Click here for what I use
Click here if you’d like to check out pea protein
Important factors to take into consideration when choosing a protein powder:
The less ingredients the better
Know what all the ingredients are
Aim for minimal to no sweeteners (then you can sweeten your shake naturally with banana, dates, etc.).
If protein needs are met with whole foods, no need for supplement; so eat as much meat, dairy, eggs, legumes, etc. as possible!
If you're curious about portion sizes, check out my blog Calorie Counting vs. Portion Control but for a brief recap:
Assuming 4-meals per day,
Men should have 40-60g per meal = 2 palm sizes
Women should have 20-30g per meal = 1 palm size
Note: A palm-sized portion is the same thickness and diameter as your palm
2. EGCG
Green tea extract helps with weight loss as it stimulates your metabolism, helping you to digest faster. It's also said to help with blood sugar regulation and exercise recovery. It's helpful to use when trying to lose weight.
Click here for what I use.
Recommended dose:
400mg
1-2x/day during fat loss periods
Look for high in EGCG, less caffeine
Note: If it has caffeine in it, be sure not to take it in the evening as it may keep you up at night.
3. R-Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Benefits:
Improves insulin sensitivity
Allows cells to use blood glucose more effectively, thus reducing blood sugar (and helping with diabetes)
Reduces insulin response to meals
Helps for those with poor carb tolerance and fat loss goals
Has antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation and skin aging
Click here for what I use.
Recommended dose:
100mg
3x/day
Take with food
Some people get nauseous from this at first, especially if you take more and without any food
4. BCAAs
Contains amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine
Benefits:
Helps prolong energy during an intense workout (valine)
Helps improves exercise performance
Helps support lean muscle growth (leucine)
Helps burn fat (isoleucine)
Helps reduce muscle soreness post-exercise
BCAAs come in powder or capsule form. I get the capsules as there are less ingredients and no artificial sweeteners. The powders are, however, absorbed quicker by the body, thus allowing you to feel the effects faster (specifically the energy boost).
Click here for what I use.
Recommended dose:
2:1:1 ratio of leucine to isoleucine and valine
If you're looking to gain muscle, 3-5g of leucine per serving
Have 1 serving before workout and 1 serving during
Use during high-intensity exercise sessions when fat loss and muscle/performance preservation is desired
BCAAs can be found in protein-rich foods, however if you do high-intensity exercise daily, it might not be enough for your body.
Surprisingly that's all for this section. Honestly, I figure I take enough supplements as it is with my digestive issues, and my main goals are to fix/sooth that, so I concentrate mostly on those types of supplements.
Digestion/Well-Being
1. Probiotics
This is by far the most controversial supplement out there. Truthfully, I just stopped taking them after years of going back and forth. I stopped for two reasons: 1) I didn't take them while I was in Costa Rica for 17 days and my stomach was mostly fine, and 2) they are so damn expensive, so I figured if I was fine on vacation work-life, I can be fine now while I work from home in the summer. So far I think I'm ok.
Click here for what I used most recently.
There are so many different types of probiotics out there, ranging from pills to powder to yogurts. All of them have different bacteria and different amounts, so how do you know which ones to take?
The truth is that your best bet is consulting a professional because every digestive issue requires different bacteria to help. It's also often recommended to switch up the probiotic so your body doesn't adapt to it - yet another reason to speak to a professional.
If not, some helpful tips given by Dr. Robynne Chutkan in her amazing book A Microbiome Solution (this books seriously helped me a lot with my IBS) are:
50+ billion CFU (lactobacillius, bifidobacterium, and salivarius for IBS)
Contains multiple compatible strains (around 7)
Has enteric coating (to make it down the intestines in one piece)
Has good safety record (Google, and find side effects)
Requires refrigeration
Guarantee tested and certified of live bacteria listed on label
Independently tested/ 3rd party tested
2. Digestive Enzymes
This is another supplement that I find very tricky just like probiotics as there are so many varieties out there, all with different ingredients claiming to be "digestive aids".
Benefits:
Helps break down carbs, fats and proteins
Helps you digest faster, making you feel less full and bloated
Helps body better absorb proper nutrients
Reduces IBS symptoms and acid reflux
Helps prevent leaky gut
Helps lessen chronic fatigue
I've been using these consistently for years and I'm pretty sure it’s been the same brand for most of it. Click here to see what I use. Pure Encapsulation was recommended to me by a holistic nutritionist many years ago and I haven't seen a reason to stop using them. Unlike probiotics, they aren't costly.
Picking which one is right for you: Check the ingredients and if you aren't sure what something is/does, look it up. If it's not something that's supposed to help break down food, then it's likely not worth having in a digestive enzyme.
Recommended dose: 1 pill with every meal.
3. L-glutamine
L-glutamine is one of the most important nutrients for a healthy digestive system because of its ability to maintain the intestinal wall. This amino acid heals all of our tissues, and especially irritations in the digestive tract.
Benefits:
Has a calming effect that
Helps reduce anxiety
Helps lower sugar and alcohol cravings
Helps with constipation and diarrhea
Helps with poor immune systems
Helps with poor wound healing
Helps build lean muscle mass
Speeds up recovery after workouts
L-glutamine can be found in animal proteins, but if you’re not eating enough, then use the supplement for added support. Click here for what I use.
Recommended dose: Follow directions on container.
4. Omega-3 & Omega-3+d
Benefits:
Helps lower blood pressure
Reduces triglycerides
Reduces plaque in arteries and fat in liver
Reduces the likelihood of heart issues
Helps fight inflammation
Helps against memory loss and Alzheimer's
Improves bone and joint health
You can find omega-3 in fatty fish like salmon, anchovy, sardines, algae, etc. Due to mercury and other metals, be careful with fish intake. Aim to reduce it to "occasional" while increasing omega-3 supplement. Click here for what I use for omega-3 and here for omega-3+d.
Recommended dose:
Minimum 30% EPA & DHA
2-3g/day (1g/day for algae oil)
Take daily with meals
Take omega-3+d when you lack sunlight (usually during the winter months). If you can get about 20-30 minutes of sunlight a day, you have no need for a vitamin D supplement.
Lately I only take omega-3 without vitamin D as I haven't found a supplement I can fully stand by. The one I recommended above has vegetable oil and soy in it, two items I'm not a fan of, especially if you have digestive issues. This, however, is the best one I've found, and my husband uses it daily.
5. Magnesium Oxide
Benefits:
Boosts low magnesium levels
Relieves constipation
Helps treat symptoms of excessive stomach acid (e.g. upset stomach, heartburn, and acid reflux)
Helps manage depression
Treats migraines
Click here for what I use.
Recommended dose: 2 pills before bed.
6. Melatonin
For as long as I can remember, I've been a terrible sleeper. I have trouble falling asleep, I always wake up a lot throughout the night, and I can never manage to sleep in, even on weekends. As a consequence, for many years now I've been taking melatonin, a natural sleeping aid. Click here to see what I use.
Melatonin comes in powder or pill form, and the pill can be also be sublingual (whereby it dissolves under your tongues instead of swallowing it whole).
Recommended strength:
5mg seems to be the standard in pharmacies
I've been using 10mg sublingual for years
Melatonin is actually a hormone that's produced naturally by the pineal gland. The more habitually we use it, the more our body gets used to it and produces less of it, so try not to overdo it like me. I now rely on it to sleep (or just put on a movie at night and I'll pass out on my husband).
Other benefits include:
Powerful antioxidant
Helps support eye health
Treats stomach ulcers and heartburn
Recommended dose: Follow directions on bottle, but usually 1 pill 30-minutes before bed.