The TRUTH About Supplements
There’s an insane amount of information out there on supplements. Some people swear by them and take a bunch of them, others not so much. So what’s the verdict? Should you be taking them? Should you not be? Why or Why Not? If so, which ones specifically?
Let’s get one thing straight. Supplements are meant to be taken in addition to what you’re eating. So for example, most of us don’t eat enough protein, therefore we take protein in addition to our diet in order to get the necessary amount to help build muscle. If you’re someone who gets an insane amount of protein every day just through your meals, then you do not need to take protein. (This is rare, almost everyone should be taking protein if they workout to help muscle repair and growth).
What about all these other supplements like creatine, amino acids, pre workouts, bcaa’s, fish oil, collagen etc.?
Well here is something you probably didn’t know. The stores we buy these products from like GNC and Vitamin Shoppe are NOT FDA approved. This basically means nobody is checking the supplements to make sure everything in them is regulated and safe to use. I’m sure most of them are, but in reality they can be selling steroids in there and unfortunately, some actually do. That’s my first problem with supplements.
My second issue is the majority of people taking these supplements have no idea what they do for them. They’re just aimlessly taking them because someone told them to like a family member, friend, influencer or they saw an ad for it. Just because it worked for them, doesn’t mean it will work for you.
When it comes to any supplement, my best advice is do your research. I can sit here and tell you what each supplement is supposed to do, but I’m still not a doctor. I also don’t know your body, what foods you eat and your workout routine. If you want to start taking a supplement but have no idea the effects, simply do some research. Make sure you know what you’re getting before buying. Different brands have different ingredients and some are way better than others. Look at credible sources and if you still don’t feel comfortable, I’d recommend consulting your doctor as they may know if you’re a candidate who should be taking a certain supplement or not.
Just because I know a lot of you are going to ask what I take anyway, I’ll tell you. But this doesn’t mean you should copy me and this will work for you too. I just found this is what works best for me and my body. I take AMX casein protein every night. Casein is a slow digesting protein unlike whey protein. It works better for me as I’ve tried both. I also cycle on and off of 5 grams of creatine monohydrate. Creatine is proven to help increase energy in the muscle to help increase output, allowing you to workout harder, more intensely and longer. Other than that, I’ve tried a lot of stuff and in my opinion it’s mainly bullshit and companies just trying to make money. However, I’m the type of person that doesn’t even like to take medicine or put anything unnatural in my body. I like to be as natural as possible and get my nutrients from my food. This may not be you and I’m sure some of these supplements are scientifically proven to work. Don’t go by me or anyone else. Do your own research and decide what’s best for YOU.
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