Supplements: Vitamin C

This is an overview based on internet sources about Vitamin C and its uses as a supplement. Please always consult a doctor when you are considering supplementing any kind of vitamins. Especially when you are already ill, take medicine or during pregnancy. I am not an expert or doctor and have reproduced, collected and commented on the information available to me. You can navigate the primary and secondary sources by clicking on the links in the article.

Supplements: ZMA

This is a quick look at Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate or ZMA. A formula developed by Victor Conte which benefits of higher testosterone levels and quicker strength gains by providing better REM sleep are being doubted most recently as the supporting studies have been conducted by owners of ZMA patents. I am no doctor, so please always consult before deciding to take or not to take supplements.

Supplements: Digestive Enzymes

This is a write up discussing digestion and the role that digestive enzymes play in it. We will shortly cover that supplementation of enzymes can be helpful in cases of sickness and surgery, while the uses in sports might be far fetched. Please leave a comment or a link to enhance the content or view it from an angle that I have overlooked.

Supplements: Vitamin D

Vitamin D is mainly helpful for your bone development either for the very old or young. Always consult a doctor when supplementing on top of a healthy diet. Lack of Vitamin D can cause rickets and osteomalacia. Main sources of Vitamin D are sunlight and fatty fish. 

Supplements: Multi-Vitamin / Mineral

Please consult a doctor before taking any supplements! Now that that is out of the way here is an overview of how the benefits of multivitamins for generally healthy individuals are negligible and that especially Scandinavians seem to produce evidence that supports that these pills promote cancer. This is all of what comes in a nutshell but see for yourself ;). 

Supplements: Protein

Main benefits of proteins are that they help as enzymes in the body to catalyze chemical reactions. In the context of sports nutrition, this yields the promise of more muscles faster and quicker recovery from injury. While the popularity of protein supplements is on the rise, critics are not tired pointing out that same can be achieved by natural means and the risk for supposed negative effects on kidney and liver are too high. I am not a doctor or dietician so please consult your expert of choice if you want to supplement, but here is my write up of what I was able to gather and the experiences I had with protein powder. 

Supplements: Fish Oil

Fish Oil is a very prominent supplement which you can find in wholesale stores all over the world. While the list of acclaimed benefits is long, it is a very controversial supplement with many sources speaking for and against. Based on what I have found it has a most likely positive impact on heart disease and lowering triglycerides levels. I am not a doctor or specialist, so please consult one before supplementing fish oil (although I could call myself a nutritionist if I wanted, no degree needed for that). If you have any information which would help to make this article better, please say so in the comments and I will revise accordingly after checking.

Supplements: Probiotics

Probiotics are being marketed as helping you with the balance of your gut flora. While this holds true in some trials, especially when there are minor problems with diarrhea already, generally the authorities do not accept health claims for probiotics due to lack of evidence. It seems to work for my fiancee, though, and the placebo effect should never be underestimated!

Which supplements are sold the most ?

This is not a comprehensive study done by multiple market researchers and business analysts, but a look at the most readily available data online to answer this question generally and quickly with a bit of underlying detail. Based on what I could gather vitamins are likely to be the most sold supplements worldwide. Within the world of sports nutrition, protein seems to take the top spot.  

Supplements Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a fairly popular dietary supplement which is marketed to athletes for preventing joint injury and helping to recover quicker for them. Looking up some data and reference points this seems to be a non-reproducible claim in bigger studies. I am personally not a doctor or statistician, so please do your own research, double check and consult a doctor before supplementing Glucosamine and come to your own personal opinion. I hope this write-up helps you down this path for a quick start. If you find any information, have comments or are a professional who stand to correct me, please leave a comment which will be reviewed, replied to and incorporated in the article to improve it.