What supplements should I be taking for good health?

Still looking for that magic pill?  I think I told you that it doesn't exist in a prior post.  But you're still curious about what vitamins or additional supplements might help you maximize your health and fitness.  Supplementation is a multibillion dollar industry with a lot of associated myth, folklore, intrigue, allure and magic mixed with occasional fact.  

The first thing you should know is that if you're eating a balanced, healthy diet you shouldn't have need of much if any supplementation.  That being said, there are those of us veggie haters that probably aren't getting enough of the good stuff from our food that we think perhaps a pill can make up for it.  

Again admitting that I'm not an expert, here's a good basic list of supplements you should consider:

• Multivitamin - a good all-around multivitamin is good to take on a daily basis, although quality varies.  The type of multivitamin you take can vary depending on your age, fitness goals and gender.
• Fish Oil - provides omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which help support a healthy heart.  Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Protein and BCAA's - if you are doing resistance training (weightlifting), consider taking a protein powder supplement and BCAA's (Branch Chain Amino Acids).  Protein can help rebuild muscle between workouts, and BCAA's can help improve exercise performance and reduce protein and muscle breakdown during intense exercise.

That's a good start!  

You can also look into other common supplements:

• B12 - sounds like a wonder drug, it is used for memory loss; Alzheimer’s disease; boosting mood, energy, concentration and the immune system; and slowing aging. It is also used for heart disease, lowering high homocysteine levels (which may contribute to heart disease), male infertility, diabetes, sleep disorders, depression, mental disorders, weak bones (osteoporosis), swollen tendons, AIDS, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, allergies, a skin disease called vitiligo, preventing cervical and other cancers, and skin infections.
• Vitamin C - is one of the safest and most effective nutrients, experts say. It may not be the cure for the common cold, but the benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.
• Magnesium - plays a big part in keeping the heart healthy, making sure bones are strong and helping the body absorb other important minerals such as calcium and potassium. Magnesium supplementation also helps people with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease maintain adequate magnesium levels which is especially important for these patients. Magnesium is also important to women who are pregnant, experience menopause or are at risk for osteoporosis. Getting the right amount of magnesium daily can help prevent leg cramps, migraines and fatigue.
• Vitamin D - get some sun!  There has been a flood of health news about studies linking vitamin D deficiency with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic disorders, depression, infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, mortality and even autism. 
• Probiotics - are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to the beneficial microorganisms naturally found in the human gut. These “good bacteria” are used to prevent and alleviate many different conditions, but particularly those that affect the gastrointestinal tract. Furthermore, probiotics can provide multiple benefits for your immune system. When probiotics are abundant in your body, it’s harder for bacteria that cause illness to get a foothold. Some also keep you healthy by making bacteriocins, which suppress the growth of harmful bacteria.

There are many, many other supplements that can have positive benefits to your health, but you need to read up and be informed.  You don't want to just go taking a bunch of extra supplements in the hopes that something will help you get more healthy.  Before looking to pills, first and foremost you need to eat healthy and exercise.  Then consider taking a good, small stack of vitamins like the first list I suggested.  After that if you want to be adventurous and branch out, look into the others I suggested as well as many others that are out there.  Consult your doctor, and don't overdo it.

A couple of sites I like to learn more about supplements are WebMD.com and Examine.com.  

A great place to buy supplements is Amazon.com, and there are plenty of reviews to pour through.