Do you need to supplement?
Or are you wasting your money...
*Disclaimer* Everything stated in this blog is my opinion & not a recommendation - only qualified nutritionists & your doctor can suggest what supplementation you may require as an individual.
Everything is my own experience & you should do your own extensive research before taking any supplement.
For those interested, here's the supplements I *sporadically* take:
B12
Being a vegan of 7 years - supplementing this helps boost my intake (meat & dairy is a natural source, however with increased factory farming levels occuring in animal meat is reportedly decreased dramatically). B12, personally helps my brain function & aids my energy levels.
Vitamin D3
I take D3 to keep my bones strong, aid my muscle & immune system function. This is especially important for me in winter months when natural Vitamin D is a lot harder to come by.
Iron & Vitamin C
I occassionally take these when I feel my immune system could use a little boost. Also around my cycle when I know I could use an Iron boost. That being said, being veggie since I was 13, I have never suffered from an Iron deficiency.
Electrolytes
As with all my supplements, I sporadically take electrolyte tablets when I've been particularly sweaty. I find I can easily get crampy if I've been sweating a lot.
Zinc & Magnesium
One I take before bed, Magnesium can help relax my sore muscles after a hard day training. This supplement also helps me sleep better.
Creatine
Last but not least, Creatine. I take this around times I know I have a lot of training, or I really want to up my training. It's shown to aid performance through systems that are far beyond my tiny mind. It's one of the most extensively researched supplements & I find it useful.
I by no means take these everyday or even every week! Being that they aren't tasty morsels of food I easily forget to take them! I totally believe in moderation & balance so I'm far from strict with my supplement routine.
I encourage anyone considering supplementation to take a good look at how they can naturally increase their sources of all of the above. No matter how 'natural' a supplement is there is nearly always a bulking agent or something 'extra' for your body to process. So nothing truly beats the original & natural source of a vitamin/nutrient.
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