Supplement Recommendations

Lets talk supplements,

What does AJAC recommend people take?

I received this message recently

Hi Alexander,

Bought your push pull legs workout routine on gum road in October and been following for a couple months now.

Quick question: Do you have a recommendation for preferred post workout protein powder for muscle growth?

I’ve generally been buying muscle milk or lean body drinks at the gym but looking to try something new.

Let me know when you have a few minutes. Thank you!

I do not talk supplements often. Not because they dont work, but I because emphasize lifestyle and exercise far more.

But there is no denying their utility.

Supplements is an umbrella term; it could mean protein powder, fat burners, stimulants, nootropics, appetite suppressants, multivitamins, minerals, herbs, fish oil, joint support, sleep aids, and much more.

Whether you need to take ANY of these things is dependent on your individual circumstances and needs.

There is no mandatory supplement that you MUST take. Before you focus on supplements, focus on eating a whole food diet for your macro and micronutrient needs.

There are no magical supplements that take the place of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

That said, it is also true that supplements can be useful, necessary, and convenient.

The following are the supplements I most often recommend, with the contextual conditions of why I recommend them.

1. Whey Isolate Protein Powder

High protein diets promote muscle growth, strength gain, fat burning, are nutrient dense, and are something I recommend constantly for EVERYONE. Protein is the most essential macronutrient. Regardless of whether you are young or old, man or women, highly active or minimally active, you should be structuring your diet around protein.

Consuming enough protein can be challenging though. Preparing multiple protein rich meals each day could be time consuming. Some people struggle with low appetite. Or maybe you want to save time.

For that reason, I recommend whey protein powder. Whey protein is a food, and along with creatine and caffeine, it is the most proven supplement in existence.

Whey isolate can be taken ANY time. Before training, after training, as a meal, with a meal.

You can mix it with water, milk, fruit, etc.

I have tried many different companies over the years. With whey protein, you get what you pay for.

The absolute BEST quality protein powder can be found at truenutrition.com

I suggest the cold filtered whey isolate, with the truflavor chocolate brownie or vanilla.

If you want 100% confidence with getting a quality product, get your protein from them

Use the affiliate code “AJAC235” and you’ll get 5% off any order from truenutrition.com

2. Creatine

What does creatine do? EVERYTHING.

The general public mistakenly believes creatine is a sTeRoId. It is not.

Creatine is a biological molecule, it is naturally occurring in meat. And it has a massive body of scientific evidence going back over 100 years on its positive health effects. It does everything from increase muscle mass, improve power output, increase recovery, help with blood sugar management, help with cognition and focus, improve memory, and etc etc etc.

Is creatine safe? SUPER SAFE. 100% indisputably safe.4

I recommend people take creatine daily, 365 days a year. Its as close to a “miracle” supplement as one can get. It has a positive effect on so many aspects of performance, it would be foolish not to utilize it. Plus it’s absurdly cheap.

You dont need to load it. You simply consume 5 grams a day with liquid (any kind of liquid). Timing does not matter. If you miss a day and forget to take it, not an issue. If you take it only occasionally, not an issue.

There are no special forms of creatine. Do not fall for creatine marketing (teenage boys every few years get ripped off with some product claiming to be a super form of creatine)

Creatine monohydrate is all you need.

3. Hydrolyzed Collagen

Taking hydrolyzed collagen is one of the few supplements Ive ever used that you begin noticing a difference in health within only a few days. Its effects are real.

Collagen is the primary protein that comprises hair, skin, nails, and also connective tissue such as tendons, ligaments, and fascia.

Hydrolyzed collagen is the powdered form of collagen, it is a flavorless fine powder that mixes easily with any liquid.

The scientific research on collagen indicates the following benefits.

-improving joint health

-improved hair, skin, and nail health

-accelerate recovery time from connective tissue injury

The standard dosage recommendation is 10 grams per day. As part of my morning routine, I mix this into my coffee every morning.

I have been doing this for about 1.5 years, and I credit it will helping me recover from some tendinitis issues and it has my joints feeling fantastic. The effect on hair and nail growth is also noticeable.

While some companies produced flavored versions, I prefer the non flavored. The collagen I use is hydrolyzed beef collagen from Truenutrition.

Remember to use the affiliate code “AJAC235” and you get 5% off any order

4. Zinc + Magnesium

A large percentage of the population is deficient in magnesium.

Magnesium deficiency affects a broad range of physiological functions in the body, and correcting a deficiency can have very positive qualitative effects on overall health (increased energy, decreased brain fog, better recovery, stronger immune system, and many more)

Additionally, zinc is commonly under consumed as well. Zinc can increase testosterone levels and improves immunity as well. Taking them together is a powerful combo. And simple. You take ZMA at night before bed, and that is it.

5. The ONE Testosterone Booster I recommend

I am asked about how to raise testosterone levels naturally without resorting to hormone replacement therapy. This is the only supplement I know reliably to work.

Mike Mahlers Aggressive Strength Testosterone Booster

I first used this product in 2013 when I found out my total testosterone was low (in the mid 300s). At the time I was not sleeping enough, had a poor diet, and was overexercising relative to my recovery. After 3 months of improving my lifestyle and taking Aggressive Strength, my T levels were back around 800.

While this is an anecdotal report with confounding factors, I have recommended the product in the years since to clients, and all of them have never failed to see an increase in total test production.

To preface clearly: this IS NOT STEROIDS. It does not raise your testosterone to steroidal steroids. It does not take the place of a healthy diet, sleep, and exercise.

It will HELP elevate your test levels if they are depressed, and hopefully get them into a healthier range. You will feel more energetic and your libido should be stronger. This will not have “steroidal” effects on musclebuilding, although you might feel stronger in training.

That is the extent of my General Recommendations that most people will find useful

Any questions on any of the above? Feel free to leave a comment