The ONLY Supplements That ACTUALLY Work

Summary

This video discusses nine scientifically-backed supplements that genuinely improve health. The first three enhance muscle performance, with creatine monohydrate being the most effective. It not only boosts exercise capacity but also cognitive performance. Protein intake is crucial for muscle strength, and TMG aids in muscle and cognitive health. A multivitamin and mineral supplement benefits memory and cognition. Omega-3 and psyllium husk support heart health. Collagen peptides and hyaluronic acid improve skin health. Melatonin helps with sleep, while glycine and NAC support antioxidant levels. The video also debunks popular but ineffective longevity supplements.

Takeaways

• 💪 Creatine Monohydrate is the most effective nutritional supplement for athletes, increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass, with safety concerns disproven.
• 🧠 Creatine also enhances cognitive performance, especially in older adults, as suggested by a meta-analysis published in August 2022.
• 🏋️ High protein intake is crucial for maximizing muscle performance, with a recommended 1.6g per kilogram of body weight per day.
• 🥩 The quality of protein is important, with a focus on leucine content for initiating muscle protein synthesis, and plant-based options like pea or brown rice protein are available.
• 🚴‍♂️ TMG (Trimethylglycine) improves muscle performance when combined with exercise and may have potential in reducing dementia risk.
• 🧠 A multivitamin and mineral supplement can benefit cognition, as shown in the COSMOS mind study, but it should not replace a healthy diet and exercise.
• ❤️ Omega-3 supplements, specifically a mixture of EPA and DHA, can reduce heart attack risk, but caution is needed due to potential risks of mega-dosing.
• 🌾 Prebiotic fiber like prebiotic husk can improve gut health, insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
• 🌟 Collagen peptides have been shown to reduce skin wrinkles and improve skin hydration and elasticity, beyond the benefits of regular protein intake.
• 💧 Hyaluronic acid, taken in supplement form, can improve skin wrinkles and has been supported by randomized clinical trials.
• 💤 Melatonin supplements can help with sleep, but the correct dose and timing are crucial for effectiveness and safety.

Q & A

What is the most effective nutritional supplement for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass?

Creatine monohydrate is considered the most effective nutritional supplement for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.

What are the common myths about the safety concerns of creatine monohydrate?

Common myths include creatine causing hair loss, increasing uric acid levels, posing health risks to kidneys, causing dehydration, and muscle cramping. These concerns have been disproven.

How does creatine monohydrate affect cognitive performance?

Creatine supplements not only increase muscle creatine stores but also brain creatine stores, which can enhance memory performance, particularly in older adults.

What is the recommended daily protein intake to maximize muscle performance improvements from resistance exercise?

A protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is recommended to maximize muscle performance improvements from resistance exercise, with older adults potentially needing up to 2 grams per kilogram.

What are some high-protein foods and supplements that can help reach the recommended daily protein intake?

High-protein foods include beef (which is about 25% protein), and protein powders such as whey protein, pea protein, brown rice protein, and soy protein.

What is the role of leucine in protein supplementation?

Leucine is an essential amino acid that plays a pivotal role in initiating muscle protein synthesis, determining the quality of protein in the context of muscle building and maintenance.

What is TMG, and how does it benefit muscle performance?

TMG (trimethylglycine) accelerates the recycling of cells' energy storage (ATP) and enhances muscle protein synthesis. It improves muscle performance when combined with exercise.

What cognitive benefits does TMG provide?

TMG may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by lowering high levels of homocysteine in the blood, though more research is needed to confirm this benefit.

What supplement was shown to improve global cognition in the COSMOS-Mind study?

A multivitamin and mineral supplement was shown to improve global cognition in the COSMOS-Mind study involving over 2,000 people over three years.

What are the potential risks of mega-dosing Omega-3 supplements?

Mega-dosing Omega-3 supplements can increase the risk of developing an abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, so it's advised to take about 1 gram of Omega-3 as a mixture of EPA and DHA.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Supplements for Muscle Performance and Cognitive Health

The first paragraph introduces nine health supplements supported by human clinical trials. It emphasizes three key supplements for muscle performance: creatine monohydrate, protein powder, and TMG. Creatine is highlighted as the most effective nutritional supplement for athletes, enhancing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean muscle mass, with safety concerns debunked. Creatine also shows promise for cognitive performance, especially in older adults. Protein intake recommendations are discussed, with a focus on the importance of leucine for muscle protein synthesis. TMG is noted for its potential to improve muscle performance when combined with exercise and possibly reduce Alzheimer's risk.

