People give supplements a bad rep, which is silly because some of them have amazing benefits for the human body. There are some supplements that we cannot get from our daily diet and others that show up in our food but in low quantities. If you're a fitness addict like myself, then you know the tremendous benefits supplementing can have while training. Here is a rundown of some of my favorite supplements and why each one can be taken daily to achieve optimal heath.
Okay, let's get down to the good stuff! Every day I take multiple supplements with my morning coffee. If you follow me on Snapchat you already know what's coming next. I'm obsessed and cannot say enough amazing things about Vital Proteins and their amazing supplement lineup. I take their Collagen Peptides and their Beef Liver Tablets every single day. Religiously. I find if I miss a day I feel awful, my energy levels become low and overall I'm not too enthusiastic about life. Sound dramatic, but it's true! I truly feel Collagen Peptides saved me and keep me from having 20-cups of coffee a day.
Collagen Peptides are amazing for your hair, skin, and nails and help you achieve optimal energy levels along with a leaner body mass index. The Beef Liver tabs are nature's most potent dense superfood and vitamin A is vital to keeping your immune system in check and helping you achieve healthier skin. This baby also has all the good stuff! Since I started taking the Beef Liver Tablets I've noticed higher energy levels throughout the day. I'm able to get up and go when I wake up in the morning and I rarely need that extra cup of coffee in the evening. Also, I recover fast from heavy lifting workouts and am not as sore after my 5-mile runs on the trails.
- 3400 IU (70% DV) Vitamin A per serving, 13.6 mcg (230% DV) B12 per serving AND
- High in Vitamin A, B12, Folate, Riboflavin, Zinc, Copper, and Choline according to Vital Proteins.com
The next supplement I take on the regular to help me achieve a lean body mass and to help in muscle gain and strength. I've been taking L-Carnitine for over a year now and it has helped me achieve more muscle mass and aids in my weight loss. I take two a day and definitely notice a difference when I stop taking L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is an amino acid that helps transfer long-chain fatty acids such as triglycerides into mitochondria, where they are oxidized to produce energy. L-Carnitine has also been shown to reduce muscle fatigue and helps maintain a lean body mass, according to bodybuiling.com. When I have taken breaks from taking L-Carnitine in the past I have noticed fat comes back quickly on my body and I do not look as defined. You can find L-Carnitine on Amazon, my favorite brand is by NOW Foods.
Another great supplement for maintaining a lean body mass is called CLA, otherwise known as Conjugated linoleic Acid. I've been taking this awesome supplement on and off for years. It helps with fat loss reduction and is made from Safflower Oil which is great for your body. According to Tonalin CLA's website CLA can "help your body selectively burn fat instead of storing it and has been shown to reduce body fat by up to 10% while increasing lean muscle mass." CLA is derived from Safflower Oil and meat and dairy. Below is an awesome brand of CLA that I purchase frequently.
For all of my heavy lifters out there, you should be supplementing with Beta-Alanine. Beta-Alanine is non-essential beta amino acid that gives your skin a tingling feeling when you take it. But that's completely normal and goes away after a few minutes. Beta-Alanine is a clean supplement that will increase muscle endurance during high-intensity, interval and sprint training. If you're a heavy lifter such as myself, Beta-Alanine will help you get a few more reps in and will help you sprint faster when running and doing shorter cardio interval training. According to Blonxy.com Carnosine buffers lactic acid build up and slows down that lingering fatigue at the end of a hard workout. Beta-Alanine is great if you're looking to recover faster and hammer out more reps. I take it each time I do a heavy lifting strength workout or when I'm hitting the trails for extended periods of time.
Let me know if you guys order or are currently taking any of these supplements and what you think of them.
Happy Lifting
~Lady G Lifts
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, this blog post is merely an advice blog post on what works for me personally. This post is not sponsored in any way and all opinions are my own. There are affiliate links located throughout my blog which keep my blog up and running. I appreciate your support! Please speak with your doctor before taking any supplements of any kind.
Renee
I take supplements! I'm not 100% consistent but this is what I take (usually) daily: AM: 200mg Magnesium Citrate, Vitamin A, Zinc, Vitamin C, (these last two for healing properties since I had an operation in May), Vitamin D and Glucosamine with MSM, sometimes an acidophilus, and milk thistle. I was taking vitamin B because of deficiency but I ran out... PM ALWAYS 200g Mag citrate and sometimes (not a vitamin) I take melatonin because I have restless leg syndrome. Definitely OPEN to supplements and generally don't care what people say negatively about them!
Genevieve Jerome
Hi Renee,
Thank you for your comment! How do you like taking Magnesium Citrate? Does it help with your muscle fatigue at all? I've heard it helps with shin splints.