Episode 04: The Scoop on Supplements
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Episode Transcript
Participant #1:
Hi, guys. Welcome back. My name is Hannah. Hi, Emily. In this episode four today we're going to be talking about supplements, including their safety, if you even need to be taking them and how to tell the supplement is right for you. Exciting stuff. Yeah. I don't have any banter about supplements. I guess. I guess we'll just jump right in. Yeah. Same. I don't have any supplement jokes or anything. I don't either. Okay, well, I guess we'll start by describing what a supplement actually is. First of all, so it's really in the name. Supplements are manufactured products that are made to supplement your diet. They're not a replacement for whole foods. We'll get to more about that a lot more later. But there's a supplement to ideally a balanced diet, and they can be in the form of a tablet, a capsule, a soft gel powder, a liquid depending on what you're taking. They can be in all different kinds of forms. And I'm sure you all have seen supplements at some point in time. They are everywhere. There are so many commercials for them. There are so many ads for them online. Sometimes things might not seem to be a supplement, but they actually are just because they're not necessarily defined as a food. But supplements are all around us. It's important that we discuss them. Yeah, because like I said, the safety of them is often the biggest concern, and it's hard to tell if they even are safe, just by the label and how they're marketed and all that kind of stuff going into if you need to even take them. So supplements like the word they are meant to supplement your diet. They are not meant to replace anything that's already in your diet or act as basically like a meal replacement or anything, or try to replace foods they're supposed to help you meet your needs if you are unable to already via your diet, which is something tricky because a lot of advertisements I've seen make supplements seem almost essential. Or if you don't take this, something negative might happen to you, but really, the main purpose of them is if you're not or the main purpose that you should be using them is if you aren't able to meet your needs with whatever diet you're following now, whatever lifestyle or behavioral obstacles you might be dealing with. Supplements can be a great option for you if used properly and you're aware of everything going on. So yes, I agree with everything Emily just said on that. They definitely are again, a supplement to your diet, not a requirement, and determining if you even need them is usually best done when working one on one with the dietitian, not just taking a wing and guessing exactly. And again, the reason for this episode and the reason for working with a dietitian about supplements is the safety of them. Yes. So the FDA, as I like to describe it, takes a more reactive approach to supplements rather than Proactive. So I wrote that in like, a discussion post once I felt so proud of it. But basically, I think it might have been one of there was an ask maybe 1994. Don't quote me on this because I mix up all my supplements and nutrition acts quite frequently. But to that point, all the supplements had been grandfathered into the regulation process. And what actually happens now is you're allowed to release supplements and the FBA very loosely does any type of regulation, and they'll only actually conduct a full investigation and test the quality and quantity and safety and efficacy of the supplements. If something goes wrong and the supplement is reported for whatever reason.
Participant #1:
And most often times I haven't seen where a supplement or supplement company will be under so much fire that they'll be reported to the FDA. Normally, they can get by. And it's really important that everyone is aware of the lack of regulation around supplements, because a lot of what companies can put on their labels or list under their ingredients and quantities might not be true, which is kind of nerve racking to me. Yeah. Very nerve wracking. I was reading about Hydroxycut the other day because someone had asked me about it, which is, if you don't know, a popular weight loss supplement and the active ingredient now is mostly caffeine. But before that they had a different active ingredient, which has since been recalled. And they went through that exact process that Emily just described where the FDA didn't do anything proactively. And so something that was on the market and it eventually did cause harm and even some deaths is what I was reading. Yeah. So since then, the ingredient that was in the hydroxyca has been banned. But initially that has to do with it. And so people thought it was stake just because it was on the market and it ended up being pretty dangerous. Yeah. So that's why it's especially important that you guys are all aware of the lack of regulation, and we're going to help you basically figure out how to know if the supplements you're taking are safe and whether you should be taking them as we touched on beforehand. Or I guess about the necessity of them. Yeah. So right off the bat, I like to use this website called Labdoor. Com when just