FAQ series #5 - What Supplement should I take?
Supplements are generally incredibly overhyped. But, assuming you have the other more important things in place already, they can be really helpful. For almost every client Woven recommends the following three supplements.
Protein powder - Protein is generally the hardest nutrient to come by, and having a protein powder conveniently at hand makes hitting your protein targets a lot easier. At Woven we use a non-flavored dairy free protein powder or vegan protein in all of our smoothies to ensure they have the desired nutrients for the members at our gym. There is so much attempt to differentiate protein products in the supplement industry, but, in reality, there are no major differences between brands. There is a large difference between protein sources, however. Whey has the best amino acid profile for building muscle, whereas vegan proteins, usually derived from peas, are generally less effective gram for gram. Collagen protein is great for hair, skin and nails, but should not be used as a protein supplement because its amino acid profile is not effective for building or repairing muscle.
Creatine - Creatine is one of the most researched supplements out there. It can have profound effects on the benefits of resistance training, given you remember to take it for long periods of time. The easiest way to explain the benefits of creatine is the following - to create the energy required for short bursts of high intensity activity like lifting weights, you rely on creatine stored in your body. When it runs out, you have to stop. But if your body has more stored, it can keep going, often to the tune of one or two more reps. One or two more reps may not seem like a lot, but if you think about that over the course of a year or two or five, the benefits start to become obvious. Take 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate every day.
Magnesium - Magnesium is a nutrient that the majority of Americans tend to be deficient in due to our modern diets. Supplementing with magnesium glycinate or threonate, specifically, can have powerful sleep benefits. The RDA for males is 420 mg per day, and females is 320 mg per day.
