Entry 9: what about supplements?

 Hey team,

I've briefly touched on supplement use on my Instagram from time to time and to anyone who knows me, you'll probably know that I am very pro-supplement but only if you use them properly.

Being super honest and blunt here, I don't have time for any of those meal replacement shakes or supplements that make ridiculous claims to do with weight loss or health conditions. Half of that stuff is full of crap and just there to make money - real food is far more beneficial in weight loss journeys than any meal replacement shake could ever be and serious health conditions should be managed by a qualified medical professional, not some skinny blonde on Instagram. 

What I do love though are supplements that actually add nutritional value and provide you with quality, nourishing ingredients. If used right and alongside an already full and balanced diet, they can be amazingly helpful. 

So what supplements do I take? I have 4 staple products that I use daily and couldn't speak of highly enough.

#1 - Protein powder

Not surprisingly, protein powder is top of my list. Specifically plant-based protein (which yes, contrary to popular belief, the body readily absorbs and digests it!). 

Some of you may not know but I'm lactose intolerant (lame I know) so this means I miss out on lots of protein opportunities from dairy products and it also means I can't stomach whey-based proteins (this isn't the case for everyone who is lactose intolerance though so don't feel you need to rule them out straight away). So supplementing with protein powder helps me a lot! I opt for a scoop or 2 in my morning smoothie and then potentially a shake after my workout if I haven't quite hit the protein mark for that day but generally I do from whole food sources. 

As well as that, protein is the building block of the body so it's pretty bloody important and a lot of people aren't actually getting enough for optimal functioning. It's not just good for gaining muscle or people who hit the gym lots - it's essential for many body processes and combating age-related degeneration. Some of the benefits include:

- improves body composition
- improves bone health 
- increases strength and power
- reduces blood pressure, triglycerides and fat mass
- improves immune system function and inflammatory responses

The current recommended dietary intake is 0.8 grams per kg of body weight but I would actually suggest aiming for a higher amount. Athletes are recommended to take 1.4-2.0g/kg/bw to support activity levels and for muscle gain and retention (which is beyond important, especially as we get older as we lose significant amounts of muscle mass every year and decade) 1.4-2.8+ g/kg/bw is recommended. 

And for those of you concerned about the idea that too much protein can damage your liver and/or kidneys... that's actually not true! The current research concludes that daily protein intake of over 3g per kg of body weight doesn't cause damage so it is a safe option. However, if you're in any doubt, check in with a medical professional and do some research of your own! 

Now I don't actually have a favourite protein powder but rather a top 3 (in no particular order). The reason for this is that they all have different pros and cons 

- Nothing Naughty Pea Protein: middle price point, taste 9/10, 17g protein per serve, digestion 8/10

- Nuzest Clean Lean Protein: highest price point, taste 9/10, 20g protein per serve, digestion 10/10

- Clean Nutrition Pea Protein: lowest price point, taste 7/10, 23.6g protein per serve, digestion 6/10

To be completely honest, I've definitely opted for the cheapest option a lot as a student because sometimes it's all I can afford and it offers a few grams of extra protein, and the Clean Nutrition option is a great product. But now that I'm nearing the end of my degree and in the midst of my sports nutrition studies, I am more concerned with how the product makes me feel, how it digests and what ingredients it includes because our health and what we put in our body is so important. 

#2 - Greens powder

Every morning in my smoothie, I add Nuzests Good Green Vitality greens powder which helps me cover my bases. 

As I mentioned before, supplements are not intended to replace any aspect of your diet so I strive to get all my servings of fruits and veggies in from whole food sources during the day but it can be tricky, especially when the research is saying we should actually be aiming for 9+ serves. Not to mention that, even if you are eating plenty of fruit and veg, there are other factors that can affect the nutritional quality and nutrient density of produce such as soil quality. 

But with Nuzests greens powder, I know that if I miss a serve or 2, they've got my back. I also really like this greens powder because I've never got a stomach ache or any weird digestion issues but with all the other ones I've tried, it's not been pretty... 

