Which Supplements Are Worth The Money?
This is a question I get weekly and its a good question! It’s hard to sift through all the ads on social media and see what’s truly important.
I want to start this off by saying if your nutrition, sleep and hydration are not on point, supplements aren’t going to be doing you much good. Supplements are just that, to supplement the things you are missing from your diet and lifestyle.
I also want to point out that you should ALWAYS be consulting your doctor before trying a new supplement.
Now onto the fun stuff! What’s worth it and what’s not?!
Protein Powder: WORTH IT!
There are 4 types of protein powders:
Whey Isolate is a fast digesting unrefined protein with 98% of lactose removed. Isolate is usually easier on the stomach than just whey. Isolate is best to be taken after workouts.
Whey is fast digesting without the lactose removed. Whey usually contains more carbs/fats than isolate. Whey is best to be taken after workouts.
Casein is slow digesting. Your body breaks down protein into amino acids that circulate your blood stream until they are absorbed. Levels of these amino acids stay elevated in your blood for four to five hours after you consume casein, but only 90 minutes after you consume whey. Most people benefit from taking casein before bed.
Plant Based protein powder can be made up of just about anything that is plant based. Soy, peas, beans, nuts, seeds, rice, etc. If you don’t do well with dairy or are trying to be more plant based, this one is for you!
Creatine: WORTH IT!
Everyone can benefit from creatine. 5g a day of creatine monohydrate and there is no need to backload it. Creatine supplementation can help improve bone mineral density, you can train at a higher intensity and volume, and it increases energy stores. In addition to athletic and exercise improvement, research has shown that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and concussion. Pro tip: Do NOT mix creatine with caffeine or it can cause GI issues.
Greens and Reds: Skip it.
Greens and reds are often marketed to people that don’t want to eat their veggies and the powders supposedly contain all the micronutrients of the servings of fruits and veggies you need daily. Honestly, save your money and just eat fruits and veggies.
BCAA’s: It depends but most likely, skip it.
BCAA’s are branched-chain amino acids. Ideally, most of us do not need BCAA’s IF we are eating enough protein in our diets. You would probably benefit more from opting for a protein powder and increasing protein intake. If protein powder and increasing protein intake are not options, opt for EAA’s (Essential Amino Acids) rather than the BCAA’s.
Caffeine: WORTH IT!
Okay so this one is pretty broad. Caffeine can come in many forms, like pre workout to caffeine pills to good ole coffee. So what is best? The older I get, the less I love pre workout. In my opinion, save your money and drink some coffee or even an energy drink. Pre workout is EXPENSIVE and usually has a bunch of unnecessary junk in there. If you like the taste of pre workout, go ahead and splurge but coffee will always reign king in my book. How does caffeine help supplement wise? The obvious answer is energy. Studies show that caffeine intake enhances endurance performance on a variety of aerobic exercise tasks. Studies also show that caffeine can also improve performance with strength and power exercises although its on a much smaller *but still significant* scale than aerobic exercises!
Please remember that not all supplements are created equal. Make sure you are buying from a legitimate company, and read the ingredient labels. Most supplements are not tested so it’s up to you to be smart about what you are putting into your body!
Written By: Ryann Dacy, Nutrition Coach