Supplements are supplemental. The foundation still comes first.

One of the first questions a lot of clients ask me is some version of "what supplements should I take?" It's an understandable question. The supplement industry is massive, the marketing is everywhere, and everyone they follow on Instagram seems to be pushing a different stack.

My answer is almost always the same. The word is supplemental. It means "in addition to," not "instead of." Supplements work when they're layered on top of a foundation. They don't work when the foundation isn't there, and no supplement can compensate for sleeping five hours and eating 60g of protein a day.

Here's how I actually think about supplements with clients.

First: the foundation that makes supplements matter

Before I talk about any specific supplement with a client, I want the following in place first:

• They're hitting their protein target consistently (the biggest nutritional intervention for most people)
• They're sleeping 7+ hours most nights
• They're moving daily (walk + 2-3 strength sessions per week)
• They're drinking enough water (not replacing it with coffee or Celsius)
• They've had recent bloodwork done so we know where they actually stand

If those five things aren't in place, supplements are a distraction. They're the thing people reach for when they don't want to fix the boring stuff. I'd rather we fix the boring stuff first, because 90% of the benefit lives there.

> Supplements can add maybe 5-10% on top of a strong foundation. They cannot create a foundation that isn't there.

Why bloodwork matters

This is the piece I wish more coaches emphasized. Before recommending supplements, I want to know what's actually going on in a client's body. Blood tests can tell us if you're low in vitamin D (very common), iron (especially common in women), B12, magnesium, omega-3s, and other things where a targeted supplement might actually move a number.

Guessing at deficiencies is how people end up with a kitchen counter full of bottles and no idea if any of them are helping. Testing removes the guessing.

This is why I work with a naturopath for clients who want to go deeper. A good naturopath (or integrative medicine doctor, or functional medicine practitioner) can interpret bloodwork in context and make specific recommendations that are actually tailored to you, instead of generic "take this stack" advice.

For premium-tier clients, naturopath consultations and bloodwork review are part of what I include. For everyone else, I recommend getting comprehensive bloodwork once a year through your regular doctor and asking them to run the relevant panels.

The supplements I actually tell clients to consider

I'm going to be specific here, with caveats. These are my general recommendations, not medical advice. Check with your own physician before starting anything, especially if you have existing conditions or take medications.

1. Protein powder. I know this isn't exactly a supplement in the traditional sense. It's a food. But it's the one "supplement" I recommend to almost everyone, because hitting a protein target without it is hard for busy people. Whey if you tolerate dairy, plant-based if you don't. This one is foundational, not optional.

2. Creatine monohydrate. The most researched supplement in the history of sports nutrition. Safe, cheap, effective for strength, muscle growth, and emerging evidence for cognitive benefits in older adults [1]. 5g a day, any time of day. Don't bother with the fancy forms. Monohydrate is fine.

3. Vitamin D3. Deficiency is extremely common, especially in people who work indoors or live at higher latitudes. Get tested first. If you're deficient, supplement with D3 (not D2). Dosage depends on your blood level. This is where bloodwork matters. A generic "take 1000 IU a day" recommendation can be either too little or too much depending on your starting level.

4. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA). If you're not eating fatty fish 2-3 times a week, a good quality omega-3 supplement is worth considering. Look for one that specifies EPA and DHA content (not just "fish oil") and has third-party testing for contaminants.

5. Magnesium (for some). For clients with sleep issues or muscle cramping, magnesium glycinate or citrate taken before bed often helps. Not for everyone. Worth trying if the foundation pieces aren't resolving the issue.

That's the short list. Five supplements. I won't recommend the rest for most people until we have a specific reason (a bloodwork result, a symptom, a specific goal) to add them.

What I don't recommend without a reason

I get asked about these constantly. My default is no unless there's a specific reason.

• Pre-workout. Caffeine plus a bunch of stimulants and undisclosed amounts of things. A cup of coffee does almost the same thing for a fraction of the cost.
• BCAAs. Unnecessary if you're hitting your protein target. The research on them is weak and the marketing is aggressive.
• Fat burners. None of them work in a meaningful way, and several have safety issues.
• Testosterone boosters. Most don't do what they claim. If your testosterone is genuinely low, talk to a doctor about real options.
• Adaptogens (ashwagandha, rhodiola, etc.). The research is mixed. Some clients report benefits. Most don't. I don't oppose them, but I don't lead with them.
• Greens powders. An expensive way to get nutrients that are cheaper and better from actual vegetables.

None of these are harmful in most cases. They're just not worth the money for most people.

The mindset behind my approach

The reason I'm cautious with supplements isn't that I'm against them. It's that I've watched dozens of clients use them as a way to avoid doing the real work. They'll buy a $200 supplement stack and skip their workouts. They'll add greens powder to smoothies and keep eating poorly. They'll take ashwagandha for stress and keep sleeping 5 hours.

Supplements work when they're the 10% on top of the 90% of foundation. They don't work when they're a substitute for the 90%. Almost every time I've seen a client dramatically improve, the improvement came from the foundation, not the supplements. The supplements were contributing at the margin.

How to start this week

1. Audit what you're already taking. If you have a shelf of supplements with no plan behind them, this is a good time to simplify.

2. Get bloodwork if you haven't in the last year. Ask your doctor for a comprehensive panel including vitamin D, B12, iron, ferritin, and a lipid panel.

3. Start with creatine if you're strength training. It's the one supplement with enough evidence that I'd recommend it for almost everyone who trains.

4. Hit your protein target, even if it means a daily shake. The one "supplement" that actually changes outcomes for most of my clients is enough protein. Everything else is secondary.

5. Wait on the rest until you have a specific reason. Don't add supplements because someone on Instagram told you to. Add them because bloodwork or a specific symptom tells you they'll help.

The supplement industry is designed to sell you more. Your body is designed to respond to food, movement, sleep, and time. Start with what your body responds to. Supplement the rest when it actually matters.

Sources

• [1] Kreider et al., *International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine*, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017. Comprehensive review of creatine research.
• Examine.com supplement database for individual supplement evidence reviews.
• PriorityMe coaching archive on nutrition and supplementation for busy professionals.