Speaker 1: 1:42

Shift work can be brutal, but it doesn't have to be. Welcome to a healthy shift. My name is Roger Sutherland, certified nutritionist, veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades. Through this podcast, I aim to educate shift workers, using evidence-based methods, to not only survive the rigours of shift work, but thrive. My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and wellbeing so they have more energy to do the things they love. Enjoy today's show and welcome back to a Healthy Shift podcast. This is the show that is dedicated to helping you, the shift worker, to thrive in your unique 24-7 working environment.

Speaker 1: 2:30

Me, I'm your host, roger Sutherland, and today I want to put a spotlight on a topic that can make a real difference in your well-being as a shift worker, and that is supplements. Now, before we go any further on this, I want to make it quite clear Supplements are literally just that. They supplement a healthy diet and a lifestyle. They do not replace it. One of the biggest problems that I see with shift workers is the way they self-sabotage and they don't get proper sleep. They don't eat properly, they overdose on caffeine, and the biggest problem that they have then is they then go looking for supplements to fix those problems, and that is not where the solution lies. But for us shift workers, there are, in fact, a few key players that can really bridge a nutritional gap and support our body and minds under the unique stresses of our irregular 24-7 hours. So today I'm going to talk about three supplements that I believe firmly believe that every single shift worker should seriously consider incorporating into their routine. Now I'm going to go into detail about why they're so important and what to look for and the actual doses that I recommend. So let's kick things off with a supplement that always gets overlooked, but it is absolutely critical, especially for those of us who spend a lot of time indoors, and also especially during those daylight hours.

Speaker 1: 4:08

The supplement in question vitamin D. Now, before you think of vitamin D primarily for your bone health and you would be 100% correct it's also very, very crucial for calcium absorption, but for shift workers, its importance goes far beyond that. Vitamin D plays a vital role in our immune system, believe it or not, and it helps to regulate our mood. Vitamin D is actually a hormone, and it is known as our happy hormone, and it even impacts on our sleep-wake cycles. So when you're working nights or you're spending your daylight hours trying to catch up on sleep, your exposure to natural sunlight, which is our primary source of vitamin D, is significantly reduced. Now this puts shift workers at a much higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Speaker 1: 5:02

Vitamin D is something that is incredibly difficult to get from your diet. Sure, you can get some vitamin D, but you can't get a lot of vitamin D out of your diet, and we really do rely on that sunshine on our skin to get vitamin D. Now let me tell you the ramifications of low vitamin D can be significant. What it can do is it can increase our susceptibility to illness, fatigue, mood disturbances and even a much greater risk of chronic diseases down the line. We really need optimal vitamin D levels for us to function at our best.

Speaker 1: 5:45

When was the last time that you actually got yours checked? Because a lot of doctors don't naturally check vitamin D. So I would highly recommend that next time you go to get a blood panel done, literally specify to the doctor I want my vitamin D levels checked as well. It's very, very important. So what's my recommendation? Well, for shift workers, brace yourself.

Speaker 1: 6:09

I actually recommend a daily dose of 2000 international units of vitamin D. Now, here in Australia, we can only buy it in a 1,000 IU pill. That's the maximum that we can, so I'm going to recommend that you take two of those every day, and I say take it with food purely because of the fat content. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and it needs fat to help it to be absorbed into our adipose tissue to be used when it's necessary. Now, this 2,000 international units is a safe and an effective dose that will help you to maintain healthy levels, especially when your natural sun exposure is really limited. Now, you can find vitamin D supplements in various forms, but just look for vitamin D3, which is our most bioavailable form of vitamin D, and it's really, really important what you can see on the shelves at the supermarket. Just any vitamin D will do. Just find a vitamin D, and no, you don't have to take it with K or you don't have to take it with anything else, other than it is important that you do take vitamin D with fat, as in dietary fat, to help it to absorb. All right, so that is vitamin D.

