Let us first address the hyperbolic nature of this title. There really are no “must have” supplements. You can walk across the earth without taking a single pill, powder, ointment, tincture, etc, and many backpackers do- either because it’s not worth the weight, money, or they simply aren’t interested. That said, people have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail without shoes. Just because it’s possible,doesn’t mean it’s recommended.
Like shoes, I find that supplements improve thelong-distance backpacking experience.
I consider supplementation to be an important part of my “normal” life, but this isespecially true with increased physical exertion, a suboptimaldiet, and exposure to many foreign elements- also known as the conditions of backpacking. In other words, supplements are “must haves” for me.
A bit of background
Halfway into my thru-hike in 2011, I contracted West Nile virus. Not only did my health suffer for the remainder of my hike, but the symptoms persisted for more than two years after finishing the Trail. As a result, I became obsessive aboutimproving my immune system and overall cognitive and physical performance. This resulted in several thousands(yes, thousands- I moved home to make ends meet) of dollars spent purchasing and testing various supplements. For most,there was no difference (or at least the difference was too small todetect). A few however, have unquestionably had a positive impact on my mood, energy, and overall quality of life.
Because, like you, I am anal mindful about pack weight, so not every supplement that’s part my daily routinemakes the cut for backpacking. The below list contains those supplements which I considermostnecessary (with the addition of a protein supplement, which I use only when backpacking).
1) Fish Oil
Because getting highquality fats on the ATcan be tricky, or more accurately, low quality fats are seeminglyubiquitous, fish oiltops my list for backpacking supplements. Muscular and joint inflammation is such a huge issue on the trail that ibuprofen has earned the nickname “Vitamin I”. Many hikers will take upward of 8-10 pills per day- I was one of them during my thru-hike. Unfortunately I have since learned of both itsshort term (impaired muscle recovery) and long term (damage to the stomach lining) side effects. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Instead, I nowrely solely on fish oil, which isrich in omega 3 fatty acids which, due to its potent anti-inflammatory properties,has been shown to protect against a range of disorders rangingfrom heart disease to arthritis to depression. In addition to the boost to my mood, I’ve found that consistent doses of fish oilall but eliminatesanyknee stiffness / pain.
Unfortunately, withfish oil, you get what you pay for. There are many factors which play into a fish oil’s quality- this Chris Kresser articledoes anexcellent job explainingthese variables. The biggest concern for backpackers is oxidation, as exposure to heat can damage the fats, rendering them harmful as opposed to beneficial. The product which I use(for this very reason) is Vital Choice’s Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon Oil as itcontains astaxanthin, an additive which protects the oil from oxidative damage.
Extra credit: In addition to / instead of fish oil, eat fish. I don’t recall how difficult it was to findcanned wild salmon at the grocery stores along the Trail (perhaps one of our readers can let us know in the comments), but if you’re sending yourself mail drops, I recommend including a few cans ofwild salmon in each. Iprefer the convenience of fish oil pills, but this is merely a personal preference.
2) Probiotics
If you looked at the average thru-hiker’s “food pyramid”, its base would be a portraitof Little Debbie. Not only do hikers needthe high calorie value that these treats provide, but they’re also (frighteningly) non-perishable and cheap: all important considerations for long distance backpackers. Unfortunately, what’s good for the wallet is terrorism onthe gut.
Sugar, highly refined carbohydrates, and wheat (three hiker staples) encourage the growth of bad bacteria in the gut. An unhealthy gut microbiome has been linked to “diseases ranging from autism and depression to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.”
At the time of my thru-hike, my greatest nutritional concern was getting enough calories in order to sustain the energy needed to cover 18-26 miles a day. I have since learned of the long-term repercussions of neglecting the quality and type of food I was putting into my system.
It’s all-too-common for thru-hikers to regain the weight they lost during their trek (and then some);I suspect thata shift in gut flora plays at least a small partin this (merely speculative, however gut bacteriaand weight gain go hand-in-hand).
I use and recommend Prescript Assist for three reasons:
- It doesn’t need to be refrigerated (absolutely essential for backpacking)
- It’s a combination prebiotic / probiotic. While probiotics have proven helpful for immune support, prebiotics (despite popular belief) areactually more effectiveat populating healthy bacteria.
- It’s the only prebiotic / probiotic I know that is clinically proven to meetit* claims.
I recommend a probiotic while backpacking not for the athletic gains, but instead as a safeguard against the piss-pour diet you’re subjecting yourself to. Probiotics (and in my experience, Prescript Assist in particular) are also effective at keeping you regular and maintaining a healthy stool consistency(“he called the poop, ‘stool’“), which can be difficultto achieve on a diet of Oreos.
