What Supplements to Take?!
Happy Holidays Squadies!
Today is really exciting because today I am officially sharing my blood work results with you after TAKING SUPPLEMENTS FOR 30 DAYS! And to make things even better is that these results are all backed by cold, hard science! I took a blood test before & after taking these supplements to ensure I give you the best, most accurate, science backed information! So I hope you find this blog post super helpful in guiding you to what supplements to take that can and will ACTUALLY BENEFIT YOU AND YOUR BODY!
But first, I have a few things I want to clarify.
Number one is that is it extremely important to understand that supplements can benefit our bodies and health substantially over the long term. Don't view them as a quick fix, or way to shed a few pounds. Instead, it's vital that you approach taking supplements like you would building a house. They are simply the foundation of your body. Helping you build it from the ground up, as strong and healthy as possible. And just like when we neglect taking care of our house, things in our bodies can quickly deteriorate. Having vitamin and mineral deficiencies can have severe negative effects on everything from energy levels, joint health, performance and stress levels.
Number two is recognizing that no matter HOW WELL ROUNDED your diet is, we all need supplements to some degree. Take it from me! After I cut supplements out of my diet for 30 days and tested my blood, I was amazed at what I was deficient in, despite eating a well rounded diet daily!!
Number three is quality of supplements matter. There are WAY TOO MANY SUPPLEMENTS out there that are extremely poor quality or promise very misleading things. That's why prior to this test, I partnered up with Dr. Tobias. They are an extremely high quality, affordable supplement that I have taken before. And also, they have kindly OFFERED EVERYONE 15% OFF ALL THEIR SUPPLEMENTS (and trust me, you're going to want them after you see my blood results)! Just click here to check them out and use the CODE 15OFFPHIL.
So, how did I measure what worked and what didn't?
Well, in order to find out what I was deficient in, I took a blood test with the company InsideTracker. I had cut supplements out of my daily routine for 30 days prior to testing. InsideTracker is awesome because it is so easy to use. It breaks down your results in a very digestible way so you can easily understand which supplements you should be taking based on what you are deficient in. Then, for the next 30 days, I took some of Dr.Tobias Supplements which were best suited to address my deficiencies, then took another blood test 30 days later to see my results.
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I have set up TWO DIFFERENT LINKS depending on whether you are Canadian or American, as their offerings are slightly different.
USA SQUADIES --> CLICK HERE TO GET 15% OFF & USE CODE 15OFFPHIL
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Here are the supplements I took and my results:
1. Multivitamin
The first vitamin I took was Dr.Tobias Multivitamin (USA SQUADIES click here to buy & use code 15OFFPHIL for 15% off/ Canadian SQUADIES CLICK HERE) . I took this to track whether or not it could address a multitude of deficiencies and the good news is that 30 days later I found out it could!
A good, well rounded multivitamin (like Dr.Tobias's Multivitamin) is a great place to start when choosing what supplements to use. This is true because it contains an entire multitude of nutrients and vitamins in it. Therefore, helping you cover a broad range of deficiencies in one pill. My test highlighted deficiencies in B12, Vitamin D, and Magnesium levels. So therefore, I thought it would be great to see how Dr.Tobias's Multivitamin impacted these deficiencies over the course of 30 days!
Now, let's dive into my B12 deficiency and my results! Firstly, B12 is an essential vitamin as it plays a roll in many critical body functions. These functions include producing red blood cells, making DNA and RNA, and the proper function of your brain and nervous system. Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal products, which is why it is especially important to supplement vitamin B12 if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. HOWEVER, this supplement is not just for vegan or vegetarians. B12 deficiencies are VERY COMMON among the general population. Even if you eat meat!
Throughout these 30 days, I was practicing a vegan diet, meaning my only source of vitamin B12 was coming from these supplements! Therefore, I could directly measure whether or not Dr.Tobias's Multivitamin positively impacted my B12 levels. And on that note, it was very reassuring knowing Dr.Tobias’s multivitamin contains a high dosage of vitamin B12, which meant I didn't have to mess around with a specific B12 supplement. Instead, I could just take Dr.Tobias's Multivitamin and know the dosage was more than enough.
And now... my results *Drum Roll Please*
I can safely say that the results have shown that taking this multivitamin has SKYROCKETED my levels of B12 in only 30 days! Increasing almost 100% from 350pg/mL to 649pg/mL!
As far as science experiments go, this is a HUGE RESULT! Which means Dr. Tobias's Multivitamin gets a huge lean thumbs up!!
P.S. I was also taking Dr. Tobias's Thyroid support, another supplement I have been taking the last 30 days which I will mention later on in this post, also contains vitamin B12 and aided in my raised levels of B12. In the case of B12, this is OK because any extra will simply pass through your urine. So you're not in danger of having too much!
