Everyone wants to know what the best supplements are. What are their benefits? What do they do? Are they safe? Are there any side effects? Do they REALLY work? What brand is the best? Which supplements are the best for weight loss? What about building muscle? What about overall health in general?
These are the questions everyone has, and these are the questions this article is going to answer once and for all.
However, before I do, there are 2 very important facts I need to explain. First, the key to losing fat, building muscle, or just improving your body or health in any way is a combination of a proper diet plan and a proper workout program. The best supplements in the world won't do a thing if you don't get the important stuff right first.
Second, I am WAY overly cautious about supplements and what I put into my body in general. I also don't fall for idiotic lies and marketing bullshit. What this means is that the supplements I use and recommend all have 2 things in common. They are 100% safe, and they are scientifically proven to be effective and beneficial.
Having said all of that, let's get to what you came here for. Here are my recommendations for the 5 best supplements:
1. Whey Protein Powder
I guess what I'm really recommending here is protein supplements in general (whey protein powder, casein powder, protein bars), but I'm singling out whey protein powder as my favorite of them all. In my articles about the high protein diet and protein shakes, I explained the basics of why protein itself is such an important part of your diet no matter what your goals are (building muscle, losing fat, etc.). It plays a key role in the growth, repair or function of organs, bones, hair, skin, blood, and... oh yeah... MUSCLE!
Quite simply, muscle can NOT be built (or even maintained) without eating a sufficient amount of protein on a daily basis. That fact right there makes it the single most important nutrient in the diet of anyone looking to build any amount of muscle. And for the people more interested in losing weight, consuming enough protein each day will help ensure the weight you lose is fat, not muscle.
For all of these reasons and more, protein supplements are one of the few types of supplements that are backed by proven science. Simply put, protein is important for various reasons, and protein supplements give you a quick, simple and convenient way to ensure you consume enough each day.
If you're wondering why whey protein powder is my favorite of the bunch, look no further than my article about the best meal to eat after your workout. Whey protein is scientifically proven to be the best protein source for that meal.
As for the best brand, I personally use and completely recommend Designer Whey Protein Powder. I've used this brand of whey for nearly 10 years now based on the fact that it is very high quality and tastes great (it's won a bunch of taste test awards). I personally like the strawberry and chocolate flavors the best.
As for where to get it, I ALWAYS order it from here for literally $15.00 cheaper than GNC sells it for: Designer Whey Protein
2. Omega 3 Fish Oil
This list of the "best supplements" isn't in any specific order. But, if it was, fish oil would be #1 on the list. It's one of the very few supplements I recommend to everyone, whether they workout or not.
I recently wrote up a full article explaining what fish oil is, what it does, how much to take, what the best brand is, and why it's my personal favorite supplement. Read it here: Omega 3 Fish Oil
3. Creatine
Creatine is one of the ONLY muscle building supplements on the market that actually works. This isn't just an opinion, either. It's been one of the most studied supplements of the last decade, and the scientific proof is definitely there to back up its effectiveness.
Creatine is also the supplement I get the most questions about, which is why I have already written up a full article explaining EVERY single thing you need to know about it. What it is, what it does, if there are any side effects, how much to take and when to take it, and what the best brand is. Read it here: Creatine
4. Multivitamin
Just like fish oil, a multivitamin is one of the few supplements that should be taken by everyone, even if you have no interest at all in diet or fitness. The reason why is simple. Multivitamins contain the essential vitamins and minerals the human body requires on a daily basis to keep us healthy and functioning at our best (which is where it indirectly helps with fat loss and muscle gain).
I actually just finished putting together an article explaining all of the details about the purpose and benefits of a multivitamin, including which multivitamin supplement is the best for men, and which is the best for women. Read it here: Multivitamin
5. L-Glutamine
L-Glutamine has some research showing that it may help with everything from protein synthesis, to immune function, to intestinal health, to workout recovery. It may also have some anti-catabolic benefits, which means it may help prevent your body from burning muscle tissue for energy and instead use only stored body fat.
Like most of the other supplements on this list, I've already written a full L-Glutamine article that gives a pretty good description of what it is, what it's used for, and why it can be so useful. And yes, I give you my pick for the best brand, too. Read it here: L-Glutamine.
Summing it all up...
So there you have it. Those are my picks for the 5 best supplements. Why those 5? Because they are the ONLY 5 supplements that are safe and scientifically proven to be effective. Whey protein powder (and protein supplements in general), fish oil, creatine, a multivitamin, and l-glutamine. The other 1000's of supplements on the market are some combination of over-hyped, useless, dangerous, or just flat out bullshit.
These are honestly the only 5 supplements I use or will ever use. And they are definitely the only 5 supplements I will ever recommend.
Questions, comments or feedback? Feel free to e-mail me here.
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