05:01

🧠 Cognitive and Heart Health Supplements

This paragraph delves into supplements for cognitive performance and heart health. A multivitamin and mineral supplement is cited for its significant benefits on global cognition, as demonstrated in the COSMOS mind study. The importance of individual nutrients like vitamin B3, D3, K2, zinc, and magnesium is underscored, leading to the creation of a personalized multivitamin. Omega-3 is recommended for heart health, with caution advised against mega dosing due to potential risks. Prebiotic fiber from inulin husk is also mentioned for gut health and its indirect benefits on metabolic health.

10:01

🌟 Supplements for Skin Health and Sleep

The final paragraph focuses on supplements that improve skin health and sleep quality. Collagen peptides are discussed for their ability to reduce skin wrinkles and improve hydration, with evidence suggesting they are more effective than regular protein intake. Hyaluronic acid is another supplement shown to improve skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles. Melatonin is noted for its sleep benefits but with a warning against high doses due to a lack of long-term safety data. Glutathione precursors are suggested as an antioxidant strategy for those over 45 to support mitochondrial health. The paragraph concludes by advising against certain longevity supplements that lack evidence for effectiveness.

Keywords

💡Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate is a supplement that has been extensively studied and is recognized for its effectiveness in enhancing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training. It also aids in muscle recovery and has no significant health risks, such as hair loss or kidney issues. The video highlights its benefits for both muscle performance and cognitive performance, particularly during stress or aging.

💡Protein Intake

Protein Intake is crucial for muscle building and maintenance. The video discusses the ideal protein intake of 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day to maximize muscle performance from exercise. For older adults, this intake may need to be higher due to decreased absorption and accelerated muscle loss. Protein powders are recommended to meet these intake levels without consuming large amounts of food.

💡Leucine

Leucine is an essential amino acid pivotal in initiating muscle protein synthesis. The video emphasizes its importance in the quality of protein, particularly for muscle building and maintenance. It notes that whey protein is rich in leucine, while plant-based diets may require higher overall protein consumption to achieve the same leucine levels.

💡Betaine (TMG)

Betaine, also known as TMG (Trimethylglycine), is a supplement that enhances muscle performance by accelerating the recycling of ATP and muscle protein synthesis. The video mentions its controversial effectiveness, noting improvements when combined with exercise. Additionally, TMG may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by lowering homocysteine levels in the blood, although more research is needed.

💡Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement

A Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement combines various vitamins and minerals to support overall health. The video references the COSMOS-Mind study, which found that such supplements significantly benefit global cognition. The speaker created a custom multivitamin to meet specific needs, avoiding certain vitamins like A and E and including beneficial forms like vitamin K2 and magnesium.

💡Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 Fatty Acids are important for heart health. The video cites the VITAL trial, which found that a 1-gram daily intake of Omega-3 (EPA and DHA) reduced heart attack risk by 28%. However, there are risks associated with high doses, such as increased atrial fibrillation. The speaker recommends a moderate intake to balance benefits and risks.

💡Psyllium Husk

Psyllium Husk is a dietary fiber that supports gut health by feeding beneficial bacteria. The video highlights its benefits for improving insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol. The speaker takes 3-5 grams daily and advises choosing brands with low lead content, such as Yerba Prima and NOW Foods.

💡Collagen Peptides

Collagen Peptides are short chains of amino acids that improve skin health. The video presents evidence from multiple clinical trials showing that collagen peptides reduce skin wrinkles and enhance hydration and elasticity. The speaker takes 10-15 grams daily, noting that collagen peptides offer benefits beyond regular protein intake.

💡Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is a supplement known for its skin benefits, particularly in reducing wrinkles and improving hydration. The video references studies showing significant improvements in skin health with a daily intake of 200 mg. The speaker includes this supplement in their regimen for its proven dermatological benefits.

💡Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. The video discusses its effectiveness in improving sleep quality when taken in low doses around two hours before bedtime. The speaker warns against high doses due to a lack of long-term safety data and emphasizes melatonin's additional antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, particularly relevant to aging.

