4 Things You Need To Know About Supplements
Written by Kris Einboden, GM and Professional Coach at The Six Pack Dad Tribe
Walk into any supplement store and you'll see products promising to build muscle, burn fat, boost testosterone, improve your health, increase energy, and just about everything else.
How many supplement claims are legit? Can supplements move the needle when it comes to my health? What supplements should I take? What works and what doesn’t?
In this article I’ll answer these questions while outlining the four things you need to know about supplementation:
#1: Supplements are largely unregulated
Unlike prescription drugs, supplements don't have to go through the FDA approval process to prove their safety and effectiveness before they hit the market. As a result, supplement companies can make bold claims about what their supplements can do for you, like “may boost immune support,” without actually proving it works. They’re just hoping they tug on your emotions enough to buy into the claims. So don't automatically trust what's written on the front of a supplement bottle.
#2: Supplements are minimally effective at best
A lot of supplements simply don’t work. But even when a supplement actually works, the effect is usually pretty small. No supplement will transform your health by itself. The benefits of consistent exercise, daily activity, quality nutrition, healthy sleep, and hydration will far outperform any good that comes from supplements.
#3: If You’re Going To Supplement, Supplement intentionally
We’re not completely against supplements. But if you’re taking them, you should have a good reason. Targeted supplementation is a better approach. Rather than taking a bunch of random supplements and hoping one of them fixes something, figure out what you're actually lacking. You might even ask your doctor for blood work that pinpoints potential nutrient deficiencies. Then you can address those through your diet or supplementation.
Supplements can also make sense when you're trying to meet the demands of a specific sport or activity. For example, creatine makes sense if you're trying to build muscle. Electrolytes make sense if you're sweating heavily for long periods. Certain endurance supplements can bump up performance for specific types of events. Ultimately, context matters when supplementing.
#4: Supplements You’re Wasting Money On
The following are supplements I consistently see people buying that are essentially worthless. Save your money and avoid them!
BCAAs
BCAAs (branch chain amino acids) are involved in protein synthesis and muscle growth, but if you're already getting enough protein, you're getting plenty of BCAAs. Think of it like this:
- BCAAs are a small egg.
- Essential amino acids (EAAs) are a bigger egg that includes BCAAs.
- Protein is the biggest egg that includes essential amino acids and BCAAs.
If you eat the biggest egg (protein), you get all you need when it comes to amino acids, so just focus on getting enough protein.
Testosterone boosters
Off-the-shelf testosterone boosters are pure hype. Many contain random herbs and other ingredients with weak or no evidence behind them. If you have clinically low testosterone, that's something to discuss with your doctor. Low testosterone tends to stem from poor sleep, lack of exercise, and changing body composition. Focusing on those areas will do far more than a random supplement claiming to boost testosterone.
Fat burners
Fat burners are often just caffeine and a collection of other ingredients marketed as “metabolism boosters.” Caffeine can increase metabolism slightly, but not anything meaningful enough to make you shed body fat. Fat loss ultimately comes down to creating a calorie deficit so your body has to use stored energy. Your nutrition is what drives that process, not a supplement.
Detox supplements
Most "detox" supplements are just combinations of herbs marketed around vague claims about cleansing your body. You don't need a detox pill. Your body already has systems for dealing with waste and toxins, primarily through organs like your liver. If you see "detox" or "toxins" plastered all over a supplement, be skeptical.
This is probably the simplest rule when it comes to supplements: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
There’s no magic pill that can effortlessly burn fat, build muscle, dramatically increase testosterone, and solve all of your health problems. Otherwise everyone would be taking it.
At The Six Pack Dad Tribe, we focus on the things that actually move the needle:
- Exercise
- Daily activity
- Quality nutrition
- Sleep
- Hydration
Supplements can be useful tools when there's a specific reason to use them. Just don’t try to supplement in place of the basics. Focus on what actually works, and you'll get a much bigger return on your time, money, and effort.
Need expert guidance and accountability to build the habits that drive real, lasting results?
Over a lifetime, you’ll spend far less on coaching and get far more than supplements can ever give you. In the Six Pack Dad Tribe, 96% of our men meet their own health and fitness goals. But more importantly, they also maintain them indefinitely beyond their coaching period.
Let us equip you with the mindset, tools, and motivation to stay healthy. Book a call with our team to learn how our 1-on-1 coaching program can help you build your own sustainable approach to fat loss and better health that actually works with your life, not against it: thesixpackdadtribe.com/call.