essential supplements for beginners

Everyone who embarks on a health and fitness journey is eager to see results, with many turning to supplements to accelerate their path to success. 

While well-formulated supplements certainly offer benefits, it’s important to understand their role in the context of a broader health and fitness plan. Supplements are meant to enhance, not replace, a well-balanced diet and structured training plan. 

When used as a support, rather than a substitute, supplements can provide nutritional support to ensure you’re giving your body everything it needs to grow and recover, with a potential performance boost to support your training. 

Choosing the Right Supplements

When starting out, it is sensible for beginners to focus on a few key supplements rather than a long list of products.

Start by considering your specific fitness goals, dietary restrictions, nutritional deficiencies, and any underlying health conditions.

After taking these considerations into account, choose products from a reputable supplement brand that uses research-backed ingredients in its formulation, because quality matters when it comes to what you put into your body. 

Supplement Essentials

Focusing on a few essential health and fitness supplements can provide a solid foundation for beginners. 

Before starting any supplement regimen, it’s a good idea to consult with a dietitian or other qualified professional for personalised advice on the most effective diet, workout program, and supplement plan for your needs. If you have any underlying health conditions, discussing changes with your doctor is especially important.

Whether your goal is building muscle, losing weight, or simply improving your fitness, these five supplements can support your health and fitness journey.

#1: Whey Protein

Whey is a fast-digesting protein source with a complete amino acid profile, including all nine essential amino acids (EAAs) – those that your body can’t produce on its own – including the beneficial branched-chain amino acids (BCAA).

Whey is also rich in leucine, a potent amino acid that the body needs to rebuild muscle during the recovery process and can also reduce muscle breakdown during exercise.

Beginners should include whey in their plans because it offers a convenient way to get enough protein every day to support muscle repair and growth after workouts. 

Common options include whey blends that contain all three variants (concentrate, isolate and hydrolysate) in the formulation, like the tri-matrix blend used in Biogen Iso-Whey Premium to deliver fast, medium and slower-release profiles.

A pre-workout supplement can boost energy, enhance endurance, and support recovery—helping you get the most out of your training.

These supplements are specially designed to provide an energy boost, enhance endurance, improve focus and increase your workout capacity. 

A product that contains creatine can help improve strength and power during workouts by increasing the energy your muscles need to contract forcefully, known as ATP. It can also help with muscle growth and recovery.

Each serving of Biogen Premium Pre-Workout delivers high levels of ß-Alanine (3,500 mg) and L-Citrulline Malate (4,000 mg) to improve endurance, 150 mg caffeine for enhanced focus and energy, and 3,000 mg Creatine Monohydrate for enhanced strength, power and fatigue resistance. 

This innovative pre-workout also supports recovery with 7,000 mg of BCAAs and 2,500 mg L-Glutamine in every dose.  

Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) play a crucial role in various bodily functions, including heart and brain health and function, inflammation reduction and immune system support.

Omega-3s include two key fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)¹. EPA provides anti-inflammatory activity² while also enhancing the immune system³ and provides numerous cardiovascular benefits¹, such as lowering blood pressure, which may support cardiovascular function. 

DHA is important for our nervous system⁴, which functions as the body’s communication network, responsible for controlling every movement. A well-functioning nervous system is crucial for performance as it coordinates muscle movements and regulates our perception of effort and pain tolerance.

Both these fatty acids are essential for brain health, which can improve focus, concentration, and decision-making during athletic performance.

If you struggle to consume enough omega-3-rich foods, you can effectively increase your daily omega-3 intake with supplements like Biogen Supreme Omega 3 and Biogen Omega 3 1 000 mg Fish Oil, which offer an easy and convenient source of EPA and DHA.

Regular exercise and hard training can increase your body’s nutrient requirements. While we should aim to get most nutrients from fresh, natural whole foods, certain nutritional deficiencies can result from limited food variety, nutrient-deficient foods, vitamin and mineral depletion from exercise, and reduced calorie intakes while dieting.

A multivitamin supplement, when taken alongside a comprehensive and balanced diet, can help you get all the essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to support overall health and performance, especially when starting a new exercise program.

These supplements are designed to ‘top up’ our dietary intake of micronutrients, not necessarily replace natural, wholesome foods. As such, they are a valuable supplement for those who may experience nutrient deficiencies⁵.

When we sweat during exercise, we lose important minerals known as electrolytes, including sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.  

Our body needs these mineral salts to support hydration and numerous other bodily functions, including muscle contractions⁶.

These minerals regulate fluid balance, which is essential for muscle contractions, nerve function, and overall hydration⁶. Keeping electrolyte levels in specific concentrations also helps regulate blood pressure⁷.

Adding electrolytes to water with Biogen Electrolyte+ effervescent tabs or Biogen Hydrate Powder will help replenish the mineral salts you lose while exercising in the gym or outdoors, especially in hot or humid conditions.

Important Considerations

It is a good idea to consult with a dietitian or other qualified professional for individualised advice regarding the best and most effective diet, workout program and supplement plan for you. 

It is also important to discuss any change to your lifestyle and diet with your doctor, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.

When taking supplements, always follow recommended dosages to avoid potential side effects, and listen to your body, paying attention to how you respond to supplements.

When taking a holistic approach that prioritises training, nutrition, and other important lifestyle factors, supplements can play a valuable role in supporting your fitness journey.

SHOP THE BEGINNERS STACK

References:
  1. Ander BP, Dupasquier CM, Prociuk MA, Pierce GN. Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their effects on cardiovascular disease. Exp Clin Cardiol. 2003 Winter;8(4):164-72. PMID: 19649216; PMCID: PMC2719153.
  2. Crupi R, Cuzzocrea S. Role of EPA in Inflammation: Mechanisms, Effects, and Clinical Relevance. Biomolecules. 2022 Feb 1;12(2):242. doi: 10.3390/biom12020242. PMID: 35204743; PMCID: PMC8961629.
  3. Gutiérrez S, Svahn SL, Johansson ME. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Immune Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Oct 11;20(20):5028. doi: 10.3390/ijms20205028. PMID: 31614433; PMCID: PMC6834330.
  4. Guesnet P, Alessandri JM. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the developing central nervous system (CNS) – Implications for dietary recommendations. Biochimie. 2011 Jan;93(1):7-12. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2010.05.005. Epub 2010 May 15. PMID: 20478353.
  5. Ward, E. Addressing nutritional gaps with multivitamin and mineral supplements. Nutr J 13, 72 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-13-72.
  6. Shrimanker I, Bhattarai S. Electrolytes. 2023 Jul 24. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 31082167.
  7. Iqbal S, Klammer N, Ekmekcioglu C. The Effect of Electrolytes on Blood Pressure: A Brief Summary of Meta-Analyses. Nutrients. 2019 Jun 17;11(6):1362. doi: 10.3390/nu11061362. PMID: 31212974; PMCID: PMC6627949.