INTRODUCTORY SUPPLEMENT GUIDE THE TOP 12 SUPPLEMENTS TO CONSIDER USING: Whey Protein Isolate Creatine Monohydrate Standard Multivitamin Omega 3 Fatty Acid (EPA/DHA) Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Vitamin D3 Beta-Alanine Citrulline DL-Malate Electrolyte Replacement Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) Beta-Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) Caffeine AN INTRODUCTION TO SUPPLEMENTATION There are a wide variety of supplements available to you depending on their use. Supplements should only be used if there is an actual need for them. There are hundreds of thousands of supplements on the market today. The vast majority of which are not applicable to your personal situation, goals, or needs. Many companies often do not consider your health and safety when it comes to the marketing of their products; they are primarily focused on profits. This guide has been developed for you to learn about supplements available on the market today, how to know which are supported by scientific research from credible sources, and which supplements may provide significant benefits depending on your goals. The supplements in this guide should be viewed as aids to supplement your training and nutrition. No supplement is going to have a dramatic enough effect to be the sole reason you reach your goals. However, some of these supplements can assist in giving you an edge that may help expedite progress and may help with nutrient diversity and balance. FACTORS THAT DETERMINE SUPPLEMENT NEEDS Current Health Status & Individual Needs Physical Fitness and Performance Level Personal Goals Nutrient Deficiencies Athletic Performance Recommendations from Physician or a Registered Dietitian
CLASSIFICATIONS Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food. -Hippocrates CLASSIFICATIONS OF SUPPLEMENTS There are a wide variety of supplement classifications depending on formulations and ingredients included. There are supplements created for a wide variety of purposes and uses in different populations. Below is a list of the different classifications of supplements: Dietary Supplements Nutritional Supplements Herbal Supplements Ergogenic Aids Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) Banned Substances SUB CLASSIFICATIONS Within the categories listed above, there are sub classifications to be aware of as well. Not all supplements are alike and they all come from a wide range of sources. A list of these sources is provided for your below: Vitamins Minerals Herbals & Botanicals Herbal Extracts Animal Extracts Proteins Amino Acids Concentrates Metabolites Constituents Teas Others
DETERMINING YOUR NEEDS & NAVIGATING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY 10 TIPS FOR DETERMINING IF YOU EVEN NEED SUPPLEMENTS AND HOW TO MORE EFFECTIVELY NAVIGATE THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY The supplement industry focuses on leveraging the ignorance of consumers to their advantage to increase profit margins at the expense of the consumer. Though there are some good companies out there, many supplement companies are focused on taking advantage of the under-regulated dietary supplements industry to get you to buy their products, regardless of their safety or effectiveness. Below are 10 tips/questions to ask yourself to help you better assess whether you should buy supplements or not and under what circumstances: 1. Are you considering supplements before planning your nutrition and training? 2. Do any supplements have negative interactions with medications you are taking? 3. Do the supplements lack providing you with solid unbiased scientific research? 4. Do the supplements lack providing you with a third-party certificate of analysis? 5. Are you buying from an unknown, unsupported, non-reputable company? 6. Are the supplements making sensationalized claims about their potential results? 7. Are the supplement ingredients and amounts hidden in the proprietary blend? 8. Are the supplements marketed as miracle cures, cure alls, or the like? 9. Are you uneducated about the ingredients contained within the supplements? 10. Are you spending a lot of money in order to take these supplements? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should reconsider before starting a supplement regimen. These are major red flags that you are being taken advantage of.
DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS BACKED BY SCIENCE DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS LIST: OVERVIEW: There are a vast number of dietary supplements on the market today. This list will be a great reference point for you in terms of where to start with dietary supplements. All of the dietary supplements and recommended dosages are scientifically-based and have substantial research to support their use. DISCLAIMER: Please note that individual needs may vary. One should always consult with their primary care physician or a registered dietitian before taking any dietary supplements. It is possible that some dietary supplements may interfere with some medications/prescriptions and may be contraindicated. When using dietary supplements, there is always a risk of adverse side effects. WARNING FOR ATHLETES: Please be aware that this list of dietary supplements does not promote the use of any illegal substances. However, some of the dietary supplements on this list have been banned from use by some collegiate, professional, Olympic, and other competitive athlete regulatory organizations such as NCAA and WADA. Use dietary supplements at your own risk. DIABETES CONTROL: AMOUNT: CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH: AMOUNT: Cinnamon 1,000-6,000mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Magnesium 320-420mg Dietary HDL Cholesterol 300-1,000mg Chromium Picolinate 1,000mcg Green Tea Extract 10-1,000mg Fenugreek 500-5,000mg Green Coffee Bean Extract 10-400mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 100-200mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg L-Carnitine 500-2,000mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Vitamin D3 200-2000IU Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT: AMOUNT: ANABOLIC HORMONE PROMOTERS: AMOUNT: BCAAs 3,000-6,000mg Vitamin D3 200-2000IU D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) 2,000-3,000mg DHEA 10-100mg Whey Protein Isolate 25-50g Dietary Cholesterol 300-1000mg Creatine Monohydrate 2,500-5,000mg Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) 5-10g DHEA 10-100mg Ginger Root 1,000-3,000mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg Zinc 8-40mg Vitamin D3 200-2000IU Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg FAT LOSS AIDS: AMOUNT: RECOVERY/SLEEP AIDS: AMOUNT: Caffeine 10-400mg Melatonin 3-10mg L-Carnitine 500-2,000mg Calcium 1,000-2,500mg Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) 3,200-6,400mg Magnesium (ZMA) 320-420mg Green Tea Extract 10-1000mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Green Coffee Bean Extract 10-400mg Vitamin D3 200-2000IU Yohimbine 12-22mg Dietary HDL Cholesterol 300-1,000mg MCTs 5-10g L-Glutamine 5,000mg Capsaicin 10-150mg 5HTP 300-500mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Zinc (ZMA) 8-40mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg NOOTROPICS: AMOUNT: ANTI-INFLAMMATORY: AMOUNT: Caffeine 10-400mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg GABA 3,000-5,000mg Turmeric Curcumin 80-4,000mg Creatine Monohydrate 2,500-5,000mg Cinnamon 1,000-6,000mg L-Carnitine 500-2,000mg Ginger Root 1,000-3,000mg Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Green Tea Extract 10-1,000mg Ginkgo Biloba 40-240mg Capsaicin 10-150mg Resveratrol 5-10mg Resveratrol 5-10mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg
GENERAL HEALTH: AMOUNT: ERGOGENIC AIDS (PERFORMANCE): AMOUNT: Vitamin A 700-3000mcg Caffeine 10-400mg Beta Carotene 700-3000mcg L-Citrulline w/ D-Malate 1,000-8,000mg Vitamin D 200-2000IU Betaine Anydrous TMG 500-6,000mg Vitamin E 22-2200IU Beta-Alanine 1,000-5,000mg Vitamin K 90-120mcg Ornithine OKG 2,000-6,000mg Vitamin C 75-2000mg L-Arginine 3,000-6,000mg Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1.1-1.2mg D-Aspartic Acid (DAA) 2,000-3,000mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1.1-1.3mg Creatine Monohydrate 2,500-5,000mg Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide/Niacin) 14-35mg Electrolytes (See Electrolytes) Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.3-100mg L-Glutamine 5,000mg Folate (Folic Acid) 400-1000mcg Beta-Hyrdoxymethylbutyrate (HMB) 1,000-3,000mg Vitamin B12 2.4-1,000mcg L-Carnitine 500-2,000mg Biotin 30mg Chromium Picolinate 1,000mcg Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 5mg Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) 5-10g Calcium 1,000-2,500mg Vitamin B12 2.4-1,000mcg Phosphorus 700-4,000mg Simple Carbohydrates (ex: Dextrose) 30g Magnesium 320-420mg DHEA 10-100mg Iron 8-45mg Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide/Niacin) 14-35mg Zinc 8-40mg Magnesium 320-420mg Iodine 150-1,100mcg Sodium Bicarbonate 200-500mg Selenium 55-400mcg Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM 1,000-3,000mg Copper 900mcg Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 100-200mg Manganese 1.8-11mg Chromium 20-35mcg Choline 425-3500mg Chloride 750mg Men s Multivitamin Varies Women s Multivitamin Varies ANTIOXIDANTS: AMOUNT: BONE & JOINT HEALTH: AMOUNT: Vitamin A 700-3000mcg Calcium 1,000-2,500mg Beta Carotene 700-3000mcg Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM 1,000-3,000mg Vitamin C 75-2000mg Turmeric Curcumin 80-4,000mg Vitamin E 22-2200IU Omega 3 Fatty Acid (DHA/EPA) 250-6,000mg Selenium 55-400mcg Collagen 40-10,000mg Copper 900mcg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg Zinc 8-40mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Manganese 1.8-11mg Resveratrol 5-10mg Resveratrol 5-10mg Capsaicin 10-150mg Green Tea Extract 10-1000mg Green Tea Extract 10-1,000mg Green Coffee Extract 10-400mg Ginger Root 1,000-3,000mg Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) 100-200mg Cinnamon 1,000-6,000mg Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) 300-600mg Ginger Root 1,000-3,000mg Ginseng (Ashwagandha) 200-400mg GUT/IMMUNE HEALTH: AMOUNT: ELECTROLYTES: AMOUNT: Vitamin C 75-2000mg Sodium 1500-2300mg Prebiotics Not Determined Potassium 2000-3600mg Probiotics Not Determined Calcium 1,000-2,500mg Digestive Enzymes Not Determined Magnesium 320-420mg Ginger Root 1,000-3,000mg Chloride 750mg Garlic 600-1200mg Iron 8-45mg Zinc 8-40mg MCTs 5-10g L-Glutamine 5,000mg