The Best Supplements If You Are On a Restrictive Diet

Hey, Coach Tim, I’m thinking about taking _____ supplement. What do you think?

Even though they know what I’m going to tell them, much to my clients’ chagrin, my answer is typically, “It depends.” You see, when it comes to choosing the best supplements for you, we have to consider quite a few factors, including your needs, goals, diet, personal preferences, activity levels, genetic factors, and more.

On top of that, we also have to consider your expectations. Do you realize supplements are intended to complement an overall healthy lifestyle? Or, do you expect a supplement to replace healthy habits and do the work for you? That is, carefully choosing the right supplements is like the figurative cherry on top of the cake. Yes, supplements are important but they’re most useful when you’ve got your foundation set and your proverbial ducks in a row.

What is Restrictive?

“Restrictive” is a very broad term. To some, this might simply mean following any kind of reduced-calorie diet or weight-loss program. To others, this might mean limiting or completely avoiding certain foods (e.g., gluten-free, vegan, elimination diet) or food groups (e.g., ketogenic diet). And to many, “restrictive” might mean cutting back on sugar, reducing portion sizes, or eliminating fast food (e.g., fried foods).

Along those lines, it’s quite possible that the “best” supplements to add to one person’s diet may not be optimal for another. For instance, vegans tend to have very low intakes of vitamin B12, which is found naturally in animal products (e.g., meat, fish, dairy, eggs). On the other hand, someone consuming a high-protein, low-carb diet is likely to get ample B12 yet maybe not enough fiber, which vegans tend to eat in sufficient amounts.

The point is that you should choose supplements carefully, based on your needs, goals, personal preferences, and expectations. Having said that, there is a select group of supplements that can broadly be recommended for anyone looking to improve their health and nutrition, especially folks whose diets involve calorie restriction. Of course, if you leave a comment below, we’ll be happy to help you make the best decisions for you.

Vitamins & Minerals

According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the most popular diet plans (including a low-carb diet, Mediterranean-style diet, and the DASH diet) fail to provide recommended levels of vitamins and minerals (i.e., micronutrients). In other words, an individual following any of these popular diet plans has a likelihood of becoming micronutrient deficient, which is “scientifically linked to an increased risk for many dangerous and debilitating health conditions.”1

For this reason alone, a high-quality multivitamin is a foundational supplement for most. And even though choosing the right supplements for you isn’t a popularity contest, a recent survey conducted by the Council for Responsible Nutrition found 75% of supplement users take a multivitamin. Many esteemed authorities would agree with this practice.2

According to researchers from the prestigious Harvard School of Public Health, “a daily multivitamin offers safe, simple micronutrient insurance.” That’s a pretty nifty way of thinking about it: A daily multivitamin is a “nutrition insurance policy.”3 Even the Journal of the American Medical Association—not usually known as a supporter of dietary supplements—agrees that everyone should be taking a multivitamin supplement daily.4

While a multivitamin is a keystone of optimal health and good nutrition, some may find targeted vitamin and mineral supplementation is best for them. Generally speaking, the following are some of the most common nutrient deficiencies:

  • Folate
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Calcium
  • Iodine
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium
  • Zinc

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Simply put, the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are nutrition MVPs. They are well-known for supporting:

  • Heart health5–7
  • Brain health, cognitive function, and mood8–13
  • Eye health and vision14–16
  • Skin health17,18
  • Immune function19
  • Metabolic rate, fat burning, insulin sensitivity, and body composition20–22
  • A healthy inflammatory response23
  • Healthy aging24–26

Much like vitamins and minerals, these healthy fats are essential. That is, the body needs them. However, it cannot produce them on its own. So, you must get them through food, supplementation, or a combination of the two.

The American Heart Association recommends adults consume a minimum of 500 mg/day of EPA and DHA, the two most prominent omega-3s. And often, more is better. The unfortunate reality is that the average person consumes only about a quarter of the recommended amount (around 135 mg/day).27,28 You see, there are very few foods that are highly concentrated in these two all-star fats, with the main dietary source being cold-water fatty fish (e.g., salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel) and other seafood (e.g., oysters, mussels).

With that in mind, supplementing with DHA and EPA is a no-brainer. Fish and krill oil supplements are a great choice. If you’re looking for a vegan-friendly option, then an algae-based supplement should do the trick.

Protein Powder

If you’re interested in improving health and nutrition, arguably one of the most impactful and effective strategies is to consume a higher protein diet. Research shows higher protein diets can help enhance:29,30

  • Body composition
  • Weight loss
  • Weight maintenance
  • Appetite management
  • Glycemic control
  • Metabolic rate
  • Sleep
  • Healthy aging
  • Strength
  • Athletic performance
  • Recovery from exercise
  • And more

Protein recommendations can vary significantly based on body composition, size, activity levels, and goals. However, a good starting point is to consume about 0.7 – 1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. And while it is possible to get enough protein through whole-food sources, a protein powder is a convenient, cost-effective, versatile, and practical solution to ensure you’re getting plenty of high-quality protein daily.

Even more, when combined with weight training—which is a good idea for virtually everyone looking to optimize health and wellness—protein supplements may help enhance strength, performance, and muscle mass.29 What’s more, certain types of supplemental protein (such as whey) may provide additional benefits on appetite, heart health, immune support, and more.

Greens

Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it’s no secret a diet rich in vegetables and fruits confers many health benefits, including heart health, bone health, carbohydrate metabolism, and protection against many unfavorable health outcomes. Not only that, vegetable and fruit intake can boost fat loss and play a key role in weight management.31–34

Of course, you “know” eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is good for you—it’s the right thing to do. Yet, if you’re like 90% of people, you DON’T eat the minimum recommended number of servings of fruits and veggies each day (at least 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of veggies).35

That means you’re missing out on important vitamins and minerals (see the section above). But perhaps more importantly, it means you’re missing out on the true super powers of fruits and vegetables: PHYTONUTRIENTS. These phytonutrients, which give fruits and veggies their vibrant colors, are powerful antioxidants that quench free radicals, improve redox status (the capacity to balance pro-oxidants with antioxidants), and help control oxidative stress, which is closely tied to accelerated aging of all cells and tissues in the body.36

For these reasons alone, a powdered greens supplement, which typically contain a variety of phytonutrient-rich fruits, veggies, and herbs, is often foundational for many folks following a restrictive diet and looking to improve health and nutrition.

As an added bonus, greens supplements may help detoxify and alkalize the body and combat dietary acid overload, which can lead to fatigue, confusion, dehydration, weakened immune system, decreased feelings of wellbeing, difficulty with weight management, and more.39–41

Fiber

Simply put, fiber is a nutrition all-star. Dietary fiber promotes a healthy digestive tract, regularity, improves carbohydrate management (e.g., slowed gastric emptying), promotes satiety, reduces caloric intake, and enhances weight loss.42,43

Unfortunately, most people don’t consume nearly enough dietary fiber. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the average American consumes a paltry 15 grams of dietary fiber per day.44 As you might have imagined, researchers have linked low fiber intakes to increased risk for diabetes and obesity. On the other hand, getting enough fiber helps reduce the risk of disease (including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer). It also has beneficial effects on weight management and digestive health.45,46

Generally speaking, a good target is 30 – 40 grams of fiber per day. Traditionally, dietary fiber has been categorized as soluble (providing cholesterol benefits) and insoluble (providing laxation benefits). We now know the viscosity and fermentability are also important characteristics of select fibers.

For instance, prebiotics are special fibers that act as food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut, leading to unique health benefits. When gut bacteria ferment prebiotic fibers, the result is the production of short-chain fatty acids (SFCA). These serve as fuel for immune cells, stimulate the release of appetite-curbing hormones, and protect the brain.44,47,48

The Icing on the Cake

When it comes to choosing supplements, you have many options. It can be overwhelming and downright confusing.

At the end of the day, tailoring your supplement arsenal to your needs and goals is optimal. And personalized supplement recommendations are meant to be the figurative icing on the cake. In other words, they’re meant to fill nutrition gaps, satisfy individual goals, ease transitions, and complement a foundation of healthy habits, which are always evolving.

The above list contains a handful of supplements the majority of folks will find to be foundational. That’s not to say you’ll need all of them. You might even find some that are useful now aren’t necessary in the long run. And by no means is this list all-encompassing. There are others (e.g., probiotics) that are more than noteworthy. Of course, if you want help dialing in your supplement choices, drop us a note below, and we’ll help you out!

