It’s VERY rare that a week goes by without someone asking me about dietary supplements – particularly those of the “magical fat-burning” variety ??
But what exactly ARE supplements? ?
Well, “supplements” are exactly that! They are tablets, capsules, soft-gels, bars, liquids & powders designed to SUPPLEMENT our diet
Whilst some supplements are taken to treat specific deficiencies (e.g. joint support) …
… MOST are taken more generally, to ensure sufficient intake of nutrients
HOWEVER, providing we’re eating plenty of healthy foods – think fruit ?, veggies ?, healthy fats ? & whole grains ? – I would argue that MOST of us will be able to hit much of our nutritional requirements through real food alone, and have NO NEED to supplement
So … are ANY supplements worth taking!? ?
The short answer is YES
BUT… since the supplement industry is SO loosely regulated, wading through the marsh of misleading marketing claims can be hard work! To help you better navigate, the supplements listed in the table below have strong supporting evidence
(source: Shredded By Science) ⬇️
✅ CAFFEINE – to improve mental alertness, focus & power output
✅ FISH OIL – for general health & to reduce inflammation
✅ PROTEIN POWDERS – to increase protein intake
✅ CREATINE – to improve power output & strength
✅ MAGNESIUM – to improve sleep quality
✅ CURCUMIN – highly anti-inflammatory
✅ VITAMIN D3 – to improve bone health
✅ MULTIVITAMIN – for general health
❌ FAT BURNERS – e.g. skinny teas, ephedrine & fat-burning pills
Fat burners, in my opinion, are a total marketing fad. Most work by increasing body-temperature in order to burns a few extra calories. As we’ve seen, there are WAY more effective, sustainable, cheaper & safer of creating a calorie deficit! My advice: save your money ?
Stay awesome & keep going! ✌️
Luke