Highlights

Nine supplements backed by human clinical trials can make a difference to health.

Creatine monohydrate is the most effective nutritional supplement for athletes, increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass.

Initial safety concerns about creatine have been disproven, including links to hair loss and kidney health risks.

Creatine supplementation enhances memory performance, especially in older adults.

Protein intake of 1.6 G per kilogram of body weight per day maximizes muscle performance improvements from resistance exercise.

Higher protein intakes are associated with improved muscle strength and lower death rates.

Protein powders are a convenient way to reach daily protein targets without added sugars or salts.

Lucine content in protein is pivotal for initiating muscle protein synthesis.

TMG (Trimethylglycine) improves muscle performance when combined with exercise and may reduce dementia risk.

Multivitamin and mineral supplements can benefit global cognition, as shown in the COSMOS mind study.

Omega-3 supplements reduce heart attack risk but caution is needed due to potential risks of Mega dosing.

Pelium husk feeds gut bacteria, improving insulin sensitivity, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Collagen peptides reduce skin wrinkles and improve skin hydration beyond regular protein intake.

Hyaluronic acid improves skin wrinkles and has been shown to enhance skin elasticity.

Melatonin supplements should be taken in low doses around 2 hours before sleep for optimal effect.

Glutathione levels decrease after the age of 45, and supplementing with its building blocks can support health.

Supplements like calcium Alpha ketoglutarate, nicotinamide riboside, and fistin showed no lifespan extension effects in the Interventions Testing Program.

If only one supplement could be chosen, creatine would be the top pick based on the discussed evidence.

