Below is some basic health supplements that may assist every athlete/footballer.
There are more that can be added due to an individuals requirements , but these may benefit you being added to your daily diet they certainly help me.
------------
SUPPLEMENTS
-----------
Multivitamin.
- A case AGAINST: imbalance of nutrients, low quality, can contain toxic forms of certain vitamins, imbalanced in the context of your diet, most amounts are too tiny to be meaningful.
- One pill a day - it's IMPOSSIBLE to put everything in one pill.
Some nutrients are big molecules, such as Magnesium.
Vitamin D
Primary function: maintaining calcium/phosphorous levels, mineralization of bone, massive role in immune system.
Why: almost everyone is deficient.
Form: D3.
Dose: 1000 IU per 25lb of body weight. In the morning. 1500kIU/25lb if brown skinned.
Notes: GET TESTED (!). Aim for 75nmol/L. Adjust intake based on results.
Suggested brand: Purity Products, Life Extension.
Budget option: D3 drops (in oil) - dirt cheap.
Magnesium
Role: essential dietary minetal, heart, brain, neuronal health. Participates pretty much everywhere.
Why: second most deficient after Vit D.
Forms: Citrate, malate, glycinate, threonate, or orotate.
Dose: 600-800 (elemental) mg/day before bedtime.
Brands: Natural Calm, VRP (simpler).
Note: read the label of your supp. Elemental magnesium is usually sub-30% of the stuff you are taking - make sure you get enough.
Vitamin K2
Primary role: maintain bone mineralization.
Why: you didn't eat your butter and grass fed meat when you were small. Hard to get from food in good doses. Apparently amazing for teeth/gum health. "Activator X" from WAP studies.
Forms: MK-4 & MK-7.
Dose: 2000mcg/d total with 100mcg from MK-7. Take ideally with D.
Brand: Life Extension.
Vitamin C
Role: antioxidant, co-enzyme for collagen, and lots of other functions.
Why: widely used antioxidant, needs a constant supply.
Dose: 1-2g/day, morning and evening.
Forms: Ascorbic acid crystals, or time release formulas.
Brand: Solaray. Now Foods.
Cycle: YES, skip some days, take more/less sometimes, randomize.
Good idea: take with collagen.
Potassium
Role: electrolyte, proper nerve signaling, heart & muscle functioning.
Why: magnesium is absorbed better with it. Same with potassium. Synergistic.
Form: citrate.
Dosage: 200-400mg, take with Mg.
Note: actually common in foods BP limits (bananas, milk, potatoes, for example).
Iodine
Role: necessary for thyroid hormones.
Why: common deficiency, unless you eat seaweed and sea fish regularly.
Forms: Kelp Powder or Potassium Iodide capsules.
Brands: NOW Foods Kelp Powder (dirt cheap); Pure Encapsulations potassium iodide; budget - Lugol's Iodine.
Dose: 1mg/day, anytime.
Good idea: don't take without Selenium; it might be detrimental otherwise.
Vitamin A
Role: vision, new cell formation, gene transcription, skin.
Why: essential to supplement if you don't eat organ meats (you should). Plants have beta-carotene, it is converted poorly in humans.
Dose: 10-15kIU/day, anytime.
Form: retinol (palmitate).
Brand: Green Fermented Cod Liver Oil (Arctic Mint flavor); cheap in pill form.
Selenium
Role: to reduces damage of oxidation and toxins, helps other antioxidants.
Why: soil sources inconsistent, must take if taking iodine.
Form: Se Methyl Selenocysteine or Selenomethionine
Dose: 200mcg, anytime. Don't overdose (!) - it is toxic at high doses.
Brand: Life Extension.
Good idea: don't take without Iodine; it might be detrimental otherwise.
Copper
Role: part of various enzymes, necessary for collagen, melanin (skin/hair quality).
Why: you are not eating your liver (you should), a zinc balance issue for those who sup. with Zn.
Dose: 1mg/day. Don't take if you eat liver regularly.
Forms: Capsule.
Brand: Life Extension.
NB: Don't take if you eat nuts or liver regularly. 4 oz (~100 g) liver = ~14mg of copper.
DHA/EPA (Omega 3)
Role: essential fatty acid, brain function, cell membranes.
Why: you eat too much n-6 with a wrong balance.
Form: krill oil, if price is a concern, fish oil.
Dose: 1g/day of krill oil. 1g of actual EPA/DHA if you don't get grass fed meat (3g of krill oil?).
Personal note: 2/3 krill oil = 1 fish oil.
