In order for your body to complete virtually all required tasks, an array of vitamins and minerals must be present. For most individuals, diet alone cannot meet daily vitamin and mineral requirements. Supplementing with a Multi-Vitamin/Mineral helps with the production of hormones and chemical processes such as the conversion of food into energy and the absorption of nutrients into particular cells. It‘s clear that in order to get the most out of all other supplements that you are taking and food you are consuming, a Multi-Vitamin/Mineral is an absolute MUST. Multi’s are #1 for maximizing all of your hard work in the kitchen and effort in the gym.

Omega 3’s, once consumed, are converted into EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These polyunsaturated fats are proven to support cognitive health, cardiovascular health, heart health and joint health. A widely overlooked concept of Omega 3 consumption is the ratio of EPA to DHA and what it NEEDS to be for maximum benefit. Look for products that showcase a higher number of EPA than DHA (ideally in a 2:1 ratio). If your product is not transparent with how much of each, there is a solid chance that it’s not a reliable product.  Not only is EPA a constant need as the average individual does not consume enough, a higher dose of EPA is proven to reduce cellular inflammation and can be used as a great recovery agent during times of heavy training or stress.

Supplementing with a high-quality greens product is the best way to start your day. In addition to alkalizing the body (increase your body’s PH levels to decrease the risk of infections and disease), a greens supplement will boost your immune system, increase insulin sensitivity, cleanse your body, and improve your liver function to promote fat loss.

Creatine Monohydrate is the most studied supplement on the market. It’s very cost effective and insanely beneficial for all athletes in my opinion. When you consume creatine it travels to your muscles to be stored. For this reason, it doesn’t matter when you take it, just make sure to be consistent with it when supplementing. Once stored in your muscles, creatine monohydrate is converted to creatine phosphate (CP). CP can be converted to ATP (adenosine triphosphate) at an extremely rapid rate. What’s ATP? It’s the energy used for contracting your muscles under tension or the short burst of energy that you experience when smashing out a set. More ATP equals the ability to train longer and harder and to control your reps under a higher resistance. Creatine has also been shown to increase cognitive function and muscle fullness! Gains and brains? I’ll take it.

Glutamine is the most common amino acid found in your muscles. Over 61% of skeletal muscle is made of glutamine! This amino acid is proven to increase protein synthesis and decrease muscle breakdown to help you gain lean muscle tissue, heal and repair your gut/stomach lining, improve cognitive function, and help curb food cravings. Since it’s such an important component of skeletal muscle, it can be depleted drastically. It’s super important to supplement/replenish when following any type of training program to reap these benefits.

EAA’s (Essential Amino Acids) are the combination of 9 essential amino acids (including the 3 BCAA’s Leucine, Iso-Leucine, and Valine). When combined, these amino acids are known to increase protein synthesis (essentially lay down new muscle tissue) and slow down the breakdown of protein (especially during training when your body enters a very ‘catabolic’ environment). Additionally, EAAs are freeform, meaning they bypass the liver and the gut and do not need to be digested, resulting in a very efficient and rapid rate of utilization. In my opinion, they’re a necessity in ANY training/nutrition regiment.

The two main things I like to focus on when supplementing with probiotics are that they help strengthen your immune system and improve your digestion/internal environment. This, in turn, helps with nutrient utilization and absorption. Everything we consume goes through our gut (for the most part), so by staying healthy internally and taking care of our gut, we can efficiently use the food and supplements we consume for improved performance. Put simply, the better our insides are kept, the more benefits we will gain from what we consume and less stress will be present.

A performance carbohydrate powder (like Karbolyn made by EFX Sports) is a necessity when trying to utilize carbohydrates properly and get the most out of your training. These carbohydrates are normally a mixture of both simple and complex carbohydrates to promote quick and sustained energy. They’re basically free-form (meaning they pass through the digestive system and do not have to take up blood and energy to be broken down) making them perfect for consumption DURING your workouts. They’ll supply you with sufficient amounts of energy, restore glycogen, and spike the release of insulin to help shuttle nutrients into the working muscles both during and after your workouts (GREATER PUMPS AND RECOVERY!).