Top 5 supplements for optimal healthMultivitamin. A good quality multivitamin is one of the most important supplements for optimal health. Fish oil supplements provide the body with essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for regulating inflammation. Ideally, you should get all your vitamin D from the sun.
However, you need to protect your skin and when you wear sunscreen you are blocking the vitamins along with the harmful rays. In addition, it is more difficult to expose yourself to the sun in winter, when the days are shorter. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of health problems, while long-term use of vitamin D supplements has been shown to reduce mortality, according to a study published in PLOSOne. Calcium and vitamin D work together to build strong bones, so eat enough calcium-rich foods throughout the day.
A growing body of research supports the benefits of a positive balance of gut bacteria for overall health. According to Harvard Medical School, these good bacteria have been found to help fight intestinal problems and some infections. Yogurt is a popular source of probiotics, but you may want to try a supplement if you don’t get enough from your diet. Many Americans consume less than the recommended amounts of magnesium through diet alone.
However, it is uncommon to have symptoms or a true deficiency. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) warn that consistently consuming lower amounts of this mineral can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and migraines. It’s best to talk to your doctor before you rush out to buy any supplements or start taking a multivitamin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) barely monitors herbal supplements, so it is difficult to assess whether the claims are true.
Harvard Health explains that people are often deficient in potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, D and C. However, if you are not deficient, you can have too much of a good thing. According to Harvard Medical School, too much of some vitamins, such as A E and folic acid, has negative effects. According to my doctor, along with vitamin D, a person needs vitamin K.
Unfortunately, about 41.6 per cent of Americans do not consume enough vitamin D. So how do you decide which vitamin D supplements to take? In terms of mental health, vitamin B12 can have a big impact on depression. Ultimately, vegetarians and vegans are more likely to be low in vitamin B12 because it is only found in animal foods. Pregnant vegan mothers are most at risk because the foetus needs vitamin B12 to develop.
In general, people with autoimmune diseases have higher rates of vitamin B12 deficiency. Are you ready to decide which B12 supplements to take? Methylcobalamin is the natural form of vitamin B12 found in animal products. For optimal health, it is wise to choose foods that contain the most nutrients. Here are the 11 most nutrient-rich foods on the planet.
When taken in safe doses, magnesium can effectively prevent migraines in many people. Find out if it is right for you. Be especially careful about the source of omega-3 supplements because they are extracted from fish, so many of them contain mercury. The ones I have in my online shop have been tested and certified mercury-free by a third party.
Each softgel of our Omega-3 supplement provides 1300 milligrams of EPA and DHA, two omega-3 fatty acids that help balance fatty acid ratios, reduce inflammation and improve brain function. People with rheumatoid arthritis or any other chronic pain condition can take up to 4 grams (3 softgels) a day to reduce inflammation and pain. Vitamin D is unique in a couple of important ways. First, your body can produce its own vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight.
Second, vitamin D is converted into a hormone in your body. Hormones are the body’s chemical messengers. They travel through the blood to tissues and organs triggering chemical reactions that control everything from metabolism to growth and development to mood. More than 50,000 chemical reactions in the body require adequate amounts of vitamin D in the blood.
Vitamin D contributes to bone strength, heart health and cancer prevention. It also plays an important role in your immune system and may be a determining factor in whether or not you develop an autoimmune disease. Never take more than 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day without a doctor’s supervision and regular blood tests. That is why I recommend a daily methylation support supplement.
The one I take and carry in my shop contains pre-methylated vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and folate, along with magnesium. For those with two mutations (like me), I recommend two capsules a day, and for those with one or no mutations, I recommend one capsule a day. If you suspect a defect in MTHFR, blood testing is offered through conventional labs, or you can use the saliva test offered through 23andMe. Having adequate levels of magnesium allows for optimal athletic performance because the body is better able to utilise energy and perform muscle contractions.
Research shows that magnesium supplementation increases red blood cell production, makes zinc more available to support energy production and muscle contractions, and promotes the elimination of waste products created by intense exercise, allowing you to recover more quickly. Omega-3 fats are essential fatty acids, which means that the body cannot manufacture them and must obtain them from food. They are commonly found in fish and grass-fed wild meat. They are vital for efficient metabolism and help burn excess fat.
For optimal health you need a balanced ratio of omega-3 to omega-6, but the modern Western diet is much higher in the latter due to our heavy use of vegetable oils, making omega-3 supplements vital for fat loss success. BCAAs are three types of essential amino acids – leucine, isoleucine and valine – found in protein-rich foods. They prevent muscle breakdown and promote muscle synthesis, so taking them during intensive training sessions is a no-brainer. Even after you stop taking them, these compounds continue to promote lean muscle mass gains.
They can even help maintain gains when training stops, minimising fat accumulation. It is very difficult to get the necessary vitamin D from the diet; oily fish and fortified dairy products are the only major sources. So supplements make sense for most adults. The form known as vitamin D3 is often recommended, but D2 is also effective; for best results, take your vitamin D with a meal that has some fat in it.
If you want to be sure you need this supplement, ask for a blood test; levels of at least 30 nanograms per millilitre are considered best. A 2002 review found that vitamin deficiencies are often linked to chronic diseases, and that supplementation can help. However, many researchers and physicians agree that there are three supplements that men should take for optimal health. When combined with a calorie-restricted diet, protein supplementation also increases body fat and weight loss, and reduces the loss of lean body mass.
For people with cardiovascular disease who do not eat fish regularly, it makes sense to take a fish oil supplement. These six supplements are what everyone should start taking to stay on the path to optimal health and fitness. So the next step is to conduct randomised clinical trials, in which volunteers are assigned by lottery to take either the supplement or an identical-looking placebo (dummy pill) while researchers track their health. If you think that any supplement will allow you to reduce your effort in the gym or follow a solid eating plan, then you are setting yourself up for a big disappointment with your supplements.
Any supplement worth taking, including basics like protein and a multivitamin, should only be a complement to realistic, progressive training and a well-planned nutrition programme. Folate fortification has alleviated the problem of birth defects, but obstetricians still recommend supplements for women trying to conceive or who are already pregnant. As for the absence of iron, iron supplements are easy to overdose and should only be taken under careful medical supervision. The public has a legitimate desire for good health, and the supplement industry has a strong desire for good sales.