References

  • 1. Calton JB. Prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in popular diet plans. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2010;7:24. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-7-24.
  • 2. Council for Responsible Nutrition. CRN 2016 Annual Survey on Dietary Supplements. https://www.crnusa.org/resources/crn-2016-annual-survey-dietary-supplements. Accessed June 13, 2017.
  • 3. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Nutrition Insurance Policy: A Daily Multivitamin. Nutr Source. http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/multivitamin/.
  • 4. Fletcher RH, Fairfield KM. Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults: clinical applications. JAMA. 2002;287(23):3127. doi:10.1001/jama.287.23.3127.
  • 5. Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ. Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2002;106(21):2747-2757. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000038493.65177.94.
  • 6. Bradberry JC, Hilleman DE. Overview of omega-3 fatty acid therapies. Pharm Ther. 2013;38(11):681-691.
  • 7. Lee JH, O’Keefe JH, Lavie CJ, Marchioli R, Harris WS. Omega-3 fatty acids for cardioprotection. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008;83(3):324-332. doi:10.4065/83.3.324.
  • 8. Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, et al. Consumption of fish and n-3 fatty acids and risk of incident Alzheimer disease. Arch Neurol. 2003;60(7):940-946. doi:10.1001/archneur.60.7.940.
  • 9. Hibbeln JR, Ferguson TA, Blasbalg TL. Omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies in neurodevelopment, aggression and autonomic dysregulation: opportunities for intervention. Int Rev Psychiatry Abingdon Engl. 2006;18(2):107-118. doi:10.1080/09540260600582967.
  • 10. Parker G, Gibson NA, Brotchie H, Heruc G, Rees A-M, Hadzi-Pavlovic D. Omega-3 fatty acids and mood disorders. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163(6):969-978. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.163.6.969.
  • 11. Osher Y, Belmaker RH. Omega-3 fatty acids in depression: a review of three studies. CNS Neurosci Ther. 2009;15(2):128-133.
  • 12. Stonehouse W, Conlon CA, Podd J, et al. DHA supplementation improved both memory and reaction time in healthy young adults: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(5):1134-1143. doi:10.3945/ajcn.112.053371.
  • 13. Witte AV, Kerti L, Hermannstädter HM, et al. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids improve brain function and structure in older adults. Cereb Cortex N Y N 1991. 2014;24(11):3059-3068. doi:10.1093/cercor/bht163.
  • 14. SanGiovanni JP, Chew EY. The role of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in health and disease of the retina. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2005;24(1):87-138. doi:10.1016/j.preteyeres.2004.06.002.
  • 15. Stough C, Downey L, Silber B, et al. The effects of 90-day supplementation with the omega-3 essential fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cognitive function and visual acuity in a healthy aging population. Neurobiol Aging. 2012;33(4):824.e1-3. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.03.019.
  • 16. McCusker MM, Durrani K, Payette MJ, Suchecki J. An eye on nutrition: The role of vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants in age-related macular degeneration, dry eye syndrome, and cataract. Clin Dermatol. 2016;34(2):276-285. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2015.11.009.
  • 17. Cosgrove MC, Franco OH, Granger SP, Murray PG, Mayes AE. Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;86(4):1225-1231.
  • 18. Schagen SK, Zampeli VA, Makrantonaki E, Zouboulis CC. Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermatoendocrinol. 2012;4(3):298-307. doi:10.4161/derm.22876.
  • 19. Gurzell EA, Teague H, Harris M, Clinthorne J, Shaikh SR, Fenton JI. DHA-enriched fish oil targets B cell lipid microdomains and enhances ex vivo and in vivo B cell function. J Leukoc Biol. 2013;93(4):463-470. doi:10.1189/jlb.0812394.
  • 20. Logan SL, Spriet LL. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for 12 weeks increases resting and exercise metabolic rate in healthy community-dwelling older females. PLOS ONE. 2015;10(12):e0144828. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0144828.
  • 21. Abbott KA, Burrows TL, Thota RN, Acharya S, Garg ML. Do ω-3 PUFAs affect insulin resistance in a sex-specific manner? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104(5):1470-1484. doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.138172.
  • 22. Jeromson S, Gallagher I, Galloway S, Hamilton D. Omega-3 fatty acids and skeletal muscle health. Mar Drugs. 2015;13(12):6977-7004. doi:10.3390/md13116977.
  • 23. Allaire J, Couture P, Charest A, et al. DHA is more potent than EPA in attenuating cardiometabolic risk in men and women: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. FASEB J. 2016;30(1 Supplement):130.1-130.1.
  • 24. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Epel ES, Belury MA, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids, oxidative stress, and leukocyte telomere length: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2013;28:16-24. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.09.004.