Brand: Jarrow for both. Budget option - liquid fish oil.
Personal note: probably need a lot more if heavily exercising.
B12 + Folinic Acid (B9)
Roles: B12 - necessary for DNA functions, red blood cell and neurotransmitter production, works with folinic acid.
Why: B12 - common deficiency, needs folinic acid to be safe and absorbed/used well.
Dose: 5mg B12 as (Methylcobalamin or Hydroxycobalamin).
Dose: 800mcg B9 folinic acid (5-MTHF) - NOT FOLIC ACID.
Personal note (not D.A.): these seem excessive. A good B-complex seems like a better idea overall - I don't understand the rationale behind these dosages.
------
L-Glutamine
Primary function: becomes an essential amino acid if sick or injured, gut bacteria food, stomach lining.
Nootropic-esque: helps improve seratonin and GABA levels = less anxiety, more willpower kind of gig.
Other: reported to reduce sugar cravings/hunger.
Dosage: up to 40g/d for a few weeks if sick; even up to 80g for regular health issues; Take on empty stomach. 10-20g x3/week for maintenance.
Brand: Now Foods, lots of other brands.
Alternative: whey protein in as much as 1.5g per 10g of whey protein. So, if you take in 50g of whey post exercise 3 times a week, probably not necessary.
Protocol: if you have gut issues, do 80g a day (10g spaced every 2h) for 7 days.
Collagen
What: main building block of connective tissue.
Why: you'll be more flexible, move better, lowers injury risk.
Form: Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides.
Dose: 1-2 tablespoons/day in evening.
Brand: Dr. Bernd Friedlander's
Injuries: BCAA (5g/d), L-Glutamine (40g/d for 2 weeks), Collagen. Extra: boron, phosophorous, silica.
Cold, infections that kind of thing: Vit-C, Activated charcoal, Vit D.
Liver support, fat digestion: N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vit C, Lipoceutical Glutathione, Betane HCL.
Healing gut: L-Glutamine 8x10g for 5 days, then 10g 3 days out of 7; probiotics.
Mobility: Hydrolized collagen, Serrapeptase.
Detox: Lipoceutical Glutathione, Activated charcoal, Calcium-D-Glucarate, N-Acetyl-Cysteine.
Cortisol/Adrenal issues: Glycine, Adaptogenic herbs, pink Himalayan salt.
Serrapeptase
Why: fights strokes, thins blood, reduces visible scars, helps flexibility, dissolves internal scar tissue (!).
Dosage: 3 standard size caps (that's probably 1,2k IU)
Brand: Source Naturals, Dr's Best.
Other notes: for visible scars "you need a lot of it".
-----
DETOX
-----
Activated Charcoal
Function: It binds toxins, vitamins, minerals as well as pharmaceuticals.
Form: acid washed coconut charcoal extra fine.
Brand: Source Naturals.
As a detox protocal: 2-10 caps (500mg each) 2-3 times a day.
Take 2h AWAY from other supplements or drugs. If used to counteract bad food: take within 1 hours after eating.
Personal note: other forms are probably fine too; non-toxic.
Glutathione
What: primary detoxifier in the body (produced in body), recycles antioxidants, important for immune and brain function. More info.
Why: toxin rich diet and environment overstresses the natural production; anti-aging in a way.
Form: Lipoceutical Glutathione, Brand: Upgraded Self.
Alternative #1: Cold-Processed Whey concentrate (cheapest).
Alternative #2: N-Acetyl-Cysteine + ALA.
N-Acetyl Cysteine ("NAC")
What: antioxidant, amino acid.
Why: for glutathione production (precursor), direct anti-toxin, even some nootropic value.
Dosage: 600mg/d.
Brand: NOW Foods, many others.
Alternative: comes in whey in as much as 800mg per 10g of whey protein.
Note: don't take if you eat whey regularly.
NB: antioxidant, cycle.
Bentonite Clay.
Brand: Now Foods; Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay (Amazon)
Calcium D-Glucarate
What: natural compound produced in low amounts as a detoxifier
Why: cancer prevention, liver detox, excess estrogen, decreses LDL
More info: http://www.bulletpro...um-d-glucarate/
Dose: 500-1000mg for detox, anytime.
Brand: Source Naturals.
Dave takes 4x500mg as maintenance.
Chlorella.
Dose: 25g for anti-mercury w/ fish.
Note: make sure you get a clean variety. Avoid grown in Japan.
Good Brand: Sun Chlorella, but expensive.