I’ve also heard andreadgood things about Garden of Life’s Primal Defense, buthave not used it myself so cannot attest to its effectiveness.
Extra credit: Maximize your intake of bananas (raw, not dehydrated), raw garlic, and onions (cooked or raw) on the Trail, all high in prebiotics.
3) Electrolytes
My thru-hikelanded me inthe hospital a couple of times as I was displaying symptoms of Lyme disease. Both testscame back negative- the doctors surmised that I was simplydehydrated (it wasn’t until after the Trail that I was tested for West Nile virus- which as you now know, came backpositive).
While I was sweating like a hairy ginger in heat (both a joke and an accurate description) in the triple digit temperatures of thesouthern Pennsylvaniasummer, I was still surprised to find out that I wasdehydrated. After all, I was consuming ungodly amounts of water- up to 8-10 litersper day (that’s more than 2.5 GALLONS)!
It wasn’t until a fellow hiker told me about hyponatremia, a conditionwith dehydration like symptoms, which can be caused by drinkingtoo much water, especially in conjunction withheavysweating. Sweat contains both water and electrolytes, and simply replacing this lost fluid withwater will throw off your body’s sodium-balance. Severe cases of hyponatremia can (and have)result in death.
Although my symptoms didn’t disappear, I felt SIGNIFICANTLY better after includingan electrolyte supplement into my daily routine, especially in the summer months. My body was retaining far less water (at times, I looked like a water balloon), the dizziness lessened, and best of all- my energy improved drastically.
The product I have had the best success with is Hammer Nutrition’s HEED Sports Drinkasit includesvery little sugar, while still providing ample carbohydrates (whereas Gatorade uses only sugar and fructose) which I findeasier to stomach- and HEED providesa largeprofile of vitamins and minerals beyond just the basic electrolytes. That said,Gatorade is still better than water.
I’ve also been experimenting with evaporated coconut waterlately- andwith promisingresults. I will be embarking ona 50-mile trip in the next few weeks- I will have a more definitive review when this happens. (If anyone has tried this brand, please let me know how it’sworked for you)
Extra credit: You think it’s a coincidence those Mountain House meals are so high in sodium? Think again (from the Mountain House website): “Our products wereoriginallydesigned to fit a high-performance lifestyle, replacing some of the sodium lost during heavyexertion”. In other words, if you’re sweating heavilyon the Trail, salt is your friend.
4) Protein Powder
Last but not least is protein powder. In my observation,veryfew of the thru-hikers around me were getting enough protein in their diet (myself included for most of myhike). Studies have shown that 1.3g per kg to 1gper lb.of protein perbodyweight can be beneficial for “extreme training”, which 6-10 hours of carrying yourself plus 20-30lbs up and down mountains certainly qualifies for. The low end of this estimate calls for 1.2 lbs of steak, 15 eggs, or 3cans of tunaper day,while the high end says I should be consuming2.2lbs of steak, 28 eggs, or 4.25 cans of tuna (!!!!).
Although my appetite would have beenup to the challenge, my budget (not to mention my willingnessto carry 25 cans of tuna) would not. Meeting these protein requirements iseasier when in town, but on the Trail, a powder protein supplement should be considered mandatory. After all,whenhiking is your job, your work performance is dependent uponyour strength.
For this reason, I strongly recommend whey proteinsincevegetable sources don’t supply the necessary essential amino acid profile and bioavailability to support adequate muscle growth. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Health Organization (succinctness is not their strength) developed a measurecalled the“protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score” (again) which evaluates the quality of variousprotein sources. The top 8 (casein, egg, milk, whey, chicken, turkey, fish, and beef) wereall animal sources. In other words, not all proteins are created equally, and if muscle building is important (it is), plant sources are second-rate.
Whey protein allows for easy (or easier) consumption of larger volumes of protein without breaking the bank (or your back), and is more easily tolerated thancasein. There are a billion whey proteins on the market, and for the purpose of muscle building, they all do the job. If health-value / quality is a concern (as it is for me), I use andrecommendReserveage Nutrition’s Grass-Fed Whey Protein, which hasno added sugar, is hormone and GMO-free, comes from grass fed cows, andtastes great.
Extra credit: One scoop in the morning and before bed will provide you an extra 42g of protein for the day. Mix it with a scoop of theelectrolytesupplement and wash down your fish oil and probiotic to kill all birds with one delicious stone.
I am no doctor. I have no certifications in nutrition orfood science (although it is a passion). What I do bring to the table is obsessiveself-experimentation. I can’t promise you that any of the above supplements will offer youthe same (or even any)benefits- but I can say with 100% conviction that they have had a definitivepositive impact on my life and backpacking performance.
What about you? What supplements do you swear by? Let us know in the comments below.