  • 25. Farzaneh-Far R, Lin J, Epel ES, Harris WS, Blackburn EH, Whooley MA. Association of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with telomeric aging in patients with coronary heart disease. JAMA. 2010;303(3):250-257. doi:10.1001/jama.2009.2008.
  • 26. Farzaneh-Far R, Lin J, Epel E, Lapham K, Blackburn E, Whooley MA. Telomere length trajectory and its determinants in persons with coronary artery disease: longitudinal findings from the heart and soul study. PloS One. 2010;5(1):e8612. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008612.
  • 27. Kris-Etherton PM, Grieger JA, Etherton TD. Dietary reference intakes for DHA and EPA. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009;81(2-3):99-104. doi:10.1016/j.plefa.2009.05.011.
  • 28. Harris WS, Mozaffarian D, Lefevre M, et al. Towards establishing dietary reference intakes for eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. J Nutr. 2009;139(4):804S-819S. doi:10.3945/jn.108.101329.
  • 29. Pasiakos SM, McLellan TM, Lieberman HR. The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review. Sports Med Auckl NZ. 2015;45(1):111-131. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0242-2.
  • 30. Zhou J, Kim JE, Armstrong CL, Chen N, Campbell WW. Higher-protein diets improve indexes of sleep in energy-restricted overweight and obese adults: results from 2 randomized controlled trials123. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(3):766-774. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.124669.
  • 31. United States Department of Agriculture. Why is it important to eat vegetables? http://choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables-why.html.
  • 32. Whigham LD, Valentine AR, Johnson LK, Zhang Z, Atkinson RL, Tanumihardjo SA. Increased vegetable and fruit consumption during weight loss effort correlates with increased weight and fat loss. Nutr Diabetes. 2012;2:e48. doi:10.1038/nutd.2012.22.
  • 33. Tapsell LC, Batterham MJ, Thorne RL, O’Shea JE, Grafenauer SJ, Probst YC. Weight loss effects from vegetable intake: a 12-month randomised controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014;68(7):778-785. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2014.39.
  • 34. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Can eating fruits and vegetables help people to manage their weight? Weight Manag Res Pract Ser. 1. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf.
  • 35. Moore L, Thompson F. Adults Meeting Fruit and Vegetable Intake Recommendations—United States, 2013. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6426a1.htm.
  • 36. Shaw PX, Werstuck G, Chen Y. Oxidative stress and aging diseases. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. doi:10.1155/2014/569146.
  • 37. Nemzer B, Chang T, Xie Z, Pietrzkowski Z, Reyes T, Ou B. Decrease of free radical concentrations in humans following consumption of a high antioxidant capacity natural product. Food Sci Nutr. 2014;2(6):647-654. doi:10.1002/fsn3.146.
  • 38. Nemzer BV, Fink N, Fink B. New insights on effects of a dietary supplement on oxidative and nitrosative stress in humans. Food Sci Nutr. 2014;2(6):828-839. doi:10.1002/fsn3.178.
  • 39. Berardi JM, Logan AC, Rao AV. Plant based dietary supplement increases urinary pH. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008;5(1):20. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-5-20.
  • 40. Anton SD, Lu X, Bank G, et al. Effect of a novel dietary supplement on pH levels of healthy volunteers: a pilot study. J Integr Med. 2013;11(6):384-388. doi:10.3736/jintegrmed2013049.
  • 41. Caciano SL, Inman CL, Gockel-Blessing EE, Weiss EP. Effects of dietary acid load on exercise metabolism and anaerobic exercise performance. J Sports Sci Med. 2015;14(2):364-371.
  • 42. Howarth NC, Saltzman E, Roberts SB. Dietary fiber and weight regulation. Nutr Rev. 2001;59(5):129-139.
  • 43. Slavin JL. Dietary fiber and body weight. Nutr Burbank Los Angel Cty Calif. 2005;21(3):411-418. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2004.08.018.
  • 44. Dahl WJ, Stewart ML. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Health implications of dietary fiber. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015;115(11):1861-1870. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.09.003.
  • 45. Salmerón J, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Wing AL, Willett WC. Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA. 1997;277(6):472-477.
  • 46. Salmerón J, Ascherio A, Rimm EB, et al. Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of NIDDM in men. Diabetes Care. 1997;20(4):545-550.
  • 47. Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: Mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013;5(4):1417-1435. doi:10.3390/nu5041417.
  • 48. Bourassa MW, Alim I, Bultman SJ, Ratan RR. Butyrate, neuroepigenetics and the gut microbiome: Can a high fiber diet improve brain health? Neurosci Lett. 2016;625:56-63. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2016.02.009.