7 Scientifically Effective Supplements

The supplemental health sector is a multi-billion dollar industry, and with those levels of revenue many companies spend vast sums on advertising to get you to buy the next hyped thing. The problem is that they generally don't work, and some can even cause harm. So, you may ask, what does work? Here's a list of 7 scientifically validated supplements you might consider adding to your diet or workout regimen to get that added boost. Don't worry they're all super cheap, readily available, and can be used indefinitely.
(1) Vitamin D (cholecalciferol):
Unsurprisingly, Vitamin D, being involved in hundreds of different pathway, is associated with a vast range of benefits. These included decreasing cancer risk, increasing immune response, increasing cognition, boosting bone health and general well-being, even reductions in mortality rate. Unfortunately, most people have sub optimal levels of this fat soluble vitamin. It's production requires a UV index of 3 or higher and incident UV-b rays. Interestingly, there's only adequate levels of this light year-round between the 37th parallels (near the equator).
*The RDA is about 600IU but to maintain optimal levels one should supplement on the order of 1500-2000IU. Vitamin D goes well with Vitamin K2, Magnesium, and Calcium.
Since it is a fat soluble vitamin, it needs to be taken with oil/fat. Which brings us to the next supplement, Fish Oil.
(2) Fish oil (Omega 3):
The diet of most people is laden with omega-6 fatty acids, but the body requires a balance of omega-3, 6, & 9. Unless you eat fatty fish like salmon almost daily, you'll need to add this supplement. Fish Oil provides a number of benefits ranging from helping severe depression, reducing triglyceride levels, increasing cognition and reducing symptoms of ADHD, to joint pain reduction.
*Taking a Fish Oil supplement that is pure, and/or molecularly distilled and without mercury is important. 600mg DHA and 800-1000 mg of EPA is my recommendation on the content.
(3) Turmeric (Curcuminoids):
Turmeric has been touted as beneficial for a number of health conditions, but has been shown in the lab to have poor bioavailability. Other research has shown that turmeric staying in your intestines has its own benefits. That said, we'll focus on the bioavailable, systemic benefits. Turmeric/Curcumin is generally fat soluble, though water soluble versions are out there, but needs additional help to release all the power of its compounds to decrease depression, inflammation, pain, and symptoms of osteoarthritis AND to increase nitric oxide, anti-oxidant enzyme profiles, and functionality in the elderly. This is done by pairing it with bioperine (black pepper extract; no black pepper from your cabinet will not do), phospholipids, or creating curcumin nanoparticles (Theracumin). This supplement goes well with Fish oil for a number of reasons, including reducing breast cancer rates.
*Taking 1 gram of curcuminoids with 5-15mg of bioperine is a good start.
(4) Creatine:
This is a water soluble compound that is essentially a source of energy for, and helps retain water in, your cells. Creatine is found in meats, with higher concentrations in red meats than some others. So this supplement is nearly vital if you're a vegetarian. Its benefits are not limited to the sports related claims of increasing lean muscle mass and physical performance. It also has brain benefits, potentially increasing IQ, and helping with depression. Helping your body to retain more water means that you need more water when ingesting this, and also means less stress on your cells.
*Taking 5 grams daily with 30oz of water will work magic.
(5) Rhodiola Rosea:
This adaptogen has been rightfully been gaining traction after some time in the market. It is a traditional Chinese medicine and Scandinavian herb that promotes physical health, well being, cognition, and decreases depression as well as fatigue/exhaustion (especially in stressful situations). Rhodiola is also neuroprotective and preliminary evidence supports a healthy increase in life span. While the parameters of physical enhancement are mostly in untrained people, the results from increases in all other areas are not. It is highly serotonergic (increase serotonin) and reduces corticosteroids. This one is simply amazing folks, though some manufacturers sell 'rhodiola' which is sub-par or something else entirely, so get it from a valid source.
*It follows a bell shaped curve in response to levels of ingestion with 400-680mg as the sweet spot, though lower doses have been shown to be effective in certain people and other circumstances.
(6) Huperzine-A:
This supplement is relatively unknown to most, and yet is one of the best, oldest, and cheapest cognitive enhancers on the market. Huperzine-A is an acetylcholinervse inhibitor, like Galantamine (which is used for Alzheimers and dementia patients), which means that it stops the enzyme responsible for the breakdown of the main learning and memory neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, in your brain. This increases the levels of active choline in your brain and enhances cognition on a variety of parameters. It can also help with physical performance parameters like max power output.
*The best range for supplementation is 50-200mcg (that's micrograms; don't worry though you won't have to measure it out) and may need to be cycled off for a short time after a months use. That said, I've continually taken this supplement for years, as have many others with no side effects, but of course I take of things to allow some clearance of highly elevated levels of acetylcholine in my brain.
(7) Melatonin:
Melatonin is a neurohormone that helps to create and sustain the sleep portion of our circadian rhythm. In other words, regulating our sleep cycle in response to light. It is produced by the pineal gland in the brain, but this is inhibited by ingesting fluoride and looking into the bright abyss of screens and other light sources late at night (i.e. past 11pm). While some people have impeccable sleep cycles and sleep in general, most do not. This variation in sleep parameters can lead to a variety of health conditions and premature aging. Melatonin can help you get to sleep faster and sleep better, while also helping to scavenge free radicals from your system. It's one of the best anti-oxidants in your body. Melatonin can help to heal stomach ulcers, reduce heartburn, and reduces symptoms of GERD as well. It does so much more, but it shall suffice to say that since your a gland in your brain makes it, it's got a lot of good it can do. Melatonin goes well with Vitamin C, resveratrol, and acetylcholinerase inhibitors.
*Taking 5mg or less is good for inducing sleep with the hour, while taking more is good for anti-oxidant activity. Also, don't take this during the daytime or when you have anything to do other than sleep.

They say always do your own research, but most of us have demanding schedules, so I've done most of it for you. If you have any questions or comments feel free to reach out!

Sincerely,
Baba