Health Supplements you should be taking
Hello once again!
Here is a list of supplements you should likely be taking. Note that this is not medical advice, and some supplements are tolerated better by some people than others due to health / genetic factors. Generally, taking excessive amounts of supplements do not increase benefits, so stick to reasonable dosages.
There is some variation between male and female in terms of requirements, I'm more familiar with male physiology and supplementing. There are some supplements I will mention that are not OTC, or are special prescription, which I may or may not take myself, and are not freely available. These supplement types are generally more expensive and less accessible, but I will discuss them also.
Ideally you would start supplementing in your mid to late 20's. Most people only discover vitamins/supplements later in life when they begin to feel run-down, and by that point a lot of 'damage' has already been done to your body, which is accelerated with lifestyle type / activity. I'll also cover what NOT to take and why!
In Australia, many bulk nutrients are available from https://www.bulknutrients.com.au
Ok here is the list of supplements suitable for 30+
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1. Creatine monohydrate.
A cheap / bulk and accessible product.
Dosage, initial loading is around 10g per day (so approximately 5 heaped teaspoons of dry powder mixed into water). Some suggest 0.3g/kg for first 5-7 days but that seems excessive, for a 100kg person that is 30g a day.
After about two weeks, reduce to a maintenace dose of 3-5g or 1-2 teaspoons of creatine monohydrate.
Good effects:
1. Creatine helps supply energy to your muscles via ATP / Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). During intense exercise ATP is rapidly depleted and must be re-synthesized by the body normally in a continuous fashion. ATP performs muscle contraction. Because creatine can increase phosphocreatine levels and therefore increases ATP energy production, it is one of the few supplements that is proven to increase strength and power.
2. There is some evidence that creatine could be beneficial for brain health also. Creatine supplementation can improve cognition and memory, especially in older adults or during times of metabolic stress (i.e., sleep deprivation).
Poor Side effects:
1. The most serious would be that Creatine might worsen kidney dysfunction in people with kidney disorders, creatine doesn't appear to affect kidney function in healthy people. In general it is very well tolerated in healthy individuals even at very high dosages of 50g/day over 5 years.
2. Stomach upset / digestive issues / loose stools etc. Creatine can initially take some adaption by your body, it does increase water retention in muscles throughout the body. (Which is why bodybuilders like the bulking factor to appear bigger). This water retention in the muscle fibres etc. MAY allow nutrients to be better absorbed by muscles and metabolic waste products to be flushed out faster, but that is speculation.
3. Non-responders. Some people may not respond well to creatine, probably due to genetic makeup. The vast majority of people however should benefit however.
Taurine
Taurine prevented weight gain, reduced fasting blood glucose, and markers of liver damage, increased bone density in the spine and legs, and improved the health of their immune system.
Dosage: 1000-2000mg per day (1-2g)
Vitamin K2 + D3
Here is a list of supplements you should likely be taking. Note that this is not medical advice, and some supplements are tolerated better by some people than others due to health / genetic factors. Generally, taking excessive amounts of supplements do not increase benefits, so stick to reasonable dosages.
There is some variation between male and female in terms of requirements, I'm more familiar with male physiology and supplementing. There are some supplements I will mention that are not OTC, or are special prescription, which I may or may not take myself, and are not freely available. These supplement types are generally more expensive and less accessible, but I will discuss them also.
Ideally you would start supplementing in your mid to late 20's. Most people only discover vitamins/supplements later in life when they begin to feel run-down, and by that point a lot of 'damage' has already been done to your body, which is accelerated with lifestyle type / activity. I'll also cover what NOT to take and why!
In Australia, many bulk nutrients are available from https://www.bulknutrients.com.au
Ok here is the list of supplements suitable for 30+
-----------
1. Creatine monohydrate.
A cheap / bulk and accessible product.
Dosage, initial loading is around 10g per day (so approximately 5 heaped teaspoons of dry powder mixed into water). Some suggest 0.3g/kg for first 5-7 days but that seems excessive, for a 100kg person that is 30g a day.
After about two weeks, reduce to a maintenace dose of 3-5g or 1-2 teaspoons of creatine monohydrate.
Good effects:
1. Creatine helps supply energy to your muscles via ATP / Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). During intense exercise ATP is rapidly depleted and must be re-synthesized by the body normally in a continuous fashion. ATP performs muscle contraction. Because creatine can increase phosphocreatine levels and therefore increases ATP energy production, it is one of the few supplements that is proven to increase strength and power.
2. There is some evidence that creatine could be beneficial for brain health also. Creatine supplementation can improve cognition and memory, especially in older adults or during times of metabolic stress (i.e., sleep deprivation).
Poor Side effects:
1. The most serious would be that Creatine might worsen kidney dysfunction in people with kidney disorders, creatine doesn't appear to affect kidney function in healthy people. In general it is very well tolerated in healthy individuals even at very high dosages of 50g/day over 5 years.
2. Stomach upset / digestive issues / loose stools etc. Creatine can initially take some adaption by your body, it does increase water retention in muscles throughout the body. (Which is why bodybuilders like the bulking factor to appear bigger). This water retention in the muscle fibres etc. MAY allow nutrients to be better absorbed by muscles and metabolic waste products to be flushed out faster, but that is speculation.
3. Non-responders. Some people may not respond well to creatine, probably due to genetic makeup. The vast majority of people however should benefit however.
Taurine
Taurine prevented weight gain, reduced fasting blood glucose, and markers of liver damage, increased bone density in the spine and legs, and improved the health of their immune system.
Dosage: 1000-2000mg per day (1-2g)
Vitamin K2 + D3
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