So Many Supplements!
7 min read
These days, so many people are wanting to get to the gym and get healthy. Also these days, it seems we get bombarded with possible supplements to make our journey to fitness and health much easier. Well, I am definitely no expert in supplementation, but I have tried quite a few and would like to share which ones I seemed to like. You can click the picture links below to order. I do earn a small amount from the Amazon associate links and Bulk Supplements links, and earn rewards from Exo. This list will change and grow as I try more supplements.
Vitamins
Athletic Greens
I have tried many many vitamins, and I am only going to list the ones I felt had any benefit to me. The one I am currently taking is AMAZING, and will stay on it for the foreseeable future! It is called Athletic Greens, and is a very tasty green powder you mix into water and drink up! It gives me energy, and I seem to have made some strength gains while taking it! I also seem to have less aches and pains. It has 75 proven vitamins, minerals, and whole food sourced ingredients. Click the picture below to use my Amazon affiliate link.
Green Vibrance
This product is a directly comparable product to Athletic Greens. It is a better price point, and comes with double the servings for a better price. It does not have the nice flavor of Athletic Greens, instead has a very green grassy flavor, but the taste does grow on you! For the price, I really don’t mind the taste, because it is as good a product as Athletic Greens. Click the picture below to use my Amazon affiliate link.
Pure Encapsulations Athletic Nutrients
This company makes a great, clean product. They aim to have no added ingredients that are unnecessary and provide a very well rounded athletic vitamin. My family uses many of this brand’s vitamins. Click the picture below to use my Amazon affiliate link.
Pre-workouts (pre-made)
Do Vitamins Pure Pump
I have tried so many pre-workouts. Yes, they do work. It seems there is definitely less lactic acid build up when I use one, and I definitely notice my workout is harder without it. This first product tries to eliminate all the bad stuff pre-workouts are known for. It is safe for most specific diets. It is the cleanest pre-workout I have tried. It has a bit of a bitter taste as it is not flavored, but it works and is truly paleo friendly. Click the picture below to use my Amazon affiliate link.
Amino Energy
Not a pre-workout per say, but definitely functions as one in my opinion. Again, it is flavored and I don’t care for the flavor I get from Costco, but my workouts definitely benefit from this product. Where some pre-workouts can give you a tingly/itchy feeling and make you jittery, I don’t feel this product does that, but it still gives you an energy boost for your workout. And the price is amazing! I don’t use it as much because I don’t care for the flavor, and below will talk about how I am currently mixing my own pre-workout. Click the picture below to use my Amazon affiliate link.
Ingredients for your own Pre-Workout
Bulk Supplements Creatine
Creatine supplementation helps to boost energy, lean muscle mass and exercise performance. Creatine has been one supplement that has definitely allowed me to put on more muscle. I take it daily, and definitely saw gains starting a month or so after I started it. I did do a loading period of 10 grams a day, and then tapered down the dose to 5 grams a day. Creatine will increase the level of creatinine in your urine, so make sure you tell you doctor this if you are having your urine checked. It is harmless, but needs to be noted. Bulk Supplements is one of my favorite brands. It is not flavored, which I appreciate, has no added ingredients and it comes in a plain bag, at amazing price! Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Bulk Supplements Beta Alanine
This is the non-essential amino acid that is responsibly for the “tingly” feeling you get with pre-workout. It raises muscle carnosine levels and increases the amount of work you can perform at high intensities. When I have forgotten to take beta alanine, my workout definitely suffers. Bulk supplements shines again as it has no added ingredients. Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Bulk Supplements Taurine
Beta Alanine and Taurine compete for uptake in the body, so it makes sense to take Taurine if you are taking Beta Alanine. Nitric Oxide levels can rise in the body if you are deficient in Taurine. Here is a good article explaining Beta Alanine benefits and why supplementing with Taurine is beneficial. Guide to Beta Alanine Again, I prefer Bulk Supplements brand. Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Bulk Supplements HMB
HMB has been found to increase muscle building as well as inhibit muscle breakdown, and works best to help build muscle if taken in addition to creatine. I just recently started taking this supplement and I feel I am just starting to see more muscle size. Bulk supplements is a great brand. Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Bulk Supplements L-Citrulline
Limited research suggests that L-Citrulline results in reduced fatigue and improved endurance for both aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Taking L-Citrulline increases plasma levels of ornithine and arginine and improves the ammonia recycling process and nitric oxide metabolism. Click here to use my Bulk Supplements link.
Bulk Supplements BCAA 2:1:1
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) refers to three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA supplementation can promote muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle growth over time. Leucine plays an important role in muscle protein synthesis, while isoleucine induces glucose uptake into cells. Further research is needed to determine valine’s role in a BCAA supplement. Supplementing BCAAs prevents a serum decline in BCAAs, which occurs during exercise. A serum decline would normally cause a tryptophan influx into the brain, followed by serotonin production, which causes fatigue. Click here to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Protein
Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein
I don’t do well with whey protein, so I had to find alternatives. Real food is best, but when you are trying to hit a protein goal, sometimes you need some help. This is a great paleo friendly protein! It is made from bone broth, tastes great, dissolves well, does not upset my stomach, and has minimal ingredients. I also like that it is sweetened with stevia.
Orgain Organic Pea Protein
This is another protein I really like. I have had both the vanilla and and chocolate, and prefer the chocolate. It has very clean ingredients and is sweetened with stevia. It tastes great and blends well.
This is a great tasting beef isolate protein. It is easy on the stomach and tastes great, and you would never know it is beef protein with the amazing chocolate flavor. I don’t care too much for the sweetener it uses, but that is the only downfall. I prefer this protein over any whey protein that does a number on my stomach.
Kirkland Signature Protein Bars
Of all the protein bars I have tried, this one is the tastiest at the best price point. It has 21 grams of protein per bar and 2 grams of sugar. I really don’t like to eat a bar with under 20 grams of protein, so this is a great choice. The ingredients list could be a little better, but it’s not bad! And I can get them at Costco, where they have the chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate brownie flavors.
Think Thin Protein Bar
This is a great tasting high protein bar with 20 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. I like dense bars, and this meets that criteria. It is filling and tastes great! They have many flavors to choose from. This is my favorite.
Exo Cricket Protein Bars
Yes, you did just read CRICKET PROTEIN BAR. I got a sample pack of these protein bars to try and I fell in love! They taste AMAZING! Crickets are one of the most nutritious protein sources you can possible eat, and this company put it into a bar so that you really don’t realize you are eating crickets. They are a little pricey, but well worth it for the quality protein!
Collagen
Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
This is a great, tasteless collagen that mixes great is has no taste….at all! I highly recommend this brand! I feel adding collagen to my protein shakes gives me an energy boost for my workout.
Aspen Naturals Premium Grass Fed Collagen Peptides
This is a good pure collagen, but I can’t say the flavor is great, as I had to decrease the amount I used because the taste was….well, lets just say it tastes like what is made of. But after finding the balance on amount to use in my smoothies, I couldn’t taste it. And the price is very good!
Vitamin D
Bulk Supplements Vitamin D3
Again, Bulk Supplements provides a clean source of vitamin D3, in powder form or softgels! Most everyone is deficient in vitamin D, which can cause low energy. I highly recommend supplementing. Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
Vitamin C
Bulk Supplements Vitamin C
If you want to stay healthy for your workouts, you should be taking vitamin C daily. Bulk supplements has both powder and capsules. I have a hard time taking vitamin C powder, as it is super sour, so I prefer capsules. Click this link to use my Bulk Supplements affiliate link.
