Below, I list the 10 supplements I drink regularly to keep my body, hormones, and health functioning optimally. After years of trying TONS of supplements - from the cheapest drugstore products to the overpriced ones - I've narrowed down the brands that have worked GREAT for my body after consistently consuming them for 1+ years. The brands I share below provide science-based evidence and research on product efficacy, which you can find directly on their websites.
Supplements #1-5 are supplements that could be highly valuable for most people to take regularly, while #6-10 are ones that I find valuable because they suit my lifestyle.
Disclaimer: I am affiliated with Legion and Biohm Health and will receive a commission if you purchase through my referral link.
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1. High Quality Multivitamin
There's a high chance that everyone is deficient in at least 1 or more nutrients.
I take a multivitamin to help complement my diet and fill in any nutrient gaps. Multivitamins give me the essential vitamins and minerals I don’t get enough of through food like vitamins B, C, and E. They’re also convenient to consume and save me a lot of time compared to trying to obtain all the necessary nutrients from food alone.
I buy my multivitamin supplements from Biohm Health (capsules) or Equi.Life (powder).
2. Digestive Enzymes + Toxin Removers
Did you know that our bodies produce fewer digestive enzymes as we get older?
After finding out that my gut was suffering from candida overgrowth and SIBO through lab testing in 2022, I learned that good health and digestion are not just about what foods you eat but also about how much of it you digest.
Digestive enzyme supplements help my body digest and absorb more food nutrients. I've tried digestive enzymes from 1stPhorm (capsule), BIOHM Health (veggie powders), and EquiLife (capsules) - I'd recommend these brands!
Twice a year, I'll drink one month's supply of EquiLife's Universal Binder, which is a gentle toxin remover. This helps me clear up excess toxins or bacteria overgrowth that build up over time.
3. Fish Oil
Fish oil supplements with a 2:1 ratio of EPA:DHA offer several health benefits such as:
Heart health, brain function, joint health, skin health, and mood.
I take fish oil supplements daily because I don’t eat fish containing high omega-3s as often as I should. It also helps fight inflammation in the body, which helps my muscle tissues recover faster from doing a mix of strength training and cardio 5-6 times per week.
4. Pre/Probiotics
While digestive enzymes help improve digestion, probiotics keep the digestive tract healthy.
Some brands have higher or lower quality pre/probiotics supplements, so I highly suggest choosing the brands that have conducted clinical research on their products and can demonstrate that they are effective and safe.
I've tried probiotic supplements from SEVERAL brands..more than I can count on one hand😅.
I currently drink a daily synbiotic supplement from Seed. I have been buying from Seed since 2022, and I can say that it is one of the best probiotic supplements I've ever experimented with. I drink one pill every morning, and it helps me keep my digestion and gut motility functioning regularly!
Click this link to get $25 off your first month of Seed!
5. Creatine
Drinking 3-5g of creatine daily in the form of creatine monohydrate offers several benefits. I dove deeper into the topic of creatine & its benefits in a previous blog.
A 2022 study conducted by Shih-Hao Wu et al. found that participants who drank controlled doses of creatine monohydrate over 10 days had an increase in muscle power output and muscle strength compared to the participants who drank a placebo supplement.
Personally, I drink creatine daily because I want:
Improved exercise performance
Increased strength
Hydrated muscles
Healthy cognitive function
I have been drinking creatine from Legion mainly because they have flavored options, which allows me to stack my habits of trying to take creatine and drink adequate water daily. However, buying unflavored creatine monohydrate from anywhere else will be just as effective. Plus, it's an inexpensive supplement.
6. Magnesium
I don’t eat enough foods rich in magnesium -- like leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, or whole grains. So, drinking an appropriate dose of magnesium daily helps me a ton.
The recommended dose of magnesium will vary from person to person, so I suggest talking to a health coach or healthcare provider to find out what your dose should be.
I drink magnesium nightly to help relax my muscles at the end of the day, which leads to less of an "anxious mind" and better sleep. I also drink it to help keep my bowel movements & digestive health regular.
7. Vitamin D
I’m not proud to say this, but I probably spend an hour or less outdoors daily. I work inside a dark, fluorescent-lit studio, and I don't spend enough time under the sun (whenever I do go outside) to reap the benefits of getting vitamin D from the sun.
Not getting enough sunlight can affect your energy levels, leading to other negative side effects, such as low mood, poor sleep, brain fog, and more.
I take a Vitamin D supplement daily to help make up for the lack of sunshine that I get. When taken in appropriate doses, Vitamin D is safe to consume every day. :)
Ask your primary care doctor for the appropriate dose that best fits the context of your life.
8. Electrolytes
I take electrolytes for two main reasons:
I eat home-cooked meals 5-6 days out of the week, which means my meals do not have enough sodium to help me reach the daily recommended dose of sodium for optimal health (between 1.5 grams and 2.3 grams, according to Healthline).
I’m an active person - I do strength training and cardio 6 days a week, and I work on my feet.
Sodium is an essential nutrient that helps balance the fluid levels in your body and keeps your nerves and muscles functioning optimally. If you don't consume adequate amounts of sodium through food, and you combine that with sweating a lot through exercise, then adding electrolytes to your routine could help tremendously.
Symptoms of having too little sodium in your diet include frequent migraines, feeling lethargic after a full night of sleep, frequent muscle cramps/spasms, and dizziness while walking or standing up.
One key factor that I look for in an electrolyte supplement is the sugar content. Most brands contain high amounts of sugar and not enough sodium. I've been a repeat customer on LMNT's website - their electrolyte packets contain good amounts of potassium and magnesium, which is a bonus.
9. Whey protein
Drinking 1-2 servings of protein powder helps me reach my daily protein goal on the days that I don't hit my protein target through food. If I could afford and/or have the stomach capacity to eat all of my protein in whole foods, I would. But, I don’t.
Having protein shakes from a trusted supplement brand comes in very handy for a lot of people.
I currently drink protein from Legion or Lifetime, and I love them both. Neither gives me digestion issues (a big win for me), and both brands serve high-quality products with clean ingredients. Because I only drink protein from these two brands, I can only suggest these two brands. I’m sure there are other great brands out there that carry good quality products backed by scientific research - you just have to find them and try them out. :)
Lifetime’s All-in-one protein contains 30 grams of protein, digestive enzymes, and multivitamins -- this is a plus if you’re looking for an all-in-one supplement.
Legion supplements have fewer calories and fewer grams of protein per serving (24g/serving).
10. Red & green veggies
Red & green vegetable powders are not a necessity, but they can sure help boost your nutrient intake if you’re not consuming enough vegetables and fruits in the form of whole foods. This is why I drink 1 serving of red or green powder daily. The 2nd reason I drink veggie powders is to support my digestive health.
The powders I drink (from BIOHM Health or 1stPhorm) have concentrated doses of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial compounds.
Thank you for reading!
These are my current top 10 supplements that I'm currently taking as an active, strength training and conditioning coach in my late 20s.
I did lab testing in 2022 to find out which minerals and vitamins my body lacked, and this is how I got to the bottom of finding out which supplements would suit the context of my current lifestyle.
In case you're curious - The lab tests that I did were purchased through EquiLife. I received at-home lab testing kits, did the testing procedure in the comfort of my home, mailed it back to the clinic, and scheduled a complimentary 1-hour coaching call with a Health Coach through Equilife once my lab results were ready. I HIGHLY recommend taking the lab testing route because it's always better to get lab tested than to make guesses about our health.
Do you have any questions that I could help answer? Feel free to send me a message on my Instagram account: @shannonnguyen.
Bye for now! :)
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