----------
SUPPORT/NUTRACEUTICALS (non-drug)
----------------------------------
L-Carnitine ("ALCAR")
What: part of acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) cycle, mitochondrial health and bioenergetic support. Necessary to put fat/carbs into mitochondria.
Nootropic value: alertness+, mitochondria health+, neuronal support, acetylcholine levels+.
Form: Acetyl-L-Carnitine.
Dosage: 500-2g of ALCAR. Usually recommended with Alpha Lipoic Acid (200-300 mg of R-ALA). Do not exceed 2g. Morning.
Brand: Jarrow, also available as powder.
Note: The older you are the more valuable this is (as with CoQ10).
Note: May help regulate cortisol levels (!).
Note: May be used instead of extra choline (it participates in ACh synthesis).
Alpha-Lipoic-Acid ("ALA")
Role: antioxidant; helps raise liver Glutathione.
Why: (in context of taking with ALCAR) - reduces mitochondrial oxidation where ALCAR increases activity of them (apparently only in high dosages, reason to believe it's not an issue up to 2g at all). They are related molecules.
According to R.Wolf: "helps improve dopamine signaling".
Dosage: 200-300mg, with ALCAR.
Form: R-ALA.
Source for this: Examine.com, Robb Wolf.
Cycle: yes, antioxidant.
Creatine
What: stored form of energy (ATP) that is fast to release.
Why: helps cells work better under high intensity, makes you a bit smarter, improves endurance.
Form: monohydrate.
Dosage: 3-5g/day. Loading and cycling not necessary.
Summary: safe, cheap, effective.
NB: monohydrate will cause some water weight gain. Harmless.
NB 2: if you have a male balding pattern (genetic), then taking creatine may speed up hair loss. It's been reported that taking Creatine raises DHT levels. MBP folks are more sensitive to DHT in the balding areas. Not gonna matter eventually, though . Not a problem at all if you don't have MBP - it's a very safe supplement.
MCT oil
What: coconut oil extract, about 15-20% of it.
Why: rapidly absorbed, produces significantly more ketones than coconut oil.
Brand: Upgraded Self.
Dosage: use it as oil in food/BP coffee.
Note: you might need to build up to it - nausea/diarrhea likely if you take too much at once, start with 10ml.
There are more that can be added due to an individuals requirements , but these may benefit you being added to your daily diet they certainly help me.
------------
SUPPLEMENTS
-----------
Multivitamin.
- A case AGAINST: imbalance of nutrients, low quality, can contain toxic forms of certain vitamins, imbalanced in the context of your diet, most amounts are too tiny to be meaningful.
- One pill a day - it's IMPOSSIBLE to put everything in one pill.
Some nutrients are big molecules, such as Magnesium.
Vitamin D
Primary function: maintaining calcium/phosphorous levels, mineralization of bone, massive role in immune system.
Why: almost everyone is deficient.
Form: D3.
Dose: 1000 IU per 25lb of body weight. In the morning. 1500kIU/25lb if brown skinned.
Notes: GET TESTED (!). Aim for 75nmol/L. Adjust intake based on results.
Suggested brand: Purity Products, Life Extension.
Budget option: D3 drops (in oil) - dirt cheap.
Magnesium
Role: essential dietary minetal, heart, brain, neuronal health. Participates pretty much everywhere.
Why: second most deficient after Vit D.
Forms: Citrate, malate, glycinate, threonate, or orotate.
Dose: 600-800 (elemental) mg/day before bedtime.
Brands: Natural Calm, VRP (simpler).
Note: read the label of your supp. Elemental magnesium is usually sub-30% of the stuff you are taking - make sure you get enough.
Vitamin K2
Primary role: maintain bone mineralization.
Why: you didn't eat your butter and grass fed meat when you were small. Hard to get from food in good doses. Apparently amazing for teeth/gum health. "Activator X" from WAP studies.
Forms: MK-4 & MK-7.
Dose: 2000mcg/d total with 100mcg from MK-7. Take ideally with D.
Brand: Life Extension.
Vitamin C
Role: antioxidant, co-enzyme for collagen, and lots of other functions.
Why: widely used antioxidant, needs a constant supply.
Dose: 1-2g/day, morning and evening.
Forms: Ascorbic acid crystals, or time release formulas.
Brand: Solaray. Now Foods.
Cycle: YES, skip some days, take more/less sometimes, randomize.
Good idea: take with collagen.
Potassium
Role: electrolyte, proper nerve signaling, heart & muscle functioning.
Why: magnesium is absorbed better with it. Same with potassium. Synergistic.
Form: citrate.
Dosage: 200-400mg, take with Mg.
Note: actually common in foods BP limits (bananas, milk, potatoes, for example).
Iodine
Role: necessary for thyroid hormones.
Why: common deficiency, unless you eat seaweed and sea fish regularly.
Forms: Kelp Powder or Potassium Iodide capsules.
Brands: NOW Foods Kelp Powder (dirt cheap); Pure Encapsulations potassium iodide; budget - Lugol's Iodine.
Dose: 1mg/day, anytime.
Good idea: don't take without Selenium; it might be detrimental otherwise.
Vitamin A
Role: vision, new cell formation, gene transcription, skin.
Why: essential to supplement if you don't eat organ meats (you should). Plants have beta-carotene, it is converted poorly in humans.
Dose: 10-15kIU/day, anytime.
Form: retinol (palmitate).
Brand: Green Fermented Cod Liver Oil (Arctic Mint flavor); cheap in pill form.
Selenium
Role: to reduces damage of oxidation and toxins, helps other antioxidants.
Why: soil sources inconsistent, must take if taking iodine.
Form: Se Methyl Selenocysteine or Selenomethionine
Dose: 200mcg, anytime. Don't overdose (!) - it is toxic at high doses.
Brand: Life Extension.
Good idea: don't take without Iodine; it might be detrimental otherwise.
Copper
Role: part of various enzymes, necessary for collagen, melanin (skin/hair quality).
Why: you are not eating your liver (you should), a zinc balance issue for those who sup. with Zn.
Dose: 1mg/day. Don't take if you eat liver regularly.
Forms: Capsule.
Brand: Life Extension.
NB: Don't take if you eat nuts or liver regularly. 4 oz (~100 g) liver = ~14mg of copper.
DHA/EPA (Omega 3)
Role: essential fatty acid, brain function, cell membranes.
Why: you eat too much n-6 with a wrong balance.
Form: krill oil, if price is a concern, fish oil.
Dose: 1g/day of krill oil. 1g of actual EPA/DHA if you don't get grass fed meat (3g of krill oil?).
Personal note: 2/3 krill oil = 1 fish oil.
Brand: Jarrow for both. Budget option - liquid fish oil.
Personal note: probably need a lot more if heavily exercising.
B12 + Folinic Acid (B9)
Roles: B12 - necessary for DNA functions, red blood cell and neurotransmitter production, works with folinic acid.
Why: B12 - common deficiency, needs folinic acid to be safe and absorbed/used well.
Dose: 5mg B12 as (Methylcobalamin or Hydroxycobalamin).
Dose: 800mcg B9 folinic acid (5-MTHF) - NOT FOLIC ACID.
Personal note (not D.A.): these seem excessive. A good B-complex seems like a better idea overall - I don't understand the rationale behind these dosages.
------
L-Glutamine
Primary function: becomes an essential amino acid if sick or injured, gut bacteria food, stomach lining.
Nootropic-esque: helps improve seratonin and GABA levels = less anxiety, more willpower kind of gig.
Other: reported to reduce sugar cravings/hunger.
Dosage: up to 40g/d for a few weeks if sick; even up to 80g for regular health issues; Take on empty stomach. 10-20g x3/week for maintenance.
Brand: Now Foods, lots of other brands.
Alternative: whey protein in as much as 1.5g per 10g of whey protein. So, if you take in 50g of whey post exercise 3 times a week, probably not necessary.
Protocol: if you have gut issues, do 80g a day (10g spaced every 2h) for 7 days.
Collagen
What: main building block of connective tissue.
Why: you'll be more flexible, move better, lowers injury risk.
Form: Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides.
Dose: 1-2 tablespoons/day in evening.
Brand: Dr. Bernd Friedlander's
Injuries: BCAA (5g/d), L-Glutamine (40g/d for 2 weeks), Collagen. Extra: boron, phosophorous, silica.
Cold, infections that kind of thing: Vit-C, Activated charcoal, Vit D.
Liver support, fat digestion: N-Acetyl-Cysteine, Vit C, Lipoceutical Glutathione, Betane HCL.
Healing gut: L-Glutamine 8x10g for 5 days, then 10g 3 days out of 7; probiotics.
Mobility: Hydrolized collagen, Serrapeptase.
Detox: Lipoceutical Glutathione, Activated charcoal, Calcium-D-Glucarate, N-Acetyl-Cysteine.
