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What Supplements Does Saladino Recommend for an Animal-Based Diet?

5 min read

According to Dr. Paul Saladino, many modern multivitamins contain synthetic ingredients with poor bioavailability, a key reason he prefers whole foods and specific, high-quality supplements. For those following his animal-based approach, knowing what supplements Saladino recommends is crucial for supporting overall health and filling any nutritional gaps.

Quick Summary

This guide details the specific supplements Dr. Paul Saladino recommends, including creatine, organ meat capsules from his brand Heart & Soil, electrolytes, and raw dairy components like colostrum. It explains his rationale for prioritizing bioavailable, animal-based nutrition over synthetic alternatives.

Key Points

  • Creatine is Recommended for Everyone: Saladino calls creatine a 'must-use' supplement for its benefits in cognition, cellular energy, and physical performance.

  • Organ Meat Supplements are Key: He promotes freeze-dried, encapsulated organ meats, like those from his Heart & Soil brand, as a convenient way to get nutrient-dense, nose-to-tail nutrition.

  • Electrolyte Support is Crucial: Based on his own experience with muscle cramps and palpitations, Saladino recommends supplementing electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium, often through sea salt.

  • High-Quality Protein Powder: While favoring whole foods, Saladino suggests using high-quality, animal-based protein powders when needed, specifically preferring whey concentrate over isolate for its bioactive compounds.

  • Bioavailability Over Synthetics: His philosophy emphasizes that nutrients from whole, animal-based foods and their derivatives are more bioavailable and superior to conventional, synthetic supplements.

  • Products from His Brands: Many of his recommendations, including creatine, organ supplements, and animal-based protein powders, are available through his companies, Heart & Soil and Lineage Provisions.

In This Article

The Foundation: Animal-Based Diet Philosophy

Dr. Paul Saladino's dietary philosophy is centered on the concept of eating a "nose-to-tail" animal-based diet, which he believes is the most species-appropriate and nutrient-dense way for humans to eat. He advocates for the consumption of muscle meats, organs, fat, and connective tissues, as well as high-quality animal products like raw dairy and honey. The core tenet is that if an animal-based diet is done correctly, with a wide variety of cuts, the need for supplements is minimal. However, he acknowledges that in the modern world, obtaining all the necessary nutrients from whole foods alone can be challenging for many. This is where he incorporates a few key supplements to optimize health and performance.

The Importance of Bioavailability

One of Saladino's primary arguments against conventional supplements is their low bioavailability. Synthetic vitamins and minerals are often not absorbed or utilized by the body as effectively as those derived from whole animal foods. His supplement recommendations reflect this principle, focusing on animal-derived and highly absorbable compounds to ensure the body can truly benefit from the nutrients. This is why products from his brands, Heart & Soil and Lineage Provisions, are sourced from regeneratively raised, grass-fed animals and processed with minimal intervention, such as freeze-drying, to preserve nutrient integrity.

Creatine: The Unanimous Recommendation

Even for those not on an animal-based diet, Saladino has publicly stated that creatine is a supplement "everyone" should take.

  • Cognitive Enhancement: He highlights studies showing creatine's positive effects on cognitive function and brain health, even in individuals without cognitive decline.
  • Physical Performance: Creatine is well-known for its ability to boost strength, exercise performance, and support lean muscle growth.
  • Cellular Energy: It helps increase cellular energy levels (ATP), reducing fatigue and aiding recovery.
  • Animal-Based Source: Creatine is found almost exclusively in animal foods, and Saladino notes that most people don't consume enough meat to reach optimal levels. He often suggests a certain amount daily, sometimes with a bit of sea salt to enhance absorption.

Organ Meat Supplements from Heart & Soil

For those who find consuming fresh organ meats unappetizing or impractical, Saladino's company Heart & Soil offers a convenient, encapsulated alternative. These are a cornerstone of his recommended supplement protocol.

  • Beef Organs Complex: A blend of five different organs—liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and spleen—this provides a comprehensive array of vitamins (A, D, E, K2, B12), minerals, peptides, and enzymes. It's designed to support overall vitality, immune function, and metabolism.
  • Gut & Digestion: Specifically formulated for gut health, this product includes grass-fed tripe, intestines, and other organs to provide nutrients and peptides that support the gut lining and digestion.

Electrolytes and Mineral Support

Saladino's dietary journey, which included experiencing heart palpitations and muscle cramps during a strictly carnivorous phase, highlighted the importance of electrolytes. While his diet evolved to include more fruits, he still emphasizes adequate mineral intake.

  • Sea Salt: Adding high-quality sea salt to food or drinks helps maintain electrolyte balance, especially sodium, which can be excreted more readily on low-carb diets.
  • Potassium and Magnesium: He found he was deficient in magnesium while on a purely carnivorous diet and has since highlighted the need for sufficient magnesium and potassium for proper heart and muscle function. Good food sources or supplementation are considered important.

Protein Powder and Colostrum

While he prefers whole meat sources, Saladino recognizes the utility of high-quality protein powders in certain contexts.

  • Whey Concentrate vs. Isolate: He recommends whey protein concentrate over isolate, primarily due to the bioactive compounds and lactoferrin found in the concentrate, which benefit gut health.
  • Colostrum: Found in many of his protein powder products, colostrum is valued for its immune-modulating properties and its positive impact on gut health.

Comparison Table: Saladino's Key Supplement Categories

Supplement Category Primary Benefits Key Ingredients/Notes Typical Sourcing
Organ Meat Supplements Bioavailable vitamins, minerals, and peptides for full-body wellness, immune function, and energy. Encapsulated, freeze-dried organs like liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and spleen. Regeneratively raised, grass-fed cattle from Heart & Soil.
Creatine Monohydrate Enhanced strength, muscle growth, cognitive function, and cellular energy. Pure micronized creatine monohydrate with added sea salt for absorption. Found in Lineage Provisions' product line.
Electrolyte Support Prevents imbalances, muscle cramps, and heart palpitations; supports hydration. Sea salt, magnesium, and potassium-rich foods or supplements. Whole foods or high-quality mineral sources.
Animal-Based Protein Convenient source of nose-to-tail protein, collagen, and organs. Beef protein, organs (heart, liver, pancreas), colostrum, and fruit/berry blend. Lineage Provisions' 'Animal-Based Complete'.

Conclusion

In summary, Dr. Paul Saladino's supplement recommendations are a direct extension of his animal-based diet philosophy, prioritizing nutrient-dense, bioavailable sources over synthetic alternatives. While a whole-food, nose-to-tail approach is the ideal, he acknowledges that modern living may require strategic supplementation. Creatine is his most universally recommended supplement due to its cognitive and performance benefits. For foundational nutrition, his own Heart & Soil organ meat capsules are advocated as a potent, convenient way to consume the most nutrient-dense parts of an animal. Finally, he stresses the importance of adequate electrolyte intake, often achieved through sea salt, to prevent mineral imbalances. The best approach, in his view, is a combination of species-appropriate foods bolstered by targeted, high-quality supplementation where needed.

References

[Disclaimer: The information in this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.]

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Paul Saladino strongly recommends creatine for everyone, stating it is highly beneficial for cognitive function, physical performance, and cellular energy. He typically suggests a specific amount daily.

Heart & Soil is Dr. Paul Saladino's company that produces nutrient-dense, freeze-dried organ meat supplements from grass-fed, grass-finished cattle. These encapsulated supplements offer a convenient way to consume the nutritional benefits of organs like liver, heart, and kidney.

Saladino's personal experience showed that adequate electrolyte intake, including sodium and magnesium, is important on a low-carbohydrate, animal-based diet to prevent issues like muscle cramps and heart palpitations. He recommends high-quality sea salt as one source.

Saladino prefers consuming whole meat for protein whenever possible due to its inherent nutrient density. However, he acknowledges that high-quality, animal-based protein powders can be a useful and convenient option for those with busy lifestyles.

Saladino recommends whey protein concentrate over whey isolate. He prefers the concentrate because it contains more bioactive compounds and lactoferrin, which are beneficial for gut health.

Supplements from Heart & Soil are sourced from grass-fed, grass-finished animals raised on regenerative farms without antibiotics, hormones, or GMOs. They are not certified organic but adhere to strict quality standards.

Dr. Saladino is generally critical of synthetic multivitamins, arguing that their nutrients often have poor bioavailability compared to those sourced naturally from animal foods. His approach focuses on whole foods and high-quality, animal-derived supplements.

Medical Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice.