Should you take supplements? What are they and here’s what I use

Stores are full of them and they are featured all over social media in sponsored posts. A few have simple objectives while others claim to fix various things. What are dietary supplements and does the average person need them?

Before I started working out consistently, I had little knowledge about supplements aside from vitamins and herbal stuff.

As my training and time on social media increased, I was exposed to the world of supplements. Out of curiosity and potential benefits, I decided to try things such as protein powder and BCAAs. Since I noticed a difference in my training and physique, I continued to use them and have used them for years.

What is a dietary supplement?

Definition of dietary supplements: products taken by mouth that contain a “dietary ingredient” (fda.org)

Supplements include:

• vitamin and mineral products (i.e. multivitamins)
• “botanical” or herbal products (i.e. gingko)
• amino acid products (i.e. branched chain amino acids aka BCAAs)
• enzyme supplements (i.e. amylase)

Do I take supplements?

When I am considering additional supplements, I try to get what I need through food before adding more, especially since they can react with each other. Over the years, my fitness goals required me to add some additional supplements to my diet (see caption below).

So… do you need to take supplements?

Short answer, no. If you are eating a balanced diet, you are probably fine. However, health conditions and lifestyle choices may require you add supplements to your diet.

If you want to add any to your diet, make sure you do your research and use quality supplements from verified retailers. If you have questions or concerns, seek medical advice.

What supplements are you using, if any? Tell me in the comments below!

References:

Dietary supplements: What you need to know. Retrived from https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/DS_WhatYouNeedToKnow.aspx