6 Supplements to increase energy + improve recovery
Welcome to sunday coffee, a 5-minute newsletter sent out every Sunday morning highlighting 1 key idea around holistic wellness, why you should care, and 3 ways to start implementing it into your life.
sunday coffee, vol. 3
9/17/2023
When I was first getting into bodybuilding as a 19 year old, I remember walking into a GNC and being extremely overwhelmed.
There was a seemingly endless amount of supplements available to me, and I had no idea where to start. I had so many questions…
What should I take?
How much of it do I need?
Is all this stuff really good for you?
Is this even safe?
That was 7 years ago, and supplements have only grown in popularity since then. Thankfully, this also means that more research has since come out about which supplements are truly beneficial and which ones aren’t.
So today, I’m going to answer the questions that younger me had about supplements for all of you.
We’re going to go over 6 supplements that you can incorporate into your daily routine today. We’ll cover what they do and why they’re truly worth investing in.
But first, a quick word about how to use supplements.
The Point of Supplements
Supplements aren’t meant to be the foundation of your health, but they are meant to help make your life easier.
Supplement
something that completes or enhances something else when added to it.
"the handout is a supplement to the official manual"
As always, I’d recommend that you start with a good foundation for your health:
a diet of 80%+ whole foods
7+ hours of sleep per night
exercise 3+ times per week
sunlight exposure early and often
3+ litres of water everyday
But if you’re already doing all of this and you’re looking for some help or any kind of edge, supplements can be a game changer.
It’s worth noting that the world of supplements is a bit like the wild wild west. The FDA doesn’t have to approve a company before they go live, so you should do your research before you make any purchases. In the resources section at the bottom of today's newsletter I’ll give some of my favorite brands and products out there that I’d reccomend as both safe and effective.
Alright, let’s get into the 6 supplements that I’d recommend taking on a daily basis now.
6 Supplements to increase energy and improve recovery
CBD: Cannabidiol, or CBD, has gained popularity in recent years for its potential to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and alleviate pain and inflammation. It can be a valuable addition to your wellness routine, especially if you struggle with stress or chronic pain. Since most people suffer from 1 of these 2 conditions, I reccomend that everybody give CBD a try. It’s worked wonders for my own chronic shoulder pain!
Magnesium: Magnesium is an electrolyte that’s involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and plays a crucial role in energy production and muscle function. Many people have magnesium deficiencies, so supplementing it daily can be extremely helpful. It can help with things like enhancing relaxation, improving sleep quality, and helping with stress relief. Try taking some magnesium before bed to start.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being. If you live in a region with limited sunlight or spend most of your time indoors (I’m looking at you desk job people), a vitamin D supplement can be super helpful. Plus, they’re very affordable and flavorless.
AG1 (Athletic Greens): AG1 is a greens supplement that provides a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from various fruits and vegetables. It can be a convenient way to ensure you're getting essential nutrients, especially if you’re not eating a good amount of fruits and veggies for every meal. This is good for a lot of reasons but gut + digestive health might be the #1 benefit for this.
Protein Powder: Protein is crucial for muscle repair and growth. If you struggle to meet your daily protein needs through food alone, which many people do if you’re eating 1g of protein per pound of body weight as I recommend, a high-quality protein powder can help you achieve your fitness goals. Especially if you work on your feet, or you’re on the go a lot, protein powders can be extremely helpful.
Creatine: Creatine has been shown to improve athletic performance around strength, promote muscle growth, and enhance cognitive function + brain health. It’s affordable, flavorless, and has a ton research backing it as a very effective supplement for improving both strength and recovery.
Wrap-Up
Supplements can greatly enhance our health if we use them right.
My biggest message to that kid in the GNC is this: there are no hacks or cheat codes to be truly healthy, strong, and energetic. It requires discipline and hardwork. Don’t start with supplements unless you already have a strong foundation, but if you do, then focus on the ones that are research backed.
Remember that individual supplement needs vary based on your health, lifestyle, and dietary choices. These are my recommendations based off of my own expereince and research, but you may need different supplements based on a variety of factors.
If you’re ever wondering what you should personally be taking, or if you’re feeling particularly lethargic, talk to your primary care doctor and get some blood work done.
For example, I was anemic as a kid (I had a low iron count), so my Doctor recommended that I:
Take an Iron supplement once a day
Eat more leafy greens (which are high in Iron)
That being said, the 6 supplements we covered today are what I’d recommend starting with to improve strength + recovery for 90% of the general population.
Give em a try today and see how you feel. I’ve listed my product recs below.
Thanks for reading 🙂
Dane
Resources
CBD Recommendations:
Magnesium Recommendations:
Vitamin D Recommendations:
Greens Supplement Recommendations:
Protein Powder Recommendations:
‘Protein Powder Recs’ - a separate write-up I did on this with some recommendations for both whey and plant based options
Creatine Recommendations: