Below are services or products that I personally use and recommend. Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click the links and subsequently purchase items. However, as mentioned, I only list items that I personally use and recommend. This information is for informational purposes only, but these are the specific supplements I currently take on a daily basis.
Supplements for General Health
- Culturelle Pro Strength Digestive Daily Probiotic. Unlike many products, this probiotic discloses the specific strain being used. This is important as the current view is that effects of probiotics are strain specific (I.e., effects of a bacterium from a particular genus and species may not also be seen for a different strain of the same genus and species). Personally, I also like that a single strain is included. Some probiotic products take the approach of touting an eye-catching number of strains. However, I prefer a short list – even a single strain – that has better research support. The strain used in this product is Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which has been studied for over thirty years. The primary reason I take this product is for overall GI health, including immune function in the gut. I also use the “Kids” version of this product for my oldest two children (ages 7 and 5).
- NatureMade Multivitamin. This straightforward product checks all the boxes for me: third-party tested (through US Pharmacopeia – USP), appropriate doses of vitamins and minerals, and affordable. I currently take the “for Him” version, and a “for Her” version is also available. My primary reason for taking this product is for cheap, low-risk “nutritional insurance.” There are plenty of fancier alternatives available, but I think this is solid for a basic product.
Sports Supplements
Over the years, I have used many different brands and products of sports supplements. Evaluating commercially available sports supplements through formal research studies has also been a large focus of my research laboratory.
To be clear, I think there are numerous good sports supplement options, although there are also many that I recommend avoiding. In the graduate course I teach on dietary supplements, we go through detailed information on how to vet dietary supplements. I plan on converting the essentials into an article and will share this when it is ready.
Also, for the sake of transparency, I provide consulting services related to dietary supplement formulation, primarily for Legion Athletics, and receive free product as a result.
For now, I will simply share that protein and creatine are generally my sports supplement staples.
Informational Resources
If you enjoy doing your own research, there are several informational resources you can use to evaluate dietary supplement ingredients.
Examine.com
I have been a paying member of Examine.com since March 2014, and I can’t think of a nutrition resource I have used more over the past decade. For those who aren’t familiar, the mission of Examine is quite straightforward: “Examine analyzes and summarizes the latest scientific research to help you be healthier.”
Over the years, Examine has substantially expanded their offerings. While they still provide an enormous amount of helpful information for free, their current paid product is the Examine+ membership. This membership includes the current versions of several features that used to be separate paid products. These features included in the Examine+ membership are:
- Supplement Guides. These are step-by-step guides with all the practical information you need about dietary supplementation – effects, dose, safety, and more. The current Supplement Guides include: Allergies & Immunity, Bone Health, Cardiovascular Health, Diabetes & Blood Sugar, Fat Loss, Healthy Aging, Joint Health, Libido & Sexual Function, Liver Health, Memory & Focus, Mood & Depression, Muscle Gain & Exercise Performance, Skin Hair & Nails, Sleep, Stress & Anxiety, Testosterone, and Vegetarians & Vegans.
- Examine Database. This is one of the features I have used the most over the years. This enormous database includes hundreds of supplements and numerous different health outcomes. This resource helps you answer the question, “what does the research say about supplement X?” One feature I love is that the database focuses specifically on evidence from randomized trials in humans.
- The Research Feed. This feed provides updates about new research on the topics you select.
If you are interested in learning more about the Examine+ membership, click here.