Cortisol/Adrenal issues: Glycine, Adaptogenic herbs, pink Himalayan salt.
Serrapeptase
Why: fights strokes, thins blood, reduces visible scars, helps flexibility, dissolves internal scar tissue (!).
Dosage: 3 standard size caps (that's probably 1,2k IU)
Brand: Source Naturals, Dr's Best.
Other notes: for visible scars "you need a lot of it".
-----
DETOX
-----
Activated Charcoal
Function: It binds toxins, vitamins, minerals as well as pharmaceuticals.
Form: acid washed coconut charcoal extra fine.
Brand: Source Naturals.
As a detox protocal: 2-10 caps (500mg each) 2-3 times a day.
Take 2h AWAY from other supplements or drugs. If used to counteract bad food: take within 1 hours after eating.
Personal note: other forms are probably fine too; non-toxic.
Glutathione
What: primary detoxifier in the body (produced in body), recycles antioxidants, important for immune and brain function. More info.
Why: toxin rich diet and environment overstresses the natural production; anti-aging in a way.
Form: Lipoceutical Glutathione, Brand: Upgraded Self.
Alternative #1: Cold-Processed Whey concentrate (cheapest).
Alternative #2: N-Acetyl-Cysteine + ALA.
N-Acetyl Cysteine ("NAC")
What: antioxidant, amino acid.
Why: for glutathione production (precursor), direct anti-toxin, even some nootropic value.
Dosage: 600mg/d.
Brand: NOW Foods, many others.
Alternative: comes in whey in as much as 800mg per 10g of whey protein.
Note: don't take if you eat whey regularly.
NB: antioxidant, cycle.
Bentonite Clay.
Brand: Now Foods; Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay (Amazon)
Calcium D-Glucarate
What: natural compound produced in low amounts as a detoxifier
Why: cancer prevention, liver detox, excess estrogen, decreses LDL
More info: http://www.bulletpro...um-d-glucarate/
Dose: 500-1000mg for detox, anytime.
Brand: Source Naturals.
Dave takes 4x500mg as maintenance.
Chlorella.
Dose: 25g for anti-mercury w/ fish.
Note: make sure you get a clean variety. Avoid grown in Japan.
Good Brand: Sun Chlorella, but expensive.
----------
SUPPORT/NUTRACEUTICALS (non-drug)
----------------------------------
L-Carnitine ("ALCAR")
What: part of acetylcholine (neurotransmitter) cycle, mitochondrial health and bioenergetic support. Necessary to put fat/carbs into mitochondria.
Nootropic value: alertness+, mitochondria health+, neuronal support, acetylcholine levels+.
Form: Acetyl-L-Carnitine.
Dosage: 500-2g of ALCAR. Usually recommended with Alpha Lipoic Acid (200-300 mg of R-ALA). Do not exceed 2g. Morning.
Brand: Jarrow, also available as powder.
Note: The older you are the more valuable this is (as with CoQ10).
Note: May help regulate cortisol levels (!).
Note: May be used instead of extra choline (it participates in ACh synthesis).
Alpha-Lipoic-Acid ("ALA")
Role: antioxidant; helps raise liver Glutathione.
Why: (in context of taking with ALCAR) - reduces mitochondrial oxidation where ALCAR increases activity of them (apparently only in high dosages, reason to believe it's not an issue up to 2g at all). They are related molecules.
According to R.Wolf: "helps improve dopamine signaling".
Dosage: 200-300mg, with ALCAR.
Form: R-ALA.
Source for this: Examine.com, Robb Wolf.
Cycle: yes, antioxidant.
Creatine
What: stored form of energy (ATP) that is fast to release.
Why: helps cells work better under high intensity, makes you a bit smarter, improves endurance.
Form: monohydrate.
Dosage: 3-5g/day. Loading and cycling not necessary.
Summary: safe, cheap, effective.
NB: monohydrate will cause some water weight gain. Harmless.
NB 2: if you have a male balding pattern (genetic), then taking creatine may speed up hair loss. It's been reported that taking Creatine raises DHT levels. MBP folks are more sensitive to DHT in the balding areas. Not gonna matter eventually, though . Not a problem at all if you don't have MBP - it's a very safe supplement.
MCT oil
What: coconut oil extract, about 15-20% of it.
Why: rapidly absorbed, produces significantly more ketones than coconut oil.
Brand: Upgraded Self.
Dosage: use it as oil in food/BP coffee.
Note: you might need to build up to it - nausea/diarrhea likely if you take too much at once, start with 10ml.