Transcripts

there are so many supplements out there

and most of them do absolutely nothing

but looking through the human clinical

trials there are nine supplements that

actually make a difference to our health

and the first three are fantastic for

muscle performance so in this video I'll

show you what these supplements are and

the scientific evidence behind why they

work the popular supplements to avoid

and save your money because a critical

news study has just been published and

if I could only have one supplement what

supplement would it be here are the

first of three supplements for muscle

performance and then we'll have a look

at a supplement that improves memory and

cognition the first supplement is the

most widely studied of all and the

evidence is so strong that the

international Society of Sports

Nutrition concluded that it is the most

effective nutritional supplement

currently available to athletes in terms

of increasing high-intensity Exercise

capacity and lean body mass during

training it also helps with muscle

recovery after exercise and luckily for

us the initial safety concerns have been

disproven specifically we know that

there is no link to hair loss it does

not increase uric acid levels it poses

no health risks to our kidneys it's not

associated with dehydration or muscle

cramping and it increases lean muscle

mass not fat Mass the supplement is

creatine monohydrate and I Take 5 G

every day but remember that just because

I take a supplement does not in any way

mean that you should as well but what

most people don't know about creatine is

the emerging evidence for improvements

on cognitive performance and there's a

second specific supplement that we'll

talk about later in the video as well

for improved cognition so creatine

supplements not only increase muscle

creatine stores but also brain creatine

stores and this is especially important

during times of stress such as sleep

disruption and even aging itself during

these challenges it can cause the levels

of brain creatine to decrease and

multiple randomized clinical trials have

investigated creatine supplements and

its effects on cognitive performance and

those trials were combined into a

metaanalysis published in August 2022

the analysis concluded that creatine

supplementation enhances measures of

memory performance in healthy

individuals especially older adults that

provides another reason for me to

supplement with creatine 5 g a day and

now for the second of three supplements

for muscle performance there's a

striking correlation between decreased

muscle strength and increased death

rates even after adjusting for other

risk factors so we want to maximize

muscle strength in youth maintain our

strength in middle age and minimize the

loss in old age and we know from

multiple lines of evidence that higher

protein intakes improve the muscle

building response to exercise which is

why the clinical guidelines suggest to

increase protein intake so what is the

perfect level of protein intake to

maximize the benefits of exercise well a

2018 metaanalysis that combined 49

studies found that protein intake of 1.6

G per kilogram of body weight per day

maximized the muscle performance

improvements from resistance exercise

and older adults may even need a higher

amount up to 2 g of protein intake per

kilogram of body weight per day that's

because their digestive systems they're

not as great at absorbing the protein

from the diet and they also experience

accelerated muscle loss as they age but

that's a lot of protein for someone

weighing 80 kg that equates to about 128

g of protein each day now to put that

into perspective beef is only 25%

protein so to reach that protein Target

it would require an 80 kg individual to

eat about half a kilogram of beef per

day but from a British medical journal

analysis we can see that higher protein

intakes are not only associated with

improved muscle strength but also with

lower death rates and protein powders

are a great way to help reach these

protein targets and that's the second

supplement that I'm talking about the

protein is highly bioavailable but just

make sure that the protein that you

select doesn't have added sugar and salt

and When selecting protein it's

important to factor in what their Lucine

content is so Lucine is an essential

amino acid and it plays a pivotal role

in initiating muscle protein synthesis

it's one of the key elements that

determines the quality of protein

especially in the context of muscle

building and maintenance so wey protein

for example is typically rich in loosing

but for those following a plant-based

diet achieving the same amount of Lucine

intake it may require a higher amount of

overall protein consumption but don't

worry there are excellent plant-based

protein powder options available for

example pea protein or brown rice

protein and even soy protein now with

soy protein there's a popular myth on

social media that soy increases estrogen

but an updated metaanalysis confirms

that soy protein it does not have any

effect on testosterone free testosterone

or estrogen levels in men it also used

to be thought that protein timing was

important that we wanted to spread our

protein intake throughout the day but

new research suggests that that isn't

nearly as important compared to Total

daily protein intake the third and final

supplement for muscle performance works

by accelerating the recycling of our

cells energy storage called ATP and it

also enhances muscle protein synthesis

but there is controversy with the

supplement a 2017 analysis found that of

the seven studies published at the time

only two of those studies showed

improvements in muscle strength or power

so what's going on well here's the

crucial point when the supplement is

combined with exercise then there's a

muscle performance Improvement compared

to just exercise alone otherwise there's

no effect the supplement is called TMG

and there's a second benefit of taking

TMG which I'll cover shortly but first

since that 2017 analysis other Studies

have been published such as this one in

2021 TMG improved muscle performance

performance of soccer players compared

to a placebo or a dummy pill but it's

not just the muscle performance benefits

for why I take TMG in 2020 a large

review was done to try and identify the

risk factors for developing Alzheimer's

disease one of those risk factors was a

high level of homosysteine in the blood

now I want to be clear that we're very

early in the research Journey on this

and it's not a done deal we still need

to do a lot more studies before

confirming that TMG can reduce dementia

rates but just like creating supplements

it offers another reason to consider

taking TMG so I take 500 Mig daily and I

include it in

micrites not in any way mean that you

should as well but on the point of brain

health the fourth supplement that I take

I take specifically for cognitive

performance and memory and then we'll

have a look at two supplements for heart

health now a massive study in 2022