Speaker 1: 7:34

Now let's move on to the second essential supplement that I've actually recommended, and this is omega-3s. Now, when I say omega-3s, most people will immediately think of fish oil, and for very, very good reason, because fish oil is a fantastic source of two crucial omega-3 fatty acids, which is EPA and DHA. Now, these are absolutely vital for our brain health and reducing inflammation through our body, purely because of the desynchronized circadian rhythm and our body being all out of sync. So omega-3s help to rebalance this back up. But here's one really important point, and I want you to really listen hard to this if you are vegan or vegetarian, this doesn't mean that you can't skip out on omega-3s. Oh, because it's fish oil. Far from it. You too, you're a human. You absolutely still need them, and thankfully, there are excellent plant-based sources available. Now, this comes primarily in the form of algae oil. Now, algae oil is a direct source of EPA and DHA, and it also makes it an ideal option for those who don't consume fish. So it doesn't matter if you're a meat eater or if you follow a plant-based diet.

Speaker 1: 9:12

You must ensure that you're getting an adequate omega-3 intake. It's got to be a non-negotiable for you, for your overall health as a shift worker. Now, why do we need omega-3s in our diet? Well, it's very simple Our bodies can't produce EPA and DHA on their own. Now this means that we have to get it from our diet or we have to get it through supplementation. Now, given the inflammatory nature of our disrupted sleep and the mental demands of our shift work, the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective benefits of omega-3s are really important. They help us to support our cognitive function, it helps to reduce brain fog and it can even contribute to a much better sleep quality.

Speaker 1: 10:03

Now, when it comes to the dosage, this is where many people fall short. I recommend a dose of two grams, which is 2,000 milligrams of combined EPA and DHA daily. Now I want you to listen very carefully to this, because here's a crucial warning. There really are some truly substandard fish oils on the market, and you will get what you pay for with Omega-3 supplements. So I don't want you to go in, look on the front of a container and it says, oh, 2,000 milligrams, and you think perfect, this is what Rog says. I'll grab that. Don't just grab the cheapest bottle. What you need to do is you need to look at the label. You need to look at the EPA and the DHA content on the label, because a lot of products will say 1,000 milligrams of fish oil, but then, when you look closer, the actual EPA and DHA content combined might only be 300 milligrams. So to reach that two gram target, how many capsules would you have to take? You'd have to take seven of the dose. You'd be taking multiple capsules to try and get up to that combined EPA and DHA. So what you need to do is you need to invest in a higher quality, more concentrated product. So make sure and keep this in mind make sure that you are getting at least two grams of combined EPA and DHA from your chosen supplement. There's two, the third one.

Speaker 1: 11:47

Now let's talk about a supplement that's gaining so much more recognition and I've done podcasts on this on its own, and I'm well known for it. It has incredible benefits and this is one that I believe is going to be a really beneficial supplement research for shift workers, and this is creatine monohydrate. Now, when we hear creatine, people immediately think of bodybuilders. Hear creatine, people immediately think of bodybuilders, big muscles sucking on protein shakers, walking around a gym. And yet creatine is fantastic for strength and power, there is no doubt about it, but it is now so much more than that and its benefits are extending far beyond the gym, especially for those of us that are navigating those irregular work schedules in our life hollow shift workers.

Speaker 1: 12:42

So what is creatine? Well, it's a naturally occurring compound that is found in our muscle cells and helps to produce energy during high-intensity exercise or short bursts of mental activity. Now what it does is it actually helps to regenerate ATP, which is essentially and in simple forms, the energy currency of our cells. It's one of the most well-researched and scientifically backed supplements out there. It has decades of studies demonstrating its safety and its efficacy for a wide range of benefits. But here we go.

Speaker 1: 13:22

For shift workers, creatine is now being shown to offer significant advantages. It has been shown to improve our cognitive function, reduce mental fatigue and also enhance memory, particularly during those periods of sleep deprivation or an extended period of wakefulness. Hello, think about those long shifts or trying to stay alert when your body is telling you that it's actually time to sleep. Creatine can provide that extra mental boost and a little bit more resilience to that fatigue. And here's a really important point, especially for our female shift workers, because studies are showing that women naturally have lower creatine levels in their bodies compared to men. Now this means that supplementing with creatine can be even more beneficial for women, helping to bridge that natural gap and to provide enhanced cognitive and physical performance benefits. Okay, let's move on.

