Dietary supplements are NOT a substitute for real, pure whole food. If you're only going to eat budget-priced, over-processed, devitalized, packaged, convenient, fast, restaurant or instant foods, then be prepared to spend a lot on supplements and health care.

First and foremost, the best supplement pills and capsule are huge. If they're flash-compressed to fit into a tidy little package, then they've been flash-cooked in the process - heated up for the manufacturer's convenience resulting in lower deliverable nutrition - rather defeats the purpose.

Suggestions
Your own particular needs will vary over time and as your fuel and health needs change, as your body changes - where you're starting from and aiming for. There is no one hard-and-fast formula that works for everyone.

DO YOUR RESEARCH! Enlist the aid and advice your physician, ask if your health plan includes a dietician and nutrition consultation. READ AND SCRUTINIZE EVERY LABEL! And keep asking questions.

Legallly, I cannot 'prescribe' per se, so these are merely general suggestions......

• Complete MULTIPLE VITAMINS: A twice-a-day or sustained release version is better, giving you more delivery over a longer period of time. Don't skimp on the expense here.

  VITAMIN C take more in the winter, lots more when fighting a cold or the flu, especially effective when combined with zinc

• MSM (metholsulfonylmethane) best and easier combined with other joint and bone compounds: glucosamine, chondroitin, magnesium and calcium). Awesome stuff your doctor probably has never even heard about. Vital for anyone over 40 and if you eat processed foods.

• CALCIUM CARBONATE, helps diarrhea and the immune system plus solidifies bone structure

• GOLDENSEAL cleanses, purifies the blood
  
• MACA ROOT promotes the male libido and stamina
  
• BRANCH CHAIN AMINO ACIDS: Athletes and bodybuilders need thewhole complement of amino acids; some more than others. L-glutamine, and L-lysine in particular and in abundance
  
• SAM-e, homeopathic preferred, a very safe, no-side-effects calmative and joint pain reliever, lessens anxiety; a MUCH safer and saner alternative to expensive prescription mood elevators. It's even supportive of the immune system.
  
• MILK THISTLE (Silymarin) liver support
  
• "PROSTATE SUPPORT": this product combines Saw Palmetto, Pygeum Africanum bark extract, Stinging Nettle root extract, Pumpkin seed oil, Lycopene
  
• OMEGA 3 EFAS, EPA & DHA
  
• ASTRAGALUS
  
• CO-ENZYME Q10
  
• DIGESTIVE ENZYMES: the natural ones are made from pineapple or papaya (my preference). Digestive enzymes reside in the alimentary tract. Their purpose is to break down food prepping them for digestion and absorption through the body.
  
  I often have some with me to chew three (favorite: papaya with peppermint flavor) after a big meal, ESPECIALLY when I'm loading up, pushing my fuel capacity, nearing the point of explosion. Digestive enzymes have an effect like antacid tablets (Tums, etc.) to settle your gut, but are much much safer, cheaper and smarter.