jjafterdark

I started taking supplements again this year, after many years of avoiding them, believing, as conventional "science" would have it, that basically you were paying for expensive pee.

I realized after 2 to 3 months that this was certainly not the case, and that I was clearly benefitting in a variety of ways. The interesting thing is, since the benefits aren't immediately clear and hence the gains so gradual, there is no 'light bulb' effect: as in "wow this is great." As a result, once you reach a higher plane of health, it just becomes "normal" or "average" as in, something you just take for granted.

Now, as far as the downsides. I am taking a lot of supplements. So many in fact, that it's almost an endurance event finishing them all. It require drinking a lot of water, and it's quite time consuming. I think I've reached my limit in terms of how many supplements I can take, in terms of time and patience.

Cost? I estimate I'm spending $40 to $50 a month but I'm very careful comparing cost and quality so someone who is less invested in research would probably spend considerably more. Compared to the average caffeine addict spending $100 to $200 a month at Starbucks, I don't think the expenditure is that great.

What are your experiences?

MoAlpha

At least the caffeine addict is getting coffee.

delbiker1 

The only supplements I take are calcium with vitamin D and B12. The calcium/D hs no effect. The B12 definitely helps my energy level, mood and sleep. I stopped taking it for a while due to having a very high level of B12 with my last lab work. I started taking it again 4 or 5 days ago and I have slept better the past couple nights. That alone, of course, helps the energy and frame of mind. I really have no valid comment other than that.

CAT7RDR

A big bowl of cruciferous leafy veggies with some salmon gives good bang for the buck.

Just remember your liver is metabolizing all that you ingest.

wolfchild

Majority of nutritional supplements including protein powders and most sports supplements are a waste of money. They are a scam and they don't work....Eating real food is all you need to stay healthy...Vitamin and mineral supplements should only be used if you have been diagnosed with vitamin/mineral deficiencies...Protein powder is completely unnecessary if you are already eating things like beef, chicken, eggs and dairy.

greatscott

the gains you think you are getting from supplements is all in your head, and that's ok if it makes you work harder, but the supplements in and by themselves do nothing, and any doctor will tell you that, and they'll also tell you that a well balanced food diet is all the supplements you need...unless your body doesn't absorb certain things in food but your doctor can tell you that with a blood test.

Plus you said you noticed gradual improvements over a 3 month period, well guess what? you were riding your bicycle, those improvements came from riding the bike regularly and not from the supplements.

Supplements can actually do more harm than good over the long haul:
https://healthfully.com/supplements-...r-6187990.html
https://www.self.com/story/taking-too-many-supplements
https://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/eff...any-vitamins#1

Some doctors might suggest taking a supplement, but guess what they suggest taking? a cheap once a day multivitamin. There are some good supplements that can benefit people, but mostly older people: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...ntial-benefits Some people have iron deficiencies need to take iron pills, but only under doctors care because you can OD on iron; certain older people need vitamin B12, but again a doctor will test to see if you are deficient in that area.

DeadGrandpa

I'm a big believer in "Better Living Through Chemistry", and I take vitamin D3, B12 (sublingual), eye vitamins, multi vitamins for 55+ guys, vitamin C 1000mg and a potassium caplet daily. And a discreet amount of testosterone cream applied to a secret location on my person. More expensive pee? That's exactly what I'm going for.

BlazingPedals

I find that a glass of recovery drink mix, which is basically whey protein and maltodextrin, after a ride, helps to prevent soreness the next day. Real food would do the same job, but I'd eat too much of it.Other than that, vitamin D because... well, Michigan.

Trakhak

Never any supplements for me, unless plain M&Ms count. Last time I went to a doctor (around 8 years ago, I think, so I'd have been about 60), he said "You're healthier than 99.999% of American men your age." I was disappointed that he threw in that "your age" dig.

There's a Training and Nutrition subforum, by the way; you'll find plenty of supplement discussions there.

Metieval

Same

Caffeine is a drug, in my opinion. I'd much rather supplement and support digestion, metabolism, including the aiding of transportation and the break down of fats via amino acids.

C,D3 & K (those 2 go hand in hand), B12, B6, CoQ10, Cats Claw, Magnesium, fish oil, Chlorella

I don't buy into the whole Supplement mix game market BS though, take what is beneficial, take what you need. Take what you don't get in food anymore.

At the end of the month I have spent way less on supplements than most have spent on sports drinks, Not counting coffee etc...

L-lysine and Actyl-L carnitine have been very benificial, as has been SAM-e. SAM-e has been huge towards fighting tinnitus.

no this isn't an anti -coffee post, I like coffee, like I like black licorice. I just come from a place where I don't need coffee to function.

Lyme disease killed my enzyme production, so I also supplement super enzymes with my food.

Ross520

There's some great supplements, some that are a waste of money, and some that are flat-out dangerous.

Lumping all supplements into one category, as some do, is quite fallacious.

Mulberry20

A maintenance dose of creatine which is 5 grams is the most useful supplement in the long run. I like the Pre Jym, pre workout powder.

Metieval

I even supplement dirt daily, well close enough to dirt. Sedimentary rock


Diatomaceous earth

It's what we are Dirt. (dirt and water) We die, we dehydrate, and well we come Dirt again.

JanMM

Coffee helps keep me good-looking.
Psyllium helps me go fast. Or go, anyway.

taco2ewsday

Every other day

• 1/2 of whatever multivitamin Costco had on sale when I last ran out

On the off days from above

• 2000 iu Vitamin D3
• 1000 mg Vitamin C

Outrider1

I was going to comment, not merely just to do so, but from a factual, knowledgeable point of view, however, Ross520 already did.

Cyclist0108

Vitamin I

Tomm Willians

I am diabetic and take Metphormin as a prescription which has been shown to deplete vitamin B. My cycling was an utter struggle until I figured this out and adjusted.

bargo68 

3 words.
Little
Chocolate
Donuts

bruce19

I take Vitamin D and Magnesium but I'm rather haphazard about it. I also drink beet juice with a little Collagen. I tried Creatine and discovered that I was started to get "Palumboism" aka: bubble gut. So, I stopped that. Lost 2" in my waist.

canklecat

For years I took no supplements, not even a multivitamin. I just ate a good healthy diet.

Then I ended up with Hashimoto's, an auto immune disorder that ended up with thyroid cancer on one lobe (surgically removed, no chemo so far) and left the remaining lobe barely functional. The docs plan to leave it intact as long as it doesn't also become cancerous, just in case it still contributes a little something to my metabolism and bone health.

Meanwhile I suddenly had zero energy, could hardly get out of bed other than to pee, bone density loss, and a bunch of other problems. I used to heal very quickly from any injury and rarely scarred. But for awhile I wasn't healing. I was also hit by a car in 2018 and it seemed to take forever for the shoulder to heal. Bone scans showed I had a bunch of minor fractures that I wasn't aware of.

Worst of all, I couldn't seem to metabolism alcohol anymore. I loved beer but it doesn't love me anymore. For awhile I tried cutting back to just one, once in awhile, but still felt sick within an hour or so. Not worth the hassle. Haven't had a beer or other alcohol since December. Saves a lot of money. I really enjoyed local craft beer, which is pricey stuff.

My doc prescribed large doses of vitamin D and calcium. I started taking a bunch of other supplements. In addition to a regular diet (now leaning more toward full carnivore, less sugary fruit, some veggies, fewer carbs), I use whey and legume protein powders -- mostly to mask the flavor of the other supplements, some of which are bitter. Various amino acids, depending on my workout/ride schedule, extra niacin pre-ride/workout. Concentrated spinach powder and beta-ecdysterone from various sources. Creatine, especially on days when I don't eat red meat. I eat a lot of liver.

Seems to help. I went from pretty good shape for age 60 before the thyroid thing to being unable to do much more than walk for months. Now I'm a bit stronger and faster than I was three years ago.

There's no single supplement that's a magic bullet, although creatine and niacin seem to have a fairly quick and noticeable effect. The others, particularly the beta-ecdysterone, are more medium term and take a few days to notice, including when I discontinue them for awhile.

And a bunch of steroid inhalers for chronic upper respiratory inflammation. I've had elevated monocytes for months. PITA but I'm doing okay all things considered.

I may be making mostly expensive pee, but I'm still spending less money that I did on craft beer.

I've lost a lot of body fat, down from 175 lbs when I resumed cycling in 2015, and down from 160 before the thyroid cancer to between 145-150 now, close to my optimum weight in my 20s.

I don't sunburn anymore, which is weird. I used to burn easily, even when I used sunscreen. Now I don't use sunscreen at all and just get brown -- although I've got that old dude uneven mottled tan from uneven melanin, vitiligo from the Hashimoto's. And more freckles. I don't care. I'm just curious to see whether it helps with my vitamin D and bone density during my next scan.

I'm not advocating this mess for anyone else. Just seems to work okay for me.

thehammerdog

Eat well
sleep well
Hydrate.
and only a few beers.
thats it.

downhillmaster

I am curious as you reference that you took them in the past and you also reference that you feel the benefits when you take them.
Why did you stop taking them in the past?
Did you not feel the benefits of them back then only because of ‘conventional science’?

dennis336

I'm a supplement skeptic. I don't have any science to back up my thinking, just opinions based on my personal experience. I don't take any supplements and I'm in the camp that says that, generally speaking, the necessary nutrients can be had from a well-balanced diet. I'm not dogmatic about it - if there's a known deficiency or health issue and there's evidence a targeted supplement will help, by all means, I would take it. From my personal experience, I don't see supplements - at least not at this point in my life - as necessary or helpful.

Thomas15

I have always avoided supplements. About 2 weeks ago I started experimenting just to see. I've started taking Curcumin for joint pain, Magnesium on the advice of my PCP to help reduce leg cramps during intense exercise and oral electrolyte only before and after a bike ride, also to help reduce craps.

So far too early to see any real benefit but it has only been two weeks. We shall see. I don't intend to go any further than this.