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Protein shakes, preworkout, aminos, creatine, micronised double distilled 20 year aged Glucosamine… With such an enormous selection and different categories of supplement available on the market today, it can be an absolute mine field trying to figure out which ones to actually add into your diet. Rather than go into detail about every supplement available, I have compiled a list of 5 of the top supplements that I personally use and advise my athletes and clients to do so as well. 

Whey Protein. Protein is essential for the repair and growth of muscle. Without an adequate intake of protein, your body will not be able to repair and recover from gruelling workouts. There is no point in destroying yourself in a training session if you’re unable to squeeze every ounce of adaptation from it. More on Whey Protein Here. 

My recommendation for whey protein is Icon Nutrition’s Whey Protein.

Amino Acids. Amino acids can be taken as an intraworkout drink to help reduce the effects of fatigue, and help you get through a 2 hour training session without flatlining during your final sets of squats. More on Amino Acids Here.

My recommendation for amino acids is Icon Nutrition’s Amino Performance.

Preworkout. The luminous glow in the dark drink that gets you amped up to crush your training. Preworkout is designed to pick you and get you ready to roll when you start your session. The 2 main ingredients that I personally look for are Caffeine and Beta Alanine. Caffeine not only gives you a burst of energy, but it has also been shown to reduce your perception of exertion, meaning that sets could feel easier than they should. Beta alanine helps dilate your blood vessels, encouraging more blood flow around the body. Beta Alanine is also responsible for that crazy tingling sensation that you get in your face after triple scooping your preworkout. 

My recommendation for preworkout is Icon Nutrition’s Ignite.

Vitamin B12. Vitamins are the tiny supplements that you can never truly tell if they are having an effect. Whey is taking as a protein supplement, aminos stop you going flat, and preworkout kicks you in the face, but vitamins are much more subtle. The first vitamin that I would recommend is B12. In short, B12 can assist on helping the nervous system recover. There is a lot of new research surfacing on the benefits of supplementing B12 if you’re naturally deficient. More on Vitamin B12 Here.

My recommendation for Vitamin B12 is Icon Nutrition’s B12.

Vitamin D3. The final supplement is the sunlight vitamin itself, vitamin D3. Now if you live in the UK then the chances are you are D3 deficient, mainly because we only see the sun for 3 days a year. D3 has been proven to not only boost your immune system, but it also has positive effects on your mental health. More on Vitamin D3 Here. 

My recommendation for Vitamin D3 is Icon Nutrition’s D3.

As a final note, it is always advised to get as much of your body’s nutrition from actual food sources. Supplements are indeed supplements. They are designed to supplement a healthy diet, not replace it.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my next post “Comfort Is Killing Your Gains“.