Minimal Effective Dose - Keeping Things Simple & Effective
If you are like me, or most people, you may be interested in finding ways to cut out the unnecessary activities and get straight to what is most important or effective for your desired goals. Whether this is because life is getting busier and you need to keep to the absolute necessities, or you’re looking to optimize your routine but want to make sure all your bases are covered, the concept of using minimal effective dose for your goals may be ideal.
Minimal effective dose (MED) is not a new concept, but you will often hear us use it at Resilient Body for health and fitness related goals as well that may stray a bit from what the actual emerging science says about it. For some solid info on how it applies to strength gains and maintenance, check out Dr. PAK here.
Whether we are helping someone working on their long-term health goals, getting back to full function after injury or surgery, or extracting the most efficacy from their current fitness routine, the smallest dosage required to produce the desired effect is a very useful approach for all of the above. I personally find myself using this approach more often the busier I get with life and responsibilities that don’t permit me the same time I once I had. However, even if you have more time or energy, MED is often all we actually need for that desired outcome and adding more won’t increase the benefit in many instances. In fact, sometimes more can lead to undesirable or opposite effects. This is a critical framework and tool for me as a business owner, new dad and neurodivergent that can easily drift off onto tangents.
This month, I’d like to show you how this concept can be applied to your own health and fitness goals.
Again, minimal effective dose is going to be the absolute least amount/dose of something required for you to get the specific outcome you are seeking. For example, if your goal is muscle growth, what is the minimal number of sets and reps required to create noticeable gains (assuming other essentials like nutrition and sleep are dialed in)? What is the minimum cardiovascular training you may need to bolster or improve the health of your metabolism, organ systems and tissues involved? This can be used as a way to optimize the time you do have or a way to make your routine more efficient as well.
Minimal vs Max Dose:
It is important to understand when a minimal versus maximal amount is best in regards to health and fitness. One the one hand sometimes the minimums are not ideal and the maximum may be toxic (i.e. certain fat-soluble vitamins that can build up on your system to undesirable levels). However, it is important to distinguish that when we talk about the minimal dose here, we indeed mean the minimum for the desired outcome without significant deficits. This is also where it becomes important to define what this is for yourself in any given metric so you know when it is applicable.
For example, if you’re working on muscle strength or hypertrophy with minimal time commitment ability in the gym and you know that a minimum of 6-10 working sets per muscle group is needed for those muscles to get the signal/dose to imrove, but you may be able to get a bit more (but maybe negligible) growth with 16-20+ sets, then 6-10 working sets would be a good MED for you in this instance. Note the range because more info is likely needed to make this a for sure statement for both strength and size; and everyone is different (genetics, training age, goals, etc). Now, if you have more time to spend at the gym and your max could be ideal for growth let’s say because you are fresh every session and feel like you will respond better to more, you could do more, but it would not be considered your MED if you are still making progress the other way. This is an important element to consider since sometimes more is more, but the minimum dose required may actually not be that different from the outcome of maximal doses by a significant margin.
Overreaching in training is a great example of MED in the context of overall training volume and intensity that can go too far in max applications (though hard to do). It can sometimes be detrimental to maintain max doses since they often have you closer to the edge of where potentially maladaptive or dangerous things can occur. Over stressing your physiology with too much of something like in the case of non-functional overreaching (overtraining in a way that your body does not gain positive functional improvement) can eventually lead to being truly overtrained and result in nervous system and endocrine issues that can lead to a very long recovery to baseline levels of performance. The concepts of functional versus non-functional overreaching are beyond this blog, but we will discuss non-functional overreaching as a hypothetical max, that can be not so great but able to be recovered from, yet is likely is taking things too far beyond a required dosage of max effort in a non-functional way (it does not help you increase function). Functional overreaching would be a great example of honing in on the minimal effective dose of maximum effort that does help, on the other hand. With the right timing of intense blocks of training that extend for a few weeks, with proper recovery, our bodies can arrive to positive adaptations and increased resiliency at the end (VERY functional).
