The Back Story
In this interview where Dr. Kristin Comella and I discuss “The 5 Most Important Supplements” with Dr. David Blyweiss, we share some insight you’ll find valuable. You’ll want to know “The Top 5.” Listen.
Listen to the interview
For years I’ve heard, addressed, and been frustrated by the question, “Does It Work?” I travelled the world doing seminars and media appearances sharing what I called, “The Fitness Truth,” and the most prevalent question was based on the flawed idea that a thing, in and of itself, would perform an outcome.
- Does chromium work? (at the time it was marketed as a miraculous fat burner)
- Does MCT oil work?
- Does ashwagandha work?
The question didn’t limit itself to nutritional supplements.
- Does the ab roller work?
- Does the ridiculous silver suit, that makes me sweat, work to make me skinny and beautiful?
It was simple to dismiss the absurdities. No, the vibrating phallic looking device you put batteries into being marketed on an infomercial won’t help you look like the models on the commercial. No, the gooey liquid made from select grapes won’t stop you from aging, and no, the weight loss earrings won’t create a weight loss aura around you that speeds metabolism (yes, that was real).
Now the good news.
If you maintain a lifestyle inclusive of a synergistic integration of sound exercise and healthful whole food nutrition, creatine monohydrate can increase muscle size, vitamin C can aid immune function, and a B Complex can play a significant role in supporting cellular health, brain function, and energy levels, and that’s a tiny sampling of the many nutritional aids that over time, can make a measurable difference.
Lest you think I’m dismissing the role of nutritional aids in supporting optimal health, I’ll go a step further. There are a number of supplements that, in 21st century civilized society are vitally important. The new question, related to supplements, should be, “which ones will serve me best.”
For clarity, understand this. In most cases a supplement is a nutrient or a mix of nutrients we can find in food. You’ll find antioxidant blends, adaptogen complexes, and “proprietary formulas” that are part of nature’s miracle, delivered in delivery systems that we call mushrooms, broccoli, kale, wild-caught fish, or grass-fed beef. In nature, micronutrients are delivered along with macros and any attempt to replicate that which the Earth produces will fall short. Combinations of nutrients offer health and energy.
Nothing “works” in and of itself, yet we have to acknowledge that our environment, science, and the pursuit of convenience have made obtaining optimal nutrition through the foods we eat a very real challenge. A bit of wisdom and effort can lead to an understanding and regular regimen of nutritional supplements that play a role in a thrilling outcome, make sense to invest in, and make you “better.”