like in general, talking about how to kind of self assess the supplement is kind of good or bad. But what lab door does, it doesn't do anything like crazy in depth about the safety, but just right off the bat, it gives, like a letter grade ABCD or F on the supplement, and they have protein powders on there. They have, like, multivitamins pre workouts, all that kind of stuff. And so it's a really good tool for consumers like those of you may be listening who don't feel the need to go crazy in depth about the stuff. I just want to know right off the bat. Is it good or is it bad? So it's just a nice little tool to use. And again, it's Labdoor dot com. I'll link it below, too. But it's just a nice way to just quick and simple kind of see what the best graded supplements are in different categories. That's an awesome resource. I had never heard of that before. I'll definitely be checking that out. Yes. It's pretty cool. Moving on to one of my favorite parts of supplements is how you know if they are safe and if what their labels are accurate. So there's concept called third party testing. And these include companies that will go and basically a company will have to apply and pay to be third party tested by these other organizations. And these companies will go in and try to I think they might replicate them or they'll look at their ingredient labels and try to recreate them and then also test the existing ones and looking at the composition of those supplements. So two of the most popular third party testing organizations I know about are NSF and Consumer Lab. And basically you can go on their websites and check if the supplement you're looking at is on there. And if it's been third party tested, which is really nice. I know there are a couple more of those, but those are the top two I've seen that are the most popular and basically also to reiterate that these other companies that are doing the third party testing kind of inferred by the name. But these organizations have nothing to do with the supplement company, so they don't have that bias and they're not trying to hide anything. Yeah. Exactly. There's no relation and they're a third party. And also what's really great with these testing is it'll evaluate, especially the quality of the supplement. They'll also do an audit of the manufacturing process, and then they'll do a final evaluation of the labeling, whether it's accurate and compliant with regulations. Whenever people ask me about most of the questions I've gotten or about, like, sport related supplements, I will always check either NSF or Consumer Lab and see if they're third party tested because you really can't trust what's on the label if it's not third party tested because there's no regulation in that they can say kind of whatever they want, and they can say it's safe. But again, if it's not tested by a third party, they could just be saying that it could be true, but no idea knowing. Yeah, exactly. It's not really in company's interest to put harmful things in their products. That wouldn't really make sense for marketing, and if they're harming their consumers anyway. But
Participant #1:
it is a concern that they could be really hijacking their prices because they claim that they have this ingredient, which is really expensive, or they're putting out these claims related to what the supplement can actually do for you. And if there's no one regulating that, then they can really put out whatever they want, and that's not good. Yeah. So I know that that can sound like a lot, and it is. It's very confusing. And that's why it's so important to work with a dietitian who understands this kind of stuff and has the ability to look into it a little bit more in detail to make sure that you are being your safest self. We're here to help you.
Participant #1:
Exactly. Okay. Well, now we want to kind of dive into specific kinds of supplements. So the first one is a pretty big one, one that people always are asking about, and that's going to be protein powder. So I want to go over if you even need to take it the different kinds that are out there what to look for if you do want to take one all that good stuff. So first thing I want to point out as a reminder is protein powder is a supplement like you've already said, they're made to supplement your diet. Of course, we advocate getting your protein from real food if you can. But that could be pretty hard. Some people do benefit greatly from taking a protein supplement, like athletes, for example, have really high protein needs to maintain their body composition. Vegans and vegetarians who don't eat much meat or if they don't have any kind of dairy in their diet. If you have any kind of chewing and swallowing issues where breaking down a big old hunk of meat isn't going to go so well, then it'd be probably a great idea to have some kind of supplement you can sip on. If you have poor appetite, it could be a great way to sneak some protein without having again to kind of eat it. Or if you have digestive issues, where again, eating whole food forms of protein can be a little bit too much for your digestive system to handle at that time. I really like all these ideas that you cover. I feel like people normally just associate