What Supplements Should I Take?

There are what seems like a gazillion supplement manufacturers out there vying for your attention and hard-earned money, claiming that they can bridge the gap between you and weight loss and/or health. In a virtually unregulated supplement industry, it’s confusing to say the least. Supplements are a highly controversial subject, and everyone has an opinion based on things they’ve read or supplements they’ve taken.

Nutrients and vitamins are best absorbed in the body through whole foods, so it is important to have a nutritious diet full of many different types of fruits, veggies, meats, nuts, legumes, and whole grains as a baseline. The more variety, the better your chances of meeting your nutritional needs.

However, if there is any area of concern where you may fall short, there are supplements that can help you reach your recommended intake. Certain athletes may also benefit from the use of supplementation to improve their performance (see below). You may need to take none of these, a few, or all of them based on your own lifestyle. The better your diet, the less you need.

As a nutrition consultant, here is a list of the supplements I not only recommend to my clients, but use myself and give to my family. I have listed these in order of need, starting with most likely to least.

Note: It is important that you check with your doctor before taking ANY supplement to make sure it is safe for you and will not interact with any medications you are currently taking!

Multivitamin

It’s smart for just about everyone to take a daily multivitamin, as we really have no way of knowing for sure if we’re getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients in our foods. You don’t need anything fancy here, just one that covers your basics. But do check the labels and make sure you’re finding the most natural vitamin possible, with no dangerous added chemicals and dyes. Here’s a multivitamin that’s non-GMO, organic, whole-food based with no dangerous additives.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is high in DHA and EPA, which are fats that benefit our bodies in many ways. It reduces risk of cardiovascular disease [1], lowers the risk of developing degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s or eye disease [2], and can also reduce overall inflammation in our bodies [3]. If you’re not eating fatty fish like tuna or salmon at least twice a week, a fish oil supplement is a good idea. When looking for a supplement, make sure it’s free of mercury and other environmental toxins. Your supplement should also contain at least 30% EPA and DHA. My family uses Carson’s Cod Liver Oil in liquid form, which is a more efficient way to absorb the fats, and only requires 1 tsp a day to get the recommended dose instead of several capsules with each meal.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is not found in many foods. It is typically produced in our bodies through sun exposure when the sun rays penetrate our skin. Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption, reduction of inflammation, and immune health [4]. Because of this, it is recommended that those at risk for bone loss or osteoporosis supplement with Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to a greater risk of depression, and supplementing with it has been shown to lessen the symptoms of depression [5]. If you live in a climate with less sun exposure and are prone to depression or seasonal affective disorder, taking vitamin D in the winter months may also improve your mental health. It is important to note that if you take cod liver oil (liquid fish oil mentioned above), you do not need an additional Vitamin D supplement.

Table 2: Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin D [1]

Age	Male	Female	Pregnancy	Lactation
0–12 months*	400 IU (10 mcg)	400 IU (10 mcg)
1–13 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
14–18 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
19–50 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
51–70 years	600 IU (15 mcg)	600 IU (15 mcg)
>70 years	800 IU (20 mcg)	800 IU (20 mcg)

Protein

While we used to recommend a protein supplement, we no longer feel it is necessary or healthy. You can get extra protein in your diet by drinking a smoothie made with greek yogurt or milk, or by eating lots of nuts, legumes, and lean meats. Here is why we stopped using protein powder and why you should consider it, too.

Magnesium

Magnesium is very important to our bodies and can help prevent diabetes, cancer, PMS, migraines, depression, and anxiety [6]. It is found mostly in leafy greens, so if you are someone who doesn’t eat their spinach everyday, you might want to supplement with a daily dose of magnesium. (First, try adding a cup of spinach to your daily smoothie–you won’t even taste it if you add fruit too.)

Supplements for Athletes

If you are an athlete who trains for a particular sport or engages in intense physical activity regularly, you may benefit from these supplements:

• Creatine – for the athlete who engages in regularly bouts of high intensity exercise or strength training, it helps regenerate ATP (energy)
• Caffeine – improves central nervous system output before competition
• Beta Alanine – for athletes to aid in the “burn” of lactate activity during intense strength or interval training
• Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) – preserves muscle during high-intensity exercise or strength training

Supplements for Weight Loss

If you hit a plateau in your weight loss, these supplements may aid in increasing metabolism. You can also try these supplements if you take medications that make losing weight difficult, like certain anti-depressants or birth control pills. Note: these supplements alone will NOT help you lose weight, and are only recommended in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise.

• CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) – can help with body composition (lowered fat mass, increase in lean body mass) [7]
• Green Tea Extract – ingredients can raise body temperature enough to induce fat loss [8]