What Supplements Will Have You on the Fast Track to a Healthier Lifestyle?

Most people don’t know what vitamins and supplements they should take on a daily basis other than hearing from friends and co-workers what they take. Everyone is different, and not all of us need what everyone else takes. However, I feel these five supplements are beneficial for everyone to take daily:

1. Fish oil: This supplement contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are powerful fats that help your body burn stored fat for energy rather than relying on stored glycogen from carbohydrates. Fish oil helps speed metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, helps with inflammation, reduces stress, improves hormonal balance, and lowers the risk of brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. You should aim for one to three grams of EPA and DHA daily. To combat high inflammation, aim for a higher EPA concentration. To promote cognition and brain health, aim for a higher DHA concentrate. To improve body composition, look into a 3:2 ratio of EPA and DHA.

2. A multi-vitamin: Do I really need to go into detail here? We may think we get all the nutrients we need daily from food, but we don’t, and honestly, you won’t either. That leaves us with one option. Don’t overthink this—just take it.

3. Calcium and vitamin D: Calcium is very important, and studies show we don’t get nearly the daily amount we need. Calcium is an essential mineral needed for bone health and is just as important as any other product in your age-defying beauty regimen. Even though our bodies need calcium, we don’t produce the mineral; we get it from the foods we eat every day. Unfortunately, most people don’t get enough calcium. You should aim for 1,000 to 1,200mg a day.

Vitamin D is also needed for bone health, and your body also requires it to absorb calcium. Women and men up to 70 years of age need around 600 International Units (IU) daily. After age 70, this increases to 800 IU per day. There are three ways to get vitamin D: sunlight, food, and supplements. Because of the risk of skin cancer and the use of sunscreen—which limits your body’s ability to make the vitamin—most people rely on food and supplements to get their vitamin D. Since it is difficult getting all your vitamin D from food alone, many people may need to take supplements.

4. Magnesium: Magnesium relates very closely to the previous two because it helps regulate biochemical reactions in the body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control. It also helps regulate blood pressure. People get magnesium from their diet, but generally not enough. Low magnesium levels have been linked to diseases such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, clogged arteries, hereditary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. We should aim for 300mg a day.  The reason I put these three together is because they are often sold together.

5. Probiotics: Simply put, probiotics are tiny bacteria that naturally occur in the gastrointestinal tract. They provide a slew of health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. Probiotics have been shown to help with digestion and gastrointestinal health, fat loss, and detoxification.  When shopping, be sure to only choose a product that contains live microflora bacteria. Some products are only guaranteed at the time in which they are manufactured, meaning most of the living bacteria have died off before consuming.