Supplements 101: More Than Just Vitamins and Protein

From fad diet trends to celebrity endorsed weight loss programs, there is an abundance of ways to approach developing the right health and fitness plan. However, everyone is different and the key to success is understanding the facts and science behind each process to fit your unique goals and lifestyle. In the 21st century, supplements have become a staple in the fitness and bodybuilding community, but if you don’t understand effective dosing and what ingredient profiles to look for, you may end up with the wrong product. After a life spent working in the supplement industry and competing in elite athletic programs, I’ve made it my mission to educate consumers on the most effective products available to improve their lifestyle.

Protein powder is the most popular supplement on the market, which provides a clean and simple way to meet the recommended daily amount of protein intake when your food intake is insufficient. Protein is the building block of all muscles and serves as a source of energy that is essential to maintain and gain muscle mass, while also providing all essential amino acids as well as regulating enzyme and hormone function.

Pre-workout, a general term for a product taken before exercise to optimize physical output, has recently gained popularity. The two main categories are stimulant and non-stimulant, which refers to whether or not the central nervous system is ramped, causing an energy and metabolism boost. Other performance-boosting ingredients may include nootropics, amino acids, vasodilators, and cell volumizers to name a few. Nootropics enhance focus, memory and concentration. Amino acids are organic compounds that are the building blocks of proteins. Vasodilators increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, improving blood oxygen levels and blood flow. Cell volumizers such as creatine increase ATP function, maximizing muscle energy production and cellular hydration to increase workload output. No two pre-workouts are the same, so research what ingredients are most important, and try a variety of ingredient profiles to get a feel for how your body responds.

Other categories of performance-enhancing supplements include recovery and hydration, fat burning, sleep aid and vitality. A post-workout hydration product prevents muscle catabolism by restoring the nutrients in the body that are used up during physical exertion, including ATP, glucose, electrolytes, amino acids and more. Fat burners increase thermogenesis to boost metabolism and suppress appetite aiding in weight loss. Sleep aids not only help you fall asleep faster but allow you to sleep deeper and wake up feeling more refreshed and energized, leading to a better mood, reduced anxiety and decreased inflammation. Vitality products are designed to naturally improve bodily functions such as energy levels and libido, and some include additional ingredients with advantages such as supporting organ health, increasing lean muscle mass, and deliver antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Knowing clinical effective dosing amounts at which ingredients have been scientifically proven to provide the intended results is the most important aspect of choosing between different supplement options. Just because an ingredient is listed does not mean it is at a high enough amount to be effective. There are also key ingredients to look for that synergistically buffer the effectiveness of the primary ingredients. For example, Kre-Alkalyn is a buffered form of creatine that does not break down in water, making it 118.2% more effective against the commonly used creatine monohydrate. Product quality is also heavily affected by the standards of the manufacturing facility and source of raw ingredients. Full label disclosure means the amount of everything in the product is listed, allowing you to check for specific ingredients and effective dosing, as opposed to proprietary blends, which group ingredients by category without listing their dosing.

Fueled Supplements goes above and beyond all market standards to ensure quality, safety, effectiveness, and peace of mind for their customers. When my dad and I started the company, we agreed to formulate only premium products with the most advanced ingredients on the market and to never sacrifice quality or cut corners for profit. We currently offer 12 products to choose from that provide different ingredient profiles to suit each customer’s specific needs. We use many trademarked and patented ingredients such as Hydromax, Nitrosigine and Kre-Alkalyn that are scientifically proven to maximize results and are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility. If you’re looking for where to start, visit FueledSupplements.com for a complete product listing that includes every ingredient along with its description and dosing, providing full transparency to help customers decide which product works best for their needs. Follow @fueledsupplements on Instagram for health and workout tips, new product information and community inspiration from the #FueledFamily.