protein powder with after you lift weights. That's what almost everyone I've talked to talk to me about is they're like, do I need to take protein powder if I just went and lifted weights? But there are a lot of other great. I don't know if I'd say they're great scenarios, but other scenarios where protein powder can be an excellent resource for you. If you're dealing with all these other physical or biochemical issues within your body that are making it more difficult for you to digest protein or meet the property needs. Yeah. And to go back to what you're saying about weight lifting or going to the gym and having a supplement protein supplement like Emily just basically said, it's not necessary if you work out to drink protein shakes. And I think the current research is showing that there's, like, a four hour window. So oftentimes people will assume you have to drink it right away after you work out, or you won't get any of the benefits of the protein going to your muscles or whatever. But the research is showing that there's, like, a four hour window before and after your workout. Kind of in between that if you have protein before or after 4 hours before or after that, the protein synthesis will be optimal in helping with rebuilding that muscle mass that you kind of broke down during the workout. Yeah. And protein shakes can be a great way to get that protein. And if you do, it have a hard time getting enough from food sources. But it's by no means required to have a shake, like, right after you work out or anything like that. Exactly. Yeah. Something I like to do personally, just my own personal experience. Nothing having to do with being a dietitian is I plan my working out around my meals so that once I'm finished working out, I'll eat like a heavier meal, after which, in terms of time management, that just always worked best for me. So I'm getting in that meal and I'm not like or I'm not eating a big meal than working out and then worrying about eating again, which can be a hassle for people have busy days. Yeah. I'm usually the most hungry too. After I work out. It just makes sense to have a nice big meal after I work out exactly. Well, there are all kinds of protein powders on the market, and it can be kind of overwhelming to know what to even look for. And to be honest, there's a ton of different things to consider. So there are different kinds of protein powders. First of all. So the generic like, what you usually hear of is probably going to be away protein, which comes from milk. But if you're less intolerant, for example, that probably wouldn't be the best source of protein for you. So thankfully, there are other kinds. There is egg white protein, there is pea and soy protein. If you are vegan or vegetarian, way and casing are both from milk products, some of the two most popular ones. But thankfully there are other kinds out there. If you again don't quite digest, it super well, or if you find that it has any other negative consequences. Like I know me personally, my face kind of breaks out sometimes if I have too much whey protein. I've heard of that happening with people. So Hannah did a great job of covering the different types of protein powder, and it's just to reiterate. It can be very confusing, and it's more so reflecting on if you have any types of sensitivities to food or any food restrictions that will help you figure out what path you want to take regarding protein matters types, so moving on to then how much you actually need. It's pretty difficult to go over your protein intake just because I know depending on a person, an individual's lifestyle and what diet or what their normal diet looks like, they might not even be eating enough protein at a time. But the only time really we are keeping a close eye on protein intake in terms of excess is if you have kidney disease, and if you have any type of kidney disease, you'll most likely be working with a dietitian who will help you break down the specific requirements and recommendations related to your body weight and what you'll be needing. You can go to dialysis and stuff, but that's an entirely different conversation, and your dietitian can help you with that. If you're one of those individuals. But for the average Joe, it's quite difficult to go over. And this is because if you're getting protein solely from food, normally, people have a pretty good idea of balancing carbs fats and protein, because I don't really, unless you're consuming all these protein bars and shakes and foods with added protein to it, then you might have to be reflecting on how much you're eating in terms of protein and making sure it's not like 80% of your calories are coming from protein because your body needs those other macronutrients, but related to solely meat, eggs, fish and dairy, you're probably in a safe range related to protein intake. And the minimum recommendation the Academy of Nutrition Dietary recommends is 0.8 grams of protein per kilograms of body weight. And this is very much, I would say on the lower end, it's like a bare minimum. You should be getting at least as much protein to maintain your body's natural functions that require protein. But that being said, if you exercise frequently and