Fit Point: Supplements

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This week's Fit Point has had me pondering since Monday...

Supplements
With so many vitamins, proteins, fat burners and more on the market, there is often a lot of uncertainty over what the best combination is for your personal activity levels. What supplements do you use, and what are the benefits of each? Do you think supplements are necessary? If you have used various brands or types, what has worked best for you, and why? Where did you find the best supplement advice?

I've never been much of a supplement person. I don't like taking Tylenol when I have a headache or DayQuil when I have a cold -- I'm the kind of person who avoids pills of any kind like the plague.  When I'm sick, I try to let my body fight it off on its own, or turn to natural remedies (example: warm tea for a sore throat).  If my body needs a particular nutrient, I'd rather provide that by adjusting my diet.

My aversion has become especially pronounced since 2008.  I decided to try the Alli weight loss system, which essentially prevents your body from absorbing the fats that you consume.  Instead, the fat (literally) zips right through you.  I realize that a weight loss medication is different from a supplement, but I didn't do well with the Alli pills.  It was disgusting, to say the least, and probably unhealthy.  I decided then and there to prevent putting additives into my body at all costs.

A couple of months ago, I decided to try a Green Tea supplement, which I had heard boosts the metabolism and supports overall wellness.  However, I can't give much of an opinion on this.  I stopped taking the supplement after only a week or so, when I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  At this point, I've been focused on regaining my health rather than boosting my metabolism.

With that said, I am taking two other "supplements" of sorts that are meant to help my body heal from the damage that the gluten has caused my body.  First, I take Floragen-3, which is a probiotic.  As my doctor explained, all of the gastrointestinal problems I've been dealing with have essentially wiped the "good" bacteria out of my body.  The Floragen-3, taken once per day, is helping to restore and maintain what I lost.  Once my GI symptoms fully resolve, I shouldn't need the probiotic anymore -- although I might give Activia a try, just for the hell of it.

Finally, I have started choking down a gluten-free daily multi-vitamin (which was expensive like whoa).  My GI tract is damaged as a result of the celiac disease, which means that (until it heals) I'm not able to fully digest and absorb the nutrients from the food I eat.  The multi-vitamin helps by providing what my body is unable to get from my food; and actually, I've noticed a huge difference now that I'm not malnourished anymore!