Now full disclosure, I have been lucky enough to partner with Nuzest and some of you may have seen this through my instagram but I wouldn't be supporting them if I didn't genuinely love their products. I'm lucky to have a link that will automatically add a 15% discount to your cart when you shop any of there products https://www.nuzest.co.nz/AlexPT - no pressure but if you were already interested and wanted to save a couple bucks, here ya go! 

And perhaps the biggest reason why I love them, is that their products are fully backed by nutritional science (and in case you missed it, I geek out on that stuff) so you know that the ingredients they are using are intentional. They're also always evolving - they recently changed the formulation of the greens powder slightly because their research team 

At first, you might think that's a drawback like "Oh why do they have to change it if their product is so great?" and my answer is quite simple - research and science are always evolving and changing. So by default, a good quality brand also needs to be able to evolve and change. There's always room for improvement and that is something these guys have on lock. 

And hey, instead of just reading a bunch of different people's recommendations, you can also check this out for yourself. Whatever greens powder or multi-nutrient you are looking at, you can take a peek at the ingredients list which gives a lot of important insight into whether the product is actually going to be of benefit. The main things you want to look for are:

- does your multi-vitamin include all essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) but perhaps without iron as taking iron supplements when you don't have a deficiency can actually be harmful

- are the ingredients based on whole food sources and extracts that provide you with additional secondary nutrients

- are the ingredients used the safest and most effective form? There are different forms of many micronutrients, some of which are well absorbed in the body, some which arent and some which may actually be problematic for some people. Additionally, there are recommended daily intakes of all micronutrients so it is worth knowing if the product you're looking at is under or over that dose, or right on the money (if you have any questions about the recommended forms of any micronutrients are and what amount you should be getting daily, drop me a message) 

#3 - Collagen powder

Another key ingredient in my morning smoothie is collagen powder. At the moment, I'm using Nothing Naughty's collagen powder and I actually love it so much that I got my dad a jar of it for Christmas! 

The main benefits are primarily for skin and joint health. 

Since taking it, the impact it has had on my skin has been amazing. And any time I stop taking it, I definitely notice a difference in breakout frequency and general skin texture. This is also backed by science with research indicating that orally taken collagen is readily taken into the bloodstream and effectively reaches the skin, improving skin elasticity and hydration.

A lot of people debate whether supplementing with collagen is actually beneficial for joint health but the research does show that it benefits joints! Specifically, when taken orally, collagen can accumulate in joint cartilage which then helps in the synthesis (creation) of connective tissue (such as cartilage). Studies have shown that oral collagen supplements reduce joint pain and inflammation, as well as improve mobility and function. 

I personally believe that collagen is a really important supplement because, from about our mid-late 20s, our body rapidly decreases its collagen production and this continues to decline the more we age. Adding to that the important role it plays in cartilage and skin health, it's pretty clear that collagen is a really important and useful tool in the body. 

#4 - Creatine capsules 

Now this last one is often seen as mostly linked to gym-related goals. And that is because creatine is one of, if not the best supplement for aiding muscle growth. I take 2 capsules each day right after my workout and since starting it, the increases in strength gains and muscle size have been pretty incredible. 

The most well-known benefits of creatine supplements include increased muscle mass and energy levels in muscles and improved muscle recovery. 

But there is also evidence that it supports brain health and cognition, with some research even suggesting a potential benefit for combating neurological disorders. If this is something you're interested in, I recommend doing your own research (and not just via Google - check out examine.com which allows you to browse their entire database of supplements and all the info) to see if it would be of benefit to you and seek advice from a healthcare professional if you have any doubts.

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Now to round this off, I want to make it really clear that I am by no means telling you that you need to be taking these things or anything to that effect. I'm simply putting my knowledge/advice/personal experience out there in case it is of any help or interest to any of you! 

I think that many people can fall victim to ridiculously expensive yet completely useless supplements and "health" products (in fact I see it all the time) so if I can help pass on any tools or tips for how to spot the legit ones, then that's awesome. 

And again, if anyone has any questions about any of this, please feel free to drop me a message. If I can help in any way, I would love to 

- Alex