called the cosmos mind study was

published and it involved over 2,000

people the study ran for 3 years and in

the group who took this supplement

compared to the placebo or dummy pill

they had a statistically significant

benefit on global cognition this

supplement was a multivitamin and

mineral supplement and to be clear the

supplement should in no way replace a

great whole food diet and regular

exercise and it was because of the

cosmos mind study results that inspired

me to create my own multivitamin and

mineral called microvitreoretinal

separate supplements of vitamin B3 D3 K2

zinc and magnesium but when I looked for

a multivitamin and mineral supplement

that could combine all of those

supplements together and met my

requirements I couldn't find one

specifically I didn't want to take

vitamin A or E I didn't want to Mega do

and most of the existing products didn't

contain vitamin K2 plus I wanted to have

magnesium in the form of magnesium Tate

for the reasons that I explain in this

video here overall reaching our

recommended daily intakes of

micronutrients is a good idea and the

cosmos mind results provide strong

justification to supplement with a

multivitamin and mineral but again just

because I supplement does not in any way

mean that you should as well the fifth

supplement I take is to reduce my heart

attack risk so from a large trial called

the vital trial involving over 25,000

people the group who took the supplement

had an unexpectedly High 28% reduction

in the risk of having a heart attack and

that was compared to the group who took

the placebo but just like my warning

about Mega doing with vitamins and

minerals there are significant risks of

Mega doing with this supplement as well

including an increased risk of

developing an abnormal heart rhythm

called atrial fibrillation so I only

take about 1 G of Omega-3 as a mixture

of EPA and DHA the sixth supplement I

take is also for heart health and then

we'll have a look at two supplements

that reduce skin wrinkles this

supplement helps to feed the bacteria

that grow in our gut and through this

mechanism we see improvements in insulin

sensitivity blood sugar levels blood

pressure and cholesterol so I take

between 3 and 5 gram of pelium husk

every day but when looking at pelium

husk Brands you need to be aware of the

lead content so from an analysis done by

consumerlab.com yurba primer and now

Foods had very low levels of lead so

those are the brands that I use and just

like protein powder it can be mixed into

smoothies or shakes and it helps keep

you Fuller for longer the next two

supplements have strong evidence that

they reduce skin wrinkles and improve

skin hydration then I'll go through a

supplement for Sleep the first

supplement has evidence from multiple

clinical trials that it reduces skin

wrinkles by about 8% and the first

supplement is collagen peptides but it's

not without its controversy collagen

peptides are short chains of amino acids

and amino acids make up protein so one

interesting question is whether simply

supplementing with protein would offer

the same benefits as collagen peptides

well the body can absorb these short

amino acid chains and they're

transported to the skin so in a 2020

randomized controlled trial of burn

patients one group took protein and the

other group took a matching amount of

collagen peptides the collagen peptide

group experienced a significantly higher

wound healing rate compared to the

protein group suggesting that collagen

peptides do indeed have benefits to the

skin Beyond regular protein intake the

benefits were confirmed in an analysis

that combined 23 separate randomized

clinical trials together where collagen

peptides were shown to improve skin

hydration and elasticity so I take

between 10 to 15 gram of collagen

peptides every day and keeping with the

theme of improving skin Health the

eighth supplement that I take is

hyaluronic acid 200 Mig and I made a

detailed video about hyaluronic acid

recently which you can find here but

just like collagen peptide supplements

we have multiple randomized clinical

trials showing that hyaluronic acid

improves skin wrinkles and this study in

2021 showed an 18.8% improvement I take

200 mg as part of

micrites that we should avoid a few

popular supplements and save our money

so lowd do melatonin supplements have

great evidence from Human studies

showing improvements in the time of

takes to fall asleep and Sleep Quality

but the big issue is dose and timing

melatonin helps to regulate our sleep

wake cycle so taking a lowd dose

melatonin supplement only works if you

take it around 2 hours before you want

to fall asleep then there's the issue of

dose the body creates up to 80

micrograms of melatonin an hour while we

sleep so that equates to about 640

microgr for an 8 hour sleep but many

melatonin supplements have doses much

much higher than that and we don't have

the long-term safety data about Mega

doing melatonin supplements so

personally I take 300 micrograms about 2

hours before wanting to fall asleep but

melatonin doesn't only have effects on

sleep there's also antioxidant and

anti-inflammatory effects this is

especially important to consider with

respect to aging and on the point of

antioxidants there's one extra

supplement I want to mention before

discussing some supplements to avoid and

save your money so from the age of 45 a

powerful antioxidant called glutathione

starts to decrease so by supplementing

with the building blocks of glutathion

we can support our glutathione levels

and the body can control those levels of

glutathione a small study in 2022

explored this idea where they gave older

adults a combination of glycine and

neack supplements and compared it to a

placebo the Glycine and neck group had

significant improvements in their

mitochondrial Health now we're very

early in the research jour on this and

out of everything that I've discussed so

far the strategy has got the least

evidence but from the age of 45 I'd

consider taking a Glycine and neack

supplement around 1 gr now as promised a

new study has come out suggesting that a

few popular supplements in the longevity

space have no effect this study is from

the interventions testing program and

they tested a supplement called calcium

Alpha ketoglutarate there was no

lifespan extension effect seen this

program also found no effects for

nicotinamide riboside and fistin which

just like calcium Alpha ketoglutarate

are incredibly popular in the longevity

space these results are important

because the hype around all three of

these supplements came from my studies

but when the gold standard of my studies

the interventions testing program found

no effect with these supplements

personally I wouldn't buy them instead

if I had to choose only one supplement

out of all of the ones that I've

mentioned in this video hands down it

would be creatine for the reasons that I

explained in this video here and a

massive thank you to all of the patrons

supporting the channel