Speaker 1: 14:26

What's the standard recommended dose of creatine Now? Typically it is three to five grams a day. You do not need to preload this, however you can, but three to five grams a day, every single day, is good. However, for a shift worker or anyone dealing with extended periods of wakefulness or suffering from significant fatigue, I personally take and I also recommend 10 grams a day. Now I found this higher dose provides a much more noticeable benefit in terms of sustained energy, mental clarity and also resilience to fatigue. It is perfectly safe and it is an effective dose, but, as always, it's about finding what works best for you. Now let's just recap those three. Get your pen and paper.

Speaker 1: 15:21

Vitamin D 2,000 IU daily for immune support, mood regulation and overall well-being, especially for you with limited sun exposure. We have omega-3s, which can be fish oil, or, for the vegans and vegetarians, algae oil Two grams. Two grams, which is 2000 milligrams of combined EPA DHA daily for brain health, inflammation reduction and cardiovascular support. And I reiterate, be very diligent about checking the EPA and DHA content on the label. And number three is creatine monohydrate, a standard dose which everybody should be on regardless three to five grams daily, but, as a shift worker, I recommend and I also take 10 grams per day for enhanced cognitive function and fatigue reduction during those demanding shifts, and it's particularly beneficial for female shift workers, as I said before.

Speaker 1: 16:25

Now, remember you can't just take supplements when you feel like taking them or once or twice a week. The key with supplements is consistency, and don't expect an immediate miracle. These are tools that support your long-term health and your resilience as a shift worker. This is not something that you take like a headache tablet and then the headache disappears. Okay, now that brings us to the end of today's episode. I wanted to keep it short and sweet and just talk about those three, because I honestly believe that those three are the three that you should definitely be on. Everyone should be on those three, it's important. So I hope that this dive into these three powerful supplements that we have have given you some sort of an insight and given you something to consider for your own health journey. As a shift worker, you take these to protect you long-term.

Speaker 1: 17:22

Now, before I sign off, I do want to make a very, very important disclaimer here. While I have provided evidence-based recommendations and spoken about it and also my personal experience. The information shared on this podcast is for educational purposes only and it's not intended to be substitute for professional medical advice. You must and I want to make it quite clear, you must speak to your practicing physician or a qualified healthcare professional prior to taking any supplements, especially if you have existing health conditions, if you're taking medications or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, because they will be able to provide you with personalized advice based on your individual needs. All right, very, very important.

Speaker 1: 18:12

Now I'm going to ask you this If you've got any benefit out of this, can you do me a favor? Please go and give it a rating and review. You guys have been really slag. Everyone's listening to it. I'm getting about a thousand listens a week to this podcast at the moment, but I'm certainly not getting 200 reviews a week. What I would love is if you could just go along and just give me five stars. It really does help to get shift worker education out there and gets the podcast further up into the search engines to help people with their shift work. Remember, the benefit for this is to you, because the more people that learn and understand the optimal way to go about doing shift work and feeling better about it, then the better the team is that you're actually working on to help and support you as well. Keep that in mind and you don't understand. It's not just about stroking my ego with a star or five stars or writing a review of how it supported you. What it is. It actually really helps the algorithm for the podcast to show that you're listening to it and you get benefit out of it, and this is what improves its ranking.

Speaker 1: 19:25

Okay, that's it from me. So thank you for tuning into the podcast today. It's a Healthy Shift podcast and I'm Roger Sutherland and I look forward to helping you, the shift worker, navigate the unique challenges of shift work with a greater health and vitality in our next episode. So, stay healthy, stay safe. I guarantee I will talk to you soon. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released. It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on. If you want to know more about me or work with me, you can go to ahealthyshiftcom. I'll catch you on the next one, thank you.