You’re a #bossbabe who knows real change doesn’t come from a magic pill, but you do wonder sometimes if there are supplements worth your time (and money).
Truth be told, most of your daily needs can be covered by a balanced nutrition plan that includes protein (about 1g for every pound of lean body mass), a variety of fruits, veggies, and whole-grain foods. You likely do not NEED any supplements unless you are dealing with specific deficiencies related to your diet or genetics and have been told so by your medical care provider.
At Fitbliss, we tell our clients that supplements won’t necessarily make or break their results, but that they can optimize, support, or otherwise make their health and fitness process more enjoyable and effective.
If they have the budget to purchase and the motivation to follow through with a consistent supplement regimen, these are our Top Supplement Recommendations for women aiming to improve their health and body composition.
1. Multivitamin Formulated for Women
If you only buy one supplement, make it a multivitamin formulated for women. In an ideal world, you would have such a diverse and balanced diet that all of your body’s vitamin and mineral needs would be met, but that’s not always realistic. By adding a multivitamin you can provide a safety net to catch nutrients you may miss on any given day.
Some of the other items on this list can improve your performance and/or body composition, but this supplement can improve your overall health which is the foundation for any fitness goal you may be working on.
Furthermore, changes in our society’s agricultural practices have actually made many of our fruits and vegetables less nutritious than they once were.
Below is a link to some research on this topic compiled by the Scientific American Publication:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/
By adding in a multivitamin, you can rest assured that your body has the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive and feel its best!
We like these brands:
2. Creatine Monohydrate
This is possibly the most underutilized yet most effective supplement on the market when it comes to naturally building lean body mass. The increase in lean body mass will then decrease body fat and increase both strength and muscle tone, which are goals I think we can all get behind!
Dosing:
Often times there are confusing recommendations surrounding Creatine. We suggest keeping it simple and adding 5 grams of creatine per day, ideally around the same time each day (ex. morning, afternoon or evening) as this will keep your body’s supply consistent and help you to establish the daily habit which can be the hardest part of adding any supplement.
Click here to read more about Creatine Monohydrate and be sure to check out the “Human Effect Matrix” tab as this is where most the compelling information is: https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
We like these brands:
- Creatine Monohydrate Powder Micronized by BulkSupplements
- BSN DNA Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder
3. Collagen
Collagen can reduce wrinkles, keep your joints strong and flexible, support strong bones, increase skin hydration and repair, improve digestion, and decrease inflammation. Plus, it has some protein in it to help you reach your daily protein goal!
Dosing:
You should add 5g of collagen daily to receive its basic benefits. Adding 10-15 grams seems to be the most optimal dosage when it comes to aiding in digestion, recovery, inflammation levels, and improving muscle gains. If you’re having specific issues with your skin, connective tissue, or digestion, you may experiment with dosing up to 30g.
We like these brands:
4. Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral and the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. Magnesium has a wide range of health benefits, but most notably it can improve your mood and digestion, lower your blood pressure, and reduce inflammation throughout your body. A deficiency can cause reduced glucose tolerance, neural excitation, and some research indicate links to low magnesium levels and higher rates of depression.
Dosing:
When choosing a magnesium source, we recommend a Magnesium Citrate as it is most easily digested by the body. For healthy women over 18 years old, the FDA recommends 300-350 mg of Magnesium supplemented daily with food.
We like these brands:
5. Protein Powder
Protein is the macronutrient your body needs to maintain, recover & build muscle. Women who lift should get at least 1 gram of protein for each pound of lean body mass they have. (Bodyweight minus estimated weight of body fat.)
For example: A 130 pound woman at approx 25% body fat would need at least 97.5g of protein per day because 130 X .25 = 32.5 and 130- 32.5 = 97.5 grams.
Note: If you are on the leaner or thinner end and trying to add muscle on a timeline, consider increasing protein to 1g per pound of bodyweight. For example, take in 130 grams of protein if weight 130 pounds.
Protein can be found in a variety of foods like chicken, ground turkey, beef, dairy products like Greek yogurt, string cheese, milk, nondairy products like Carb Master and Fairlife milk, fish, beans, nuts, and other fortified foods. While a person doesn’t need a protein powder to reach their daily protein needs, it can be a terrific source to diversify, simplify, or supplement your daily protein sources.
Protein powder can be particularly useful for you if you don’t like meat, have allergies to dairy, or to generally hit your daily protein goals.
Protein Powders can be used to make shakes, ice cereal, smoothies, cakes, bread, muffins.
Dosing:
Most protein powders have 25-30g of protein powder per scoop. How much protein powder you use really depends on your daily nutrition habits and protein needs. Some days you may not need to use it and others you may use 1 or 2 scoops.
We like these brands:
- Dymatize Elite ISO 100
- Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey
- Vega Sport Plant-Based Protein Powder
- Orgain Plant-Based Protein Powder
6. Pre-workout
Pre-workout is by no means necessary, but it can give you a boost of energy, focus, and endurance which can improve your workout and results.
We like these brands:
If you’re looking for a caffeine-free pre-workout, we like this specific one from Surge.
Dosing:
Don’t take too much too quickly. If you’ve never taken it before, start with ½ or ¼ scoop and increase over time as you test your tolerance. Read the label and keep in mind that 100 mg of caffeine is the equivalent of one large cup of coffee. If your pre-workout has 300 mg of caffeine, you may not want to take it after 2 pm (or a full scoop at all if it’s above your tolerance).
Also, be mindful of your daily and habitual caffeine intake. Too much of anything is a bad thing and too much caffeine can increase your cortisol levels, anxiety, and symptoms of insomnia.
Supplement Wrap-up
You should get an annual check-up including a blood test to find out if you have any nutritional deficiencies that you personally may NEED to supplement. Women commonly are low on iron and/or vitamin D.
This is a general list of recommendations for healthy women not experiencing underlying health issues and should not be used in place of care from a licensed medical practitioner.
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