you participate in different types of exercise styles like weightlifting, aerobic with, like running, swimming, marathons, triathletes, all these different types of exercises. Your protein recommendations can range from 1.2 to two point grams of protein per kilograms of body weight. And this is a large range, and it really depends on how much as I said, your frequency of your exercise and your type of exercise, but 0.8 is the minimum and anything less than that could put you at risk of muscle wasting if you don't participate or in physical activity and don't really move around a lot, your protein is very important for your body. So we want to make sure we're eating enough of that. Yeah. And the issue often isn't going overboard. It's not getting enough. And so that's why protein supplements are so popular because they help us get more, which a lot of us actually do need more of. But again, getting it from food is the best choice. But supplements can be a good addition if choosing the right ones for your body and what your body needs. Exactly. So to sum all that up, I would say before you hop on Amazon or go to GNC or wherever else you would get approaching shake supplement just kind of either on your own or with the help of a dietitian kind of assess where your protein intake is at before you just jump in and start taking a protein supplement if you don't quite know if you need one or not. So there are a few scenarios where protein shakes aren't recommended, so most of us will be okay if we have one, even if we don't quite need one. But there are a few scenarios where they're just not going to do a whole lot for you or maybe even have negative effects, too. And one of them would be if they mess with your gut. So, for example, again, if your lactose intolerant you may not tolerate weigh or Casin protein powders very well. I also don't recommend them if you're drinking them solely for weight loss, you may have heard of, like using shakes as meal replacements for weight loss. And while it's effective for weight loss, that's for sure, it's not sustainable at all. You're missing on so many different vitamins and minerals and fiber and all kinds of other things I'm not even thinking about in the minute you kind of go back to your normal eating habits. The weight will likely return because you're doing a low calorie diet. I'm assuming if you're doing only weight loss or protein shakes, and that being said too, I don't recommend them. If you're doing them just to replace meals, they can be a replacement of a meal if you are looking for something convenient or something like that. But I do recommend pairing it with us some kind of carb source, especially like say you have a protein shake or breakfast, have it with a banana or something like that. That way you do just you feel more satiated you have more energy. That's what I was going to say. I was going to jump in there and be like the satisfying feeling of drinking a shake that's probably not even like a fun like smoothie or like milkshake thickness. It's going to be thinner compared to consuming a meal. Your body will not be as satisfied. And
Participant #1:
there are people that enjoy protein shakes. And there's nothing wrong with that. But I feel like in most cases people would rather sit down and consume a larger volume meal and feel satisfied that way, rather than a quick shake. You drink in like five to ten minutes, and then that's your meal. And that's another reason why they're not sustainable if only used for meal replacements, because you don't ever really feel satisfied. In most cases, I do see sometimes patients or clients who, for example, don't like breakfast very much, and then they're super hungry by lunchtime because they didn't have breakfast. And so that could be a great way to kind of get something in, even if you don't have anything with it just to get some calories and protein in there. That way you do feel like you're not going to overeat later in the day. But if you're someone who does enjoy eating does enjoy like, especially for breakfast or whatever the example might be, then by all means, I definitely recommend including something with it. Yes. So bottom line is that most people are just fine without a protein supplement, and they are by no means a requirement to be healthy or fit or to be better at the gym or to gain muscle. They're just a supplement to what's, hopefully a balanced whole food diet. So Besides protein powder, another one of the most popular supplements we've both seen recently are green powders. And I'm sure you've seen people like to mix this in with water. They drink this at day. I've seen influencers have advertise these in place of fruits and vegetables, and
Participant #1:
