McCormack Performance Fitness Supplementation Guide: We All Should, Especially Active Peope

Let's Face it, none of us eat a perfect diet, we are stressed, and we sometimes compound that stress with intense exercise, poor sleep, and environmental toxins we knowingly or inadvertently expose ourselves to.  I would like to keep this Guide to Supplementation basic, but that may be difficult.  All recommended supplements are great synergistically, but you can take 1 of these, 3, or all of them - You decide.  Make the judgement on what you feel you need.  Experiment.  After all, this is about you being the healthiest you can be. 

Here we go:

A Daily Multivitamin - make sure it's high-quality, make it worth the money.  You especially want this to have Vitamins C, E, and the B Vitamins.  This is taken predominantly to prevent chronic disease and detoxify the body.  A whole food vitamin is optimal as it is the most bioavailable with necessary co-factors (Garden of Life brand has some great options)

Fish Oil - 1 to 4 grams daily of a combined EPA & DHA, depending on your activity level and how much wild-caught fish you are eating weekly.  Something to consider about Dietary Fat, Fat makes up every single cell in the body.  We need good fat in our diet and supplementing with Fish Oil can improve nerve, brain, eye, heart and cardiovascular function, and reduce the inflammation process.  Fish Oil can help with joint pain, arthritis, psychological disorders, and decrease the risk of Breast Cancer and Heart Disease.  Fish Oil can also shrink Fat Cells!
(Nordic Naturals brand is a good example)

Vitamin D - Vitamin D3 is what you want, this is what we make from the sun.  The world as a whole is deficient in Vit D.  As we age, we lose the ability to manufacture.  Also, sunscreen affects our ability to convert the sun rays on our skin into Vit D3.  Take anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 IU of Vit D3 a day.  Determine how much you need.  You can have blood work done every 6 months to check your Vitamin D level.  It should range from 60 to 80 ng/ml.  (Now brand, Garden of Life- a whole food option again are a couple examples)

Protein Powder - Whey Protein is the best option.  Animal Protein is more bioavailable than plant proteins, it just is.  There are good plant based options, but Whey is the Best.  Whey contains all 20 amino acids, is the richest dietary source of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), and is high in Cysteine.  25% of the protein in Whey is BCAAs.  Including the key one, Leucine, which is the most important amino acid for stimulating muscle protein synthesis for a stronger, faster athlete.
Back to Cysteine, it is the key building block for Glutathione, the body's master Antioxidant.
Take one scoop of protein (17 to 20 grams) for every 100 pounds of bodyweight.  (I use TrueNutrition.com, but like Jay Robb Whey Protein, Blue Bonnet, Stronger Faster Healthier products too)

It can be overwhelming, go for quality products not marketing hype

Probiotics - We have good and bad bacteria in the gut.  Stress depletes our "good" bacteria. In the past, families would culture foods.  Now, you can find cultured foods- you just have to know what you're looking for.  Our modern diets and the enormous use of Antibiotics deplete the "good" bacteria.  You must replenish this in your diet.  Look for these 2 words:  Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.  This is serious:  NO GOOD BACTERIA IN THE GUT = A SUPPRESSED IMMUNE SYSTEM.

Creatine - This is a great way to improve your strength performance, enhance your ability in high-intensity, short-duration activities, and help for a rapid recovery.  Creatine is also good for muscle mass building, brain, and heart health.  Take 5 grams in 12 to 16 ounces of water, before or after training.  Creatine Monohydrate is what you should spend your money on.  Other forms haven't been studied and are hyped without merit.

BCAAs - the 3:  Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine.  Bottom-line, these make you stronger and give you the ability to recover faster.  These increase Testosterone (builds up) and decrease Cortisol (breaks down).  Take 5 to 10 grams per day.

Glutamine - This is the most abundant amino acid in your Gut & Skeletal Muscle.  It does so many things:  enhances the immune system, regulates protein synthesis, stimulates Growth Hormone production, and it's a muscle-builder because it's a nitrogen donor.  Also, this is pretty cool, it builds Glycoaminoglycans (GAGs), which is food for our joints.  This is a great supplement for exercise recovery.  The more Stress in your Body, the MORE Glutamine you need.  Take 0.15 to 0.16 grams per kg of Bodyweight (I know, math).
(All Creatine, BCAAs, and Glutamine I've been using are powder form that I order from truenutrition.com )

Another one that's not a bad idea:
Curcumin - This is the active ingredient in Tumeric and Ginger.  It can ease post-workout muscle soreness caused by oxidative stress and inflammation.  Take anywhere from 250 to 500 mgs on days you feel extremely sore or you suffer an injury.

Again, this is a large list, but you decide what will be the most optimal for your unique health and well-being.  We can recommend brands to those who are curious.