Whenever clients ask me what supplement they should take, they almost always ask me in the same breath, what supplement I myself take!
What I take should have no bearing on what YOU must take for optimal health and recovery… Unless you mirror my training, live in the same part of the world and come from the same gene pool as me. Only then should your supplement stack be the same, otherwise your supplements MUST be different from what I’m taking.
People often try to emulate how someone else eats, supplements and trains in order to get their results. They think, “If I want to be like Adam (for example) and Adam does X, Y and Z, then I should too!??? And I think it’s great to model yourself after someone you aspire to be like…
But when focusing all the attention on HOW that person gains their results, we can get swept up in the small pieces of the puzzle rather than seeing the whole picture.
I guarantee that if “The Rock??? (Dwayne Johnson) posted on his social media what supplement he takes, then a day later, there would be thousands, if not millions of people buying and taking the same supplements as he does, hoping to achieve the Rock’s impressive physique!
What a 6 foot 4 tall, 118kg in weight, fully grown man that trains over 2 hours per day, 7 days per week does, isn’t going to be indicative of what a 20-year-old university student that’s 5 foot 8, 70kg and trains 3 times per week for 45 minutes at a time, should do.
Each person has different requirements and needs, even if their goals are the same. Supplement accordingly.
Taking the time to critically analyse what you personally might need, will not only save you a bucket load of money but also fast track your results, because you will quickly determine the supplements that are going to benefit YOU.
In general, there are some basics that I recommend people take to ensure that they are meeting their minimum 
nutritional requirements. Yes, you should be meeting most of your requirements through your diet, but with modern agricultural practices, this can leave fruits, vegetables and other produce devoid of basic vitamins and minerals.
A good quality multi vitamin is a great insurance policy to ensure you meet your basic health and general wellbeing requirements.
Plus, here are my other general health top supplement recommendations:
- Zinc– Is found in every tissue in the body and a powerful anti-oxidant. It is used for cell division, hormone regulation and immune system support
- Magnesium– Is involved in over 300 essential biochemical reactions in the human body. It helps aid in sleep, insulin sensitivity and electrolyte balance, all of which are important for fat loss and improved body composition. See article from HealthLine here on the benefits of magnesium
Optimal time to consume: Zinc and magnesium are best taken post-training, after your last meal of the day before bed time. Always to be taken with food.
Why? Helps to reduce oxidative stress, restore electrolyte balance, and put the body in a relaxed state for ideal rest and recovery.
- Omega 3s or fish oil– With processed foods having an abundance of omega 6s, it’s easy to get an unhealthy balance of too much omega 6s without enough omega 3s. Omega 3s are helpful for blood sugar
management, fighting inflammation and hormone production. Make sure you invest in a quality, concentrated Omega 3 – See Healthline’s article on the 13 benefits of fish oil here. - B Complex vitamins– Lacking any of the B vitamins can be catastrophic for your health and energy levels. B vitamins help with maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails. Plus, they are critical for energy production, sex hormones (testosterone & estrogen) and raises HDL cholesterol (the healthy kind).
Optimal time to consume:With the first two meals of the day.
Why? For increased energy levels, stabilisation of blood sugars (reduction in cravings) and overall wellbeing.
When it comes to other supplements, remember it is dependent on your goals, nutritional practices and physical activity/training volume and intensity.
Stay Strong,
Coach Adam
See Adam’s profile and qualifications here
See related article of a FREE program for the busy individual here
