Breaking Down the Supplement Aisle: What Actually Helps
You are making healthy choices and exercising.
Hoping to add in supplements to hit those goals? Looking down the supplement aisle or scrolling on social media, it can be challenging to know where to start. Here are four supplements that may be beneficial without the overwhelming ads. Electrolytes, essential amino acids (EAAs), creatine and collagen all benefit our healthy habits in different ways. We’ll break it down to the basics so it becomes easier to understand how they might help you and your goals.
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are the essential minerals our bodies need for daily function. Electrolytes are made with sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, calcium and phosphate. These minerals help with hydration, muscle contractions, nervous system function and more. According to UCLA Health, they play a major role in the function of your heart; the electric current that helps our hearts beat. Electrolytes are found in foods that are part of a well-balanced, healthy diet. Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, fatty fish and some dairy products contain a sufficient amount of electrolytes. However, if you are working outside, have a strenuous job, are working out for prolonged periods or sweat excessively, you may need to add in more electrolytes to your diet. If you think electrolytes would be beneficial to you, make sure to look for electrolytes that contain all 6 minerals, have a low amount of added sugar and carbohydrates, and that don’t contain added food dyes. Many times, these will be tablets or powders you mix with water.
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/diet-hydration-best-way-get-electrolytes
Essential Amino Acids
EAAs support metabolic processes, aid in building muscle, and repairing body tissue. The Cleveland Clinic says our bodies need 20 different amino acids to perform properly; however, our bodies only make 11 of these. The amino acids our bodies make are called non-essential amino acids; the amino acids that our bodies do not produce are called essential amino acids. How do we get the other 9 essential amino acids?
By consuming a well-balanced diet or taking a supplement. As we age, we naturally start to lose muscle mass; studies show it starts to happen as early as 30-years old. By adding an essential amino acid supplement to our daily practice, we can combat muscle mass reduction, support muscle recovery and function. When looking for an EAA, look for one that contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors and one that contains 2.5-3.5 g of leucine. Leucine is the amino acid that is important for signaling the body to use these substances and for protein synthesis. Optavia has an EAA available in 2 different flavors, is Informed Sport Certified and does not contain color, flavor, or sweeteners from artificial sources. Contact your UpLevel coach to learn more.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22243-amino-acids
Creatine is naturally produced within our bodies in the liver, kidneys and pancreas. It is mostly stored in our muscles as phosphocreatine, which acts as rapid energy source in high-intensity movements. Creatine helps energy move more efficiently by helping regenerate ATP, the muscle’s primary energy source. By adding a creatine supplement to your daily routine will help you sustain power longer during intense exercise. An added benefit is cognitive function, especially for people over the age of 60 (Cleveland Clinic). You will likely see increased strength and muscle mass over time when supplementing with creatine. When looking for a creatine supplement, look for one that only lists creatine monohydrate in the ingredients list. When you first start taking creatine, you may notice bloat or what comes across as weight gain, but this is just water weight that will balance out in a few weeks. Make sure to consume plenty of water; creatine pulls water into the muscle cells, which is beneficial for muscle hydration and performance enhancement.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17674-creatine
Collagen is also a protein our bodies produce naturally; unfortunately, as we age, our natural collagen production starts to decrease. Our skin is our largest organ, and signs of aging show much quicker; collagen helps it glow, retain fullness and keep a natural bright complexion. There are different types of collagen supplements that you can take that help different areas of the body. Collagen is mainly known for adding elasticity to our skin and improving hydration, but can also help with bone and joint health. As we age, we know that our bones and joints can start to wear down, thankfully exercising can combat this by itself. Adding collagen to your daily habits can provide extra support to these areas.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23089-collagen
Should you add these to your routine?
Depending on your goals and your talk with your physician, here are the easiest ways to know if these would be a good fit for you:
Electrolytes - if you are doing prolonged high-intensity workouts, working outside or excessively sweating.
EEAs - if you are wanting to fill in gaps within your diet, want to prioritize muscle recovery after workouts, want to increase the benefit of exercise and combat muscle reduction from natural aging.
Creatine - if you are looking to sustain power during high-intensity exercise or for cognitive benefits.
Collagen - if you’re interested in adding some elasticity back into your skin, bones and tendons. Or if you are interested in hydration help.
It is always important to research supplements and talk to your primary care physician before adding them to your routine. Supplements are not intended to replace healthy habits – they support them. Adding these in the proper amounts to your daily regimen can be beneficial and be the extra help you are looking for. Making your hard work more visible and feel more rewarding.
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