GUEST SERIES | Dr. Andy Galpin: Optimal Nutrition & Supplementation for Fitness | Episode 118
Main Takeaways
Behavioral approaches such as sleep, nutrition, and hydration are more effective than relying solely on supplements to obtain nutrients.
Bloodwork is essential to determine which supplements you should take, as different people have different needs.
Some of the high-impact, low-risk, and relatively low-cost supplements include creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, sodium bicarbonate, beetroot juice, and caffeine.
The root cause of a problem should be identified before taking supplements, as they may mask the pain point signal that could help address the issue.
Consistency is key for supplements such as creatine and beta-alanine, while intermittent use is acceptable for fish oil.
Good sleep is crucial, and using supplements to aid sleep is recommended.
Electrolytes are essential for muscle contraction and hydration, and drinking too much water can lead to hyponatremia, which causes brain fog, GI distress, and disorientation.
The body loses fluid and salt through sweat during exercise, and you need to replenish it by consuming 125% of the fluid you lost during activity.
You can practice heat acclamation to train your body to sweat more effectively and identify if you're a heavy-salt sweater.
The cheat guide to ensuring hydration for performance includes drinking water in the morning, eating whole foods, pre-hydrating before workouts, consuming fluids with electrolytes during exercise, and adding a pinch of salt to coconut water.