**I also had a magnesium group deficiency, which I will also mention later on, but the addition of Dr.Tobias's multivitamin played a role in raising these levels as well.**
2. Turmeric Curcumin
My blood tests also showed that I had a deficiency in creatine kinase. Creatine kinase is related to muscle health. This vitamin can be found within your muscle tissues and is important for producing energy during your workout. Throughout your workout, muscles can tare and creatine kinase can leak out, causing your levels to drop. Due to these low levels, you are more likely to sustain an injury, get muscle cramping, get tired faster throughout your workout, and take longer to heal from muscle injuries. Overall, having low creatine kinase can give you performance issues down the road.
One of the supplements inside tracker recommended in order for me to fix this deficiency and approve optimize my levels was turmeric. So, I opted to take Dr.Tobias turmeric curcumin for the next 30 days, and the good news is....
Another drum roll please!!!!
Is that my creatine kinsane levels significantly improved. Roughly 50% to 340U/L. This is a MASSIVE improvement, again and I think signifcantly impacted my ability to push myself throughout my #6weekchallenge workouts, 5 days a week. Performing optimally, recovery quickly and feeling super energized every day!
The 6 week challenge program involved a lot of HIIT training. In order to see the BEST results with HIIT training, having high energy and performance levels all throughout the workout can help you see better results quicker!
3. Vitamin D-3
Most people on the planet are deficient in vitamin D, so not surprisingly, my results showed that I was deficient in vitamin D! It mainly comes from sun exposure to the skin, eating fish, drinking milk or eating plants. Vitamin D enables your body to absorb calcium, keeping your bones strong and healthy. Vitamin D is vital since a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to a whole bunch of very severe health issues down the road. Lack of this vitamin can also cause stress fractures in active individuals and hip fractures for older individuals. When I took my first blood test, I was in sunny Florida, meaning I was getting a TON of sunshine, yet I was STILL deficient in Vitamin D.
The vitamin D-3 supplement by Dr.Tobias really packs a punch. Just one contains such a high dosage of vitamin D, and the results proved that the high dosage Dr.Tobias provides really makes a difference! A ton of supplement companies will give you smaller doses, not enough to help you overcome a deficiency. Dr.Tobias is different; they give you an incredible dosage which allowed my levels of D-3 to go up into the optimal zone!
4. Thyroid Support
I took Dr.Tobias’s thyroid support to help raise 2 key levels: magnesium and testosterone. My magnesium levels were very low before taking this supplement, which is not a good issue to have. The magnesium group is essential for nerve, muscle, metabolism and immune function! Magnesium is important for healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels. It is also crucial to help improve muscle strength, and helps you fatigue SLOWER during quick bursts of exercise, such as HIIT training. Magnesium also helps IMPROVE your sleep quality! Dr.Tobias thyroid support supplement got me into the optimized zone and nearly DOUBLED my magnesium levels! That is a LEANSANE IMPROVEMENT IN ONLY 30 DAYS!!!
Next up, was my TESTOSTERONE LEVELS! Dr. Tobias's Thyroid support also helped me in raising my testosterone levels *Spoiler Alert*.
Now, I can’t say this definitively, but I think this is the case because of one ingredient called Ashwagandha. This ingredient has proven to have a significant impact on testosterone levels in individuals. Of course a lot comes into play when measuring your testosterone levels, it can vary depending on stress, work load in the gym etc, but again, I have never taken this supplement before and there was a huge increase in my testosterone levels.
MY RESULTS... my testosterone increased 50%!!! Honestly, this one blew me away! Super crazy!!
The thyroid support is awesome because this mix of herbs and vitamins can allow your thyroid to function properly. With a properly functioning thyroid you will benefit with a healthier metabolism, higher testosterone levels, and higher energy levels. I highly recommend this supplement and I am continuing to take it!
5. Joint support
My blood work from InsideTracker highlighted that I had a glucosamine deficiency. Glucosamine is vital to a bunch of things such as your tendons, inflammation etc. Glucosamine helps to keep your cartilage strong, which is the rubbery tissue surrounding your joints. As you age, the levels of this chemical compound naturally drop, leaving you susceptible to joint damage or pain. As an ex-professional rugby player, it is important for me to keep my joints strong! After taking Dr. Tobias’ joint support for 30 days, I raised my levels of glucosamine from risk to my optimized zone! My joints feel better, my back pain is better and it’s great to see a supplement get me out of the deficient zone!
So, do supplements actually work?
I think it's safe do say, these ones I tested certainly do!! My results speak for themselves and I think it demonstrates that a good, quality supplement can significantly impact your overall health, help deficiencies and make you healthier!
Taking supplements along with having a healthy diet and fitness schedule will have you feeling your best all year long!
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And one last final note, we are entering a NEW DECADE and there is no better time than now to make a promise to yourself to transform your health and fitness... forever! And if you feel like you are ready to commit to that goal, but want the best guidance, motivation and plan then sign up for your own 6 WEEK LEAN CHALLENGE TODAY and get 20% OFF!!
I promise you, if you commit, we will transform not only your body, but also your confidence, energy levels and life in 2020!!