these powders can be beneficial to people. But there are some drawbacks that just we wanted to quickly address one of the biggest ones being with the green powder. It's once again going to be a thinner shake. So there's not going to be much satiety associated with that compared to eating some green pepper and celery, that motion of chewing will send a signal to your brain, and it's going to tell you you're feeling more full and release the associated hormones with that. Whereas when you're drinking a drink, it's going to be your body does not register. Those ceilings say tidy as much. In addition to that with green powders, they lack fiber, which is associated with a lot the majority of the fruits and vegetables. That's kind of one of the biggest things I'm sure you've heard about fiber, and it's also a great nutrient for satiety and also for GI health and cholesterol regulation and all these different things that are helping within your digestive tract that which is associated with fruits and vegetables that we preach so much, which green powders can miss out on, since it is just the powder and they're taking out that fiber. That being said, green powders are nice, because if an individual is eating no fruits or vegetables, it can help them get vitamins and minerals, because anything is better than nothing at that point. And we want them to be getting these vitamins and minerals, even if it is through a supplement, and they're refusing to eat any types of fruits and vegetables in whatever form that is advertised to them. So there are some benefits with it. But then there are also drawbacks and those are just important to be aware of. Yeah, America as a whole is pretty deficient in fiber. We often don't get enough just as a population. And so again, bottom line is it's a supplement. It can be used to kind of add more nutrients to your diet, if that's what you're looking for, but don't depend on it. If you are capable of getting in plenty of whole fruits and vegetables to get more of that fiber in there. So that ties in to kind of like our whole spiel here kind of like the big overreaching message, which is that Emily and I both kind of preach food first. What we always want you to do is get your nutrients, your fiber, your calories, your carbs, your protein through food. That's always going to be the best case, not only for the safety reasons of supplements, but also just because of satiety and also price too. It's going to be a lot cheaper to get your nutrients through food and supplements. But if you do find that it is difficult to meet whatever nutrient needed is through food alone, then a supplement can be beneficial for you. I completely agree. Okay, so as always, we like to wrap up each episode with a little bonus section where Emily and I kind of not even debate because we always agree, but our thoughts on a controversial food discussion, actually, this one I don't know your thoughts either. Kind of like the last week's. So I'm curious, but this week's bonus topic is black licorice Yay or nay. Emily thoughts. I'm a big nay. I cannot stand black licorice. I couldn't even tell you what it tastes like because it's been years since I last ate it, but I know there are people that love it, and I just can't get behind it. I don't know what it is. I can't either. I hate it so much, and I wonder if I actually don't, because I haven't had it. Like you just said in like, a long time. Maybe like adult Hannah would like it, but I have never liked it. My mom hates it so much. She even smells it. She will literally vomit. Oh, my gosh. I think it's like a genetic thing, but it's just not good. I know I feel like the people that like it are like a different breed that I'm kind of scared of. I know, but I think the most times I ask because I'm smart enough to know what black licorice looks like. Jelly beans that are like black licorice flavors that feels like the ultimate betrayal. I get so upset, I don't know what it is. Maybe I'll go buy some now. I'll go to, like, the dollar tree to buy a little bit. So it's not a ton of money, and I'll give you my updated review, but I'm kind of scared to try them again because I hate them with such a burning passion. Yeah, I think it's one of those things that I want to convince myself. I like it, but I don't know if I want to, actually, because both of us are really not picky at all. I hate the idea of not liking something. I want to like it. I love red licorice. Me, too. That's good. That brings up another controversy. Are you a red vines or a Twizzlers person? So I think I'm Twizzlers just because I've eaten Twizzlers more. I could not tell you the difference. They're pretty different if you do them side by side. Twizzlers are more like plasticky in a good way. I'm also team Twizzlers. No, I know what you mean by the plastic. Yeah, like, they're really good, but kind of a scary candy if we think about it. No. What's in those are those third party regulated? I wonder. I enjoy watching other countries try American food. It's so funny to me. In every video I watch, everyone hates whiskers because they're like, what is this? It tastes like plastic, and I think about it, and it kind of does, but I like them, and I'm like, have I tricked myself into liking this? Have you ever tried the ones that are filled, like they have, like, the cream in the center? I don't think so. They're good. I like those. I like them better than the regular ones. They're still plasticy, but they have a little bit more
Participant #1:
plastic candy. Classic Candy and black licorice. Welcome to America. Yeah. Only offer the best. All right. Well, thank you guys so much for tuning into episode four, and we will see you next week. Yeah. Thanks for tuning in. Bye bye.
