Three Questions I Ask Before Considering The Use Of A Supplement (Part One)
March 30, 2009 by JD
Filed under Health, Information, Slice of My Life
When I’m browsing through my local GNC or online health shop, there are generally three questions I ask myself about any supplement pill, powder, or potion that I might be interested in.
Today I’ll address the first question, which is:
Do I need it?
And by need, I mean is this supplement supposedly providing something I can’t get from my daily diet or a generic multi vitamin? Not the FDA’s recommended daily diet that includes eight servings of fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, etc. But my daily diet - the one that I’m realistically able to maintain. Because who consistently gets eight servings of fruits and veggies in every day? Easy to do when I was living in Australia, but not so easy here in Processed Food, USA.
But I do get enough protein, so no need for whey supplements or generally any other protein or amino acid-based add-ons. And I’m generally a pretty happy guy who sleeps well, so no need for the mood enhancing or sleep improvement lines of herbs and minerals.
What about all the energy boosting, fat “burning” fire in a bottle supplements that are so popular? Do I need those?
I used to be a poster child for popping ephedra supplements back in the day when I used to hit the weights pretty hard, but between chasing a three year old around and wearing out the corporate treadmill, I tend to shift into third gear pretty easily without the need for any of the energy-enhancers that are out there. And man, those things can be expensive. Just to be honest though, I do still have a big bottle of Hydroxycut that I may occasionally dip into that has lasted me well over a year.
So, what needs does my body really have that can’t be met by my diet or the multi vitamin I pop each morning?
Additional Cardiovascular Support
My father died of a heart attack at age 62. My 45 year old brother just recently had a heart attack. He weighs 185lbs, works out, and plays rec basketball 3-4 times a week. So, I’m pretty sure that there’s some hereditary family risk there that has nothing to do with cardio fitness. Understandably I’m a little paranoid in doing what I can to maintain heart health.
In the interest of boosting cardio strength and controlling cholesterol, I do take omega-3 supplements. This is in addition to eating fish at least 2-3 times a week. I take both fish and flax seed oil supplements. Reputable brands don’t have to expensive, although, as with any supplement, do your homework on the quality of the manufacturer.
In addition, I pop a Red Yeast Rice pill each day. Science looks good on the cholesterol reducing benefits, and they also are not expensive, so better safe than sorry.
Additional Anti Oxidant Support
I’ve done alot of research into the science behind free radicals and the power of antioxidants. There’s alot of hype out there around the miracle effects of antioxidants. Most of the anti aging product lines are based on their anti oxidant ingredients. But the research behind their beneficial effects is solid. As we get older, our body cannot keep up with the destructive oxidative processes that result in many of the inner and outer effects of aging, such as skin wrinkling, loss of bone density, and reductions in mental clarity.
I wish I could get more fruit in my diet, especially the dark berries. They are chock full of antioxidants. So are carrots, bright peppers, and other colorful vegetables. But I don’t get enough of those either. Of course I could beef up my red wine intake. The resveratrol in red wine is a powerful antioxidant. But I’m not sure I want to start my day with a glass of Merlot.
So, I take Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA). ALA enhances the abilities of vitamin C and vitamin E, and is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals throughout the body, including the major organs such as the heart and brain. There are many studies around the use of ALA for a variety of disorders, but it also seems to be beneficial for anyone just looking to boost their intake of antioxidants.
And that’s pretty much all I need. Well, this and my handy bottle of V8 Juice. I do try to get those vegies in one way or another.
What supplements do you take? And do you really need them?
Tomorrow I’ll discuss the second question I ask when considering a supplement:
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red rice yeast is a statin,so if you are statin intolerant you don’t want to take red rice yeast. it is a naturaly occuring lovastatin. I was prescribed lovastatin and suffered the muscle problems associated with this drug. I changed to red rice yeast and the problem persisted until i got on the commutor and found it to be a statin. there is a ton of info out there about the negative effects of statins
Neil -
Thanks for the comment. You are right, red yeast rice shares many of the same chemical components as the statin class of drugs, hence it’s cholesterol lowering capabilities. However, unlike man made statin drugs, red yeast rice is a natural substance that has been a dietary staple in China for 1000’s of years.
The studies done to date in the U.S. and China have not confirmed any instances of toxicity in the liver, kidneys, or muscles in subjects taking red yeast rice products, but definitely talk to your doctor before embarking on any type of supplementation regimen.