Supplements have been part of the fitness industry and general health space since its inception in 1912. It’s mind boggling to think that supplement industry is as 100+yrs old. This is the time when many novel supplements are emerging in the market and people who want to try are even more confused than ever before. And it’s not surprising. Anyone would be! You step into a supplement store (online or brick n mortar), there is a plethora of options and then you have your favorite Instagram or YouTube influence asking you to purchase something which may not even benefit you.
Our job here is to ensure you get the right information on what you’ll need. Everything you need for your body is on need basis. But it’s always good to have a few supplements always in your arsenal because times have changed a lot and many of us are deficient or dealing with some health risk due to our lifestyle and diet.
So, here are the few recommendations that we believe will help your health
- Omega 3
- Creatine
- Vitamin D3 & K2
Let’s talk about the WHY, WHEN and HOW to take these supplement
Omega 3
The WHY
Omega 3 as a supplement has multiple benefits like maintaining healthy cholesterol level, lowers blood pressure, reducing overall inflammation markers, supporting joint health, helps nourish brain and eye function. The benefits list doesn’t stop there. Gone are the days when people used to think cod liver oil was good enough to get omega 3 fatty acid.
Many of us do not get enough omega 3 due to our dietary restrictions and/or accessibility to good fish source with rich omega 3 fatty acid. This is why omega 3 supplementation becomes imperative to be included daily. Whether you’re a young adult of 18 or senior of 60+, everyone can benefit from using omega 3 and not just people who lift.
The WHEN
A 2 to 4hrs window away from your training session is a well-known recommendation in fitness and bodybuilding community so that it doesn’t affect our body inflammation response due to training (there is really no study behind this). However, the real evidence is how Omega 3 helps overall inflammation and recovery with continuous and timing doesn’t matter.
The HOW
Take your omega 3 supplement with a meal that has some fats in it to enhance absorption in the body. General recommendation of dosage is at least 1gm of EPA and DHA combined. Which means, if 1 capsule of your omega 3 has 500mg EPA and 250mg DHA, at least take 1+ capsules. However, the dosage should vary depending on your need. If you’re an athlete or someone with high cholesterol, at least get in 3gms of EPA and DHA combined. So, with the same reference as above, you will have to consume 4 Omega 3 capsules daily to meet the requirement.
Creatine
The WHY
Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in the world. Though initial studies on creatine were on exercise performance, strength and muscle growth, the use of creatine goes well beyond these benefits. Studies have shown, in older adults it helps preserve muscle and retain cognitive function. Recent studies have also shown evidence that creatine use may help in mood elevation and has shown to positive results in people with depression along with your medication. All of these are possible because of creatine’s benefit to produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)
The WHEN
There isn’t a major benefit you get in taking creatine at a specific time.
The HOW
A consistent dose of 3-5gms every day to ensure you’re keeping your muscles saturated with creatine stores. There are a few studies showing usage of 10-20gms of creatine everyday adjunct with antidepressants helped with depression and mood elevation.
Caution:
Always have enough water with creatine intake as it helps pull more water into your muscle cells. People with Kidney function issues should generally not use creatine as it may add strain to your kidneys.
Vitamin D3 & K2
The WHY
Vitamin D3 & K2 has increasingly gained popularity among general population and fitness enthusiasts. This is mainly due to rising awareness and health risks associated with deficiencies. The few benefits from using a Vitamin D3 along with K2 are better immune health, bone density support, improved calcium metabolism and cardiovascular health. In India, the usage of Vitamin D3 & K2 has been growing because studies have shown at least 70% of India’s population is deficient due to urban lifestyle and dietary practices which limits natural D3 synthesis.
The WHEN
There are 2 schools of thought here on when to take Vitamin D3 & K2. Research point towards taking in the morning and few suggests taking in the night. Though you can argue on these nuances, Vitamin D3 and K2 is best taken with a meal that has fats and long-term consumption.
DO NOT OVERCOMPLICATE.
The HOW
As per clinical studies 4000 to 5000IU of Vitamin D3 and 180 to 200 µg/day of K2 is the recommendation. However, there are studies showing higher amounts of Vitamin D3 (10000IU and above) has risk of hypercalcemia and kidney strain with long term use even on people with high deficiencies. However, a short burst of high dosage followed by a regular dosing protocol should be enough to maintain healthy D3 levels.
To understand how well you tolerate D3 & K2 with high dosages, I would recommend taking a blood test after 2 months of usage and see where your Vitamin D levels are at.
ASSESS and MOVE FORWARD.