You may also see MED come into play with behavior around your nutrition taken too far. While it may be ideal in theory to have 100% compliance with your daily meals, we usually never see this and those that try we often see backfiring and leading to a crash and burn out. Sometimes this goes with regression back to worse eating habits that don’t support a person's desired goals. While in theory that 100% could lead to the ideal changes or goal a person has, a 80% MED compliance may have been much more realistic for them to sustain long term and never reach burnout. In this case we see another case where max is not best most of the time.
Resilient Body does personalized nutrition and fitness planning with clients for these very reasons since someone’s MED may be enough for the long haul and also better suit their unique to their needs. Carefully planning this for yourself and how that may change from time to time can be a real game changer for your health and fitness since most of us are not competitive athletes trying to squeeze out every last drop of performance no matter the cost.
Easily Accessible Recovery Tools vs Extra Steps
Your recovery MED should be comprised of accessible things or actions for YOU that can be done at a minimum daily/weekly dose as well. The total amount and frequency can be played with as well. Much like we highlighted above in the sets/reps volume example for strength and hypertrophy, but applied to recovery. Since the time we have available for recovery can fluctuate and limit what we can do, it is important to assess our MED here so that we still are certain to get this critical often neglected piece in. While ten hours of sleep, morning movement meditation and a long Epsom bath at night daily may sound luxurious, reality is there will likely be time and other limiters like finance and job constraints to actually achieving this every day for you. There is also the possibility of negative effects like feeling groggy or even stressed from some of these tools or the over complicated routine. Instead picking one thing (or maybe 2 max) done in an MED can be the best way to go to make sure you actually get it in some de-stress.
It can be important to ignore fads and influences along with the thought that more is more here as well. While it is absolutely essential to recover from stressors (exercise and even some recovery modalities like cold plunge and sauna can be seen as stressors initially too, by the way), you can do it right and in the right amount for you that doesn’t waste extra steps and time with undesired effects. Typically, very simple things like breathwork done for as little as 5-minute blocks at a time can work wonders. Journaling or spending some time outside with nature or friends and family can have profound grounding and nervous system soothing effects with very little time and financial investment as well. We don’t need a $3000 cold plunge or sauna done daily.
However, if you like to get fancy, have the access, and your other boxes are checked you can explore what your MED is for plunge or sauna as well. Some current thought points to as little as a few to 5 minutes of very cold-water submersion and perhaps around 15-20 minutes of sauna. Everyone is a little different here and the exact times and temperatures can vary a bit here as well. We prefer implementing simpler strategies with less time commitment with those we work with at first since most people have trouble committing to even simple low to no cost MED practices like breathing exercises. If you insist, a trash can or the $100 galvanized planter or trough works pretty well as a cold plunge though…
The point here is that the minimal effective dose may be just as related to the number of recovery tools used in order to keep things simple and sustainable for you as it is to the dose of the recovery modality itself. Choose things that are sustainable for you here.
Nutrition & Supplements
The MED concept can of course be taken with your nutrition as well. What is the minimal amount of various nutrients your body needs to thrive? What about supplements? This is not the RDA, as I am speaking more to what is the minimal amount to have you take in to get you kicking butt with your goals. This can also be applied whether you have goals of eating for improved health, performance, fat loss, muscle gain, etc. There will still be a minimal amount of some nutrient (water/hydration included though not exactly a nutrient) that is likely effective for your goals without wasting money or food.
A great example when it comes to food and supplement both is protein since lots of people do not eat enough protein to thrive and many will turn to a protein powder or drink supplements. We can try and create a general rule of ~.7-.8 grams per pound of body weight as a MED regardless of goals but that may be a bit different for you if your goals are optimizing lean mass gains and retention. You may see that number go up to closer to 1 gram per pound or more even in certain circumstances. That may be a similar scenario if your goals are weight loss and satiety (to an extent since other foods/nutrients like fiber from minimally processed carbohydrate sources and vegetables can certainly help). The key here is once again finding what the MED is for you and your goals and that may be a relatively easy one since there is a lot of research backing certain protein MED numbers up nowadays. Of course, there is always lots of nuance here, but these are general numbers.
