A beginner's regimen: The power of core nutritional supplements

George Rudy // Shutterstock Good food. Fitness. High-quality sleep. Stress management. Hydration. All of these are required to maintain well-being–but is there anything else people can do to promote wellness? The right supplements can help meet your health goals because they fill in dietary gaps. (The truth is, even people with a flawless diet need a little “insurance” policy to ensure they’re getting enough beneficial nutrients.) So which nutritional supplements are best to take? Life Extension details which ones are considered important in any regimen, how to pick out supplements that are formulated with safety and quality in mind, and how to best make vitamins and minerals work for you. While the supplement regimen that’s the perfect fit for you should be individualized, there are a few core supplements that most of us will benefit from. 1. Multivitamins A high-quality multivitamin is a pillar of good health. This means that it contains about 100% of the daily value of most essential vitamins and minerals. Because multivitamins are intended to cover a broad spectrum of nutritional bases at once, they offer many whole-body health benefits, including heart health, eye health, cognitive function, immune support, and cell health. But that’s not all they’re good for. Some multivitamins also offer nutrients that are harder to get from diet, like quercetin, alpha-lipoic acid, and inositol. Finding a quality multivitamin can help to meet all nutritional requirements and give people what they need in just one serving a day. 2. Fish Oil Fish oil should be another given in any supplement regimen. Fish oil supplements contain the important essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. These healthy fats are important for the heart, brain, eyes, and more. The right supplement will provide optimal amounts of EPA and DHA fatty acids to best support your health. 3. Fiber Whether someone does or doesn’t eat many plant foods, like legumes, whole grains, and vegetables, a fiber supplement should always be considered. Although they primarily have a reputation for helping to meet daily dietary fiber needs and keep digestion on track, plant-based fiber supplements have other lesser-known benefits, including satiety and cardiovascular health. 4. Magnesium While there’s no doubt calcium is important and essential to bone health, magnesium is the forgotten superstar when it comes to mineral supplements. Why is that? Magnesium is one mineral that’s tough to get from diet alone, so a lot of people need to supplement to support optimal intake levels. Not only is this mineral required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, it also plays a crucial role in heart and bone health, optimal energy metabolism, brain function, and other vital functions. 5. Vitamin D This list wouldn’t be complete without the sunshine vitamin. Human bodies produce it naturally when exposed to sunlight, and it supports our bones, immune system, heart, and even brain. Making sure to get enough vitamin D and that levels are in the right place is necessary for lasting health. For those living in a climate where it’s difficult to get outside during the day, or people who are proactive about protecting their skin health, supplementing some vitamin D in a multivitamin or a standalone D3 formula can help achieve optimal vitamin D levels without the guesswork. Can I Get All the Necessary Nutrients From Food, or Do I Need Supplements? All the nutrients in the list above also exist in food: For example, fish oil can be obtained by eating, well, oily fish. Better yet, plant foods (including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds) are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. So, can’t people just eat their way to optimal nutrition? No, not really. In a perfect world, we would get everything we need from the food we eat, but alas, the world is not perfect. Food today isn’t as nutrient-dense as it used to be. Consider that soil isn’t as rich in nutrients, which changes the composition of the food it grows. Even if that weren’t the case, eating a “perfect” diet would take a significant amount of time and resources to learn about what nutrients are needed and how much of each is needed, purchasing those ingredients, cooking, and so on. This isn’t easy to do on top of work, family, and life’s everyday stressors, priorities, and obligations. For these reasons, it’s unlikely people can get everything they need from food alone. The best way to get the necessary nutrients is via a consistent supplement regimen. How Do You Create a Beginner Supplement Regimen? The best way to create a supplement regimen is to start with the core recommendations already mentioned, and then layer in individual needs and attributes. For instance, men and women have slightly different needs. The best supplement regimen for someone might also depend on their age and health status. A 30-year-old will likely have different needs than a 60-year-old. It’s key to also consider family history and genetics when it comes to supplementing. They play a role, too. Furthermore, lifestyle matters quite a bit. Imagine two people who seem quite similar: same age, sex, and overall health status. But say one has a lot on their mind and has been struggling occasionally to fall asleep. This person might have different or greater nutritional needs and might need some additional supplements beyond the core ones we’ve mentioned, such as formulas designed for stress management. By that same token, protein powder is a staple in sports nutrition and a good fit for individuals with an active lifestyle who might need help getting enough of the macronutrients required to help build and sustain lean muscle mass. Taking a scoop of pre-workout before or after finishing training, combined with a healthy carbohydrate, helps yield the best results. What Is the Best Combination of Supplements? There is no such thing as the “best” routine because every individual is different and, thus, their needs and goals will be different, too. However, for a place to start, the recommendations made so far are a good jumping-off point. Additionally, there are other supplements that might not be considered “core” but are still excellent to include in any regimen: N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC): This is one of the top antioxidants, and is great for protecting immune, liver, and respiratory health. Curcumin: The golden spice curcumin is well-studied for its whole-body health benefits and its ability to promote a healthy inflammatory response. Probiotics: These support gut health, immune system, and so much more. CoQ10: Encourages cardiovascular health. How Do You Pick High-Quality Supplements? This is one of those times when it pays to be picky. A supplement brand worth its salt will be transparent with its sourcing and manufacturing processes. Ingredients will clearly be disclosed and should be based on purity, potency, and usage. Moreover, the product should be third-party tested, with the results and a Certificate Of Analysis available on the brand’s website. Supplements Are Not a Replacement for Smart Lifestyle Choices Lastly, even the highest-quality products work best in combination with other healthy lifestyle habits. Aim to eat a minimally processed, nutrient-dense diet with lots of color (like the Mediterranean diet). Superfoods in particular are smart to make room for. This is because superfoods, by definition, are rich in vitamins and minerals. Hydration is also important. But it’s not just about diet–physical activity and daily movement should not be discounted. Resistance training strengthens and protects muscles and bones, while cardio workouts are excellent for the heart and lungs. Plenty of sleep and healthy ways to address stress, such as meditation, journaling, affirmations, or spending time with Mother Nature help to round out good health. By approaching health holistically, people can position their chosen supplements to have an even greater impact on their physical and mental health. This story was produced by Life Extension and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.