Shawn Wells is referred to in the supplement industry as the world’s greatest formulator, and for good reason! His training and background combine to make him a uniquely qualified source of information about and insight into the supplement world.
In Part 1, we discussed what to look for when choosing a supplement manufacturer to entrust your health and your hard-earned dollars to. We also learned about some red flags to help us know what to avoid.
It’s not surprising that Wells also has a lot of insight into what we should be taking, and he was kind enough to share his thoughts during an interview with Revealed Films.
Recommended for Everyone
A surprising recommendation he offers is that everyone should be taking creatine. While generally associated with bodybuilders and sports nutrition, Wells explains that “It does help with lean mass accretion… it helps with cognitive function and protects the eyes. It actually helps the bone mass as well.”
He is a big fan of pure and properly sourced fish oils and omega 3s for brain health and for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Wells maintains that everyone needs to look to their mitochondrial health, both as they age and prior to the aging process setting in. PQQ or CoQ10 are supplements that address this issue.
Just think, the heart has potentially up to 5000 mitochondria in each cell, because cells such as these that need more energy use more mitochondria to fuel them. Any shortfall in energy in these cells leads to aging and autoimmune issues, making the support of mitochondria a foundational priority.
The ATP cycle is the energy-generating process that occurs in the mitochondria, and it is of critical importance to our overall health, and it is within our power to support it.
Synergy is Critical
Wells recommends that vitamin D3 and K2 should be paired for optimal synergy. We tend to lack D3 from spending too much time indoors under fluorescent lights and from using sunscreen.
“I really like the adaptogens,” he adds, “Those are unique because it’s this group of herbs that give you balance… What’s great about the adaptogens, I think, like rhodiola, ashwagandha, ginseng, this class of compounds, they normalize you.”
To illustrate, our nervous system has two modes: sympathetic and parasympathetic, which he calls “hustle and flow.” We have too much hustle (sympathetic). – we are just going and going, and not taking time for things like solitude, gratitude, walks, or prayer.
If we don’t have something stimulating us, we tend to reach for our phones. Adaptogens restore this needed balance to our nervous systems despite our hectic lifestyles.
What to Consider when Looking at Formulas
Ultimately, supplement form – powder, liquid, capsule, tablet – does not matter as long as it is well made and includes the right excipients. Some ingredients to look for and some to avoid include:
- Cyanocobalamin is a cheap B12 – the better source is methylcobalamin
- Cheap B6 is pyridoxine – the better one is P5P
- Folic acid is an inferior folate – the better source is methylfolate
- Calcium carbonate is lower quality – calcium citrate or malate are preferred
Wells reiterates his philosophy this way, “I formulate so that I can take my products, and so my mom can take my products. That’s why I’ve been in this industry, that’s why I have the reputation I have. I’m never going to cut corners. There’s never going to be a product with my name around it that’s like that.”
He works to continue to educate consumers about supplements and maintains that those who think that supplements don’t work have just not tried true high-quality products.