Hydration is another example where it may make sense to create a universal MED, but again, certain situations can lead to needing more or specific timing. For instance, a good general rule of thumb is 1/2 ounce per pound of bodyweight consumed daily. Of course, this number will need to go up if you exercise at all and of course if you lose a lot of fluid perspiring and breathing. There is also a good rule of thumb for MED hydration during using the Galpin Equation which extrapolated optimal hydration during exercise from work done in the area as Your Bodyweight / 30 = Ounces of Water Per 15min of Exercise. This does not take into account electrolytes like sodium lost in sweat during exercise and that can be something to consider an MED for in your hydration strategy through the day.
Other nutritive and non-nutritive supplements like adaptogens, ergogenics, antioxidants, etc are an area where MED can come into play based upon what research in the area says for various doses for desired outcomes. We will not go into this here as that would be many articles to cover, but it is always best to speak with a health professional versed in this area. Here there can be contraindications even, let alone large variations in MEDs for some people needing to be higher than others based on body size or specific needs and demands. It’s not always as simple like in the instance of often cited creatine for most populations being safe and useful. Research will suggest that 3-5mg dosages are fairly standard, but 3-7g or even more may be called for in a larger individual looking for performance benefits for instance. In the supplement arena, less is sometimes more unless you have very specific needs for a supplement not covered elsewhere in your basic nutrition or needed additionally that are beyond some of the simpler ones like creatine, omega-3s, caffeine etc.
Keeping the MED and Basics When Things Get Overwhelming
Being able to have a simplified view of what the MED and basics are for your goals when life gets hectic can be the difference between staying on track or falling off the wagon. Not just MEDs for a certain area, but what things you generally keep in play in their MEDs at all. Below I provide my personal MED example lining up the dose with the intended goal/ outcome for what I use for my MED when a super busy week strikes or even sometimes my normal busy schedule:
6-12 weekly sets per body part - This works for ME. My current goals are building a little muscle (and at least maintaining as best as I can) while also incorporating strength. Strength (and speed) falls off faster than muscle mass as we age. I make sure to get at least 6 working sets per muscle group or body part in the higher 8-20 rep range (sometimes a little more but usually right in the middle on average) for my muscle hypertrophy goals with lower loads/weight. I will also include at least a few strength focused sets in the lower rep range of 2-5 (yes you can do 1-6 reps I’m sure as well- and do sometimes). Please note that you may also be able to get more muscle size by working close to failure in those ranges. Of course, if time permits I could go upwards of 20 sets but it may not actually get me that much more and that max end could just stress me during an already stressful week and have an opposite effect on my progress and overall well-being.
3 colorful meals that prioritize: PROTEIN + FIBER - ~60 grams + 15g respectively. I fill in fat and carbohydrate to my preference and goals as those change sometimes through the year. Most of my nutrition comes from my food. If I don’t have the time for a snack or even to plan all my meals, I still make sure to have at least three meals that net me enough total protein, fiber and overall calories to support me throughout the day. I’d prefer four evenly spaced meals made from whole food ingredients (less processed is better), but there is going to be enough to be able to reach my desired nutrient and caloric intake. YES WATER TOO! 1/2 ounces per lb of bodyweight + an electrolyte solution with workouts that adds on to my 1/2 oz/lb MED (but more on sweaty long session days)
Supplements- I don’t like to take a lot and get most nutrients from my food but I do take omega-3s daily, creatine monohydrate 7g, caffeine in a 12oz coffee about 1-2hrs after waking up, magnesium, and vitamin D in the winter months daily.
30 minutes of connection - Whether this is with my family or myself, that is the MED I have found I need at the least to come back down to earth if I notice things feel like they’re spinning away a bit. This can happen morning, afternoon or evening.
7 hours of sleep - This is my personal minimum and can often be interrupted by my son’s needs, but it is the minimum I need to get the most out of my next day.
Of course, I can always increase these things or cycle different things in and out like vitamin D or other supplements (as I do) but these are my MEDs and more doesn’t always equal better.
If you are starting to get busier in life and need help maximizing efficiency, want to enjoy more time away from the gym as the weather gets nicer outside, or put in the energy in the most efficient way toward new health goals on the horizon without overcomplicating, then this may be the right concept for you to employ. This can really help improve your methods and time management when life starts to get too busy.
If you want help finding your own personal MEDs so you can have a little less on your plate and know you are getting the most out of what resources you have to give, we would love to help you.