(8) Supplements

What I Take, and Why

I often get asked what supplements I take, so this felt like a natural topic for the next post. Before we start, there are two important caveats:

Firstly, supplements are exactly that; supplemental. They cannot compensate for poor diet, poor sleep, or inconsistent training. Secondly, the benefits of some supplements are marginal. If this doesn’t appeal to you, you can safely skip this post and lose very little.

I don’t take a general multivitamin. In my view, the level of vitamins and minerals in most multivitamins are too low to make any meaningful difference, for those eating a balanced wholefood diet.

Protein Supplementation

I take protein supplements even though I get a good amount of protein in my diet. As discussed in the previous post, protein supports muscle repair and growth, strength gains, recovery between sessions and satiety (helpful whether maintaining, cutting, or bulking).

I have found that the best protein powder to use is unflavoured whey protein isolate. This is a by-product of the cheese-making process, it’s easily digested and it does not contain any ultra-processed ingredients. I blend it with fruit in smoothies and I use it in baking. I freeze left over cut up fruit, and I blend this with the protein powder to make smoothies. Don’t be tempted to buy the non-isolate variety, it might be cheaper, but I have found it to be more grainy.

When I’m out and about, flavoured protein powders are practical, even though they’re ultra-processed. If you go this route, look for powders where most of the calories come from protein, not fat or sugar. I never buy other protein products like bars or yoghurts as there are too many other ingredients. The two flavoured protein powders I use regularly are:

· MyProtein Clear Whey (I like the raspberry lemonade or cranberry & raspberry flavours): ~83 calories for 20g protein. It tastes like fruit squash and I drink it in the gym, especially if I go before breakfast.

· ProteinWorks Vegan Wondershake (I like the vanilla crème or salted caramel flavours): ~94 calories for 20g protein. It’s very smooth and mixes easily with cold water. I also use it with cottage cheese in the Ninja creamy to make a high protein frozen treat.

Creatine

I take 3g daily in tablet form. Powder works equally well; I prefer tablets. I gagged when I added creatine to smoothies! Creatine is, in my view, the most evidence-backed performance supplement available. If I reduced everything to one item for strength training, this would be it.

Creatine is stored in muscle as phosphocreatine, helping regenerate ATP, the body’s immediate energy currency. During short, high-intensity efforts like heavy lifting or sprinting, ATP depletes rapidly. Creatine helps replenish it faster.

The result? Slightly more force production, perhaps an extra rep, or better power across sets. Individually, these effects are small. Over months and years, they compound into greater strength and muscle gain.

Creatine doesn’t build muscle directly. It enables you to train harder and recover better, which supports muscle growth. Research consistently shows improvements in maximal strength, power output, and lean mass when combined with resistance training. Some early weight gain (0.5–1.5kg) is expected due to water stored inside muscle cells. Don’t worry, it’s not fat gain.

Emerging evidence also suggests creatine may support cognitive performance, working memory (especially under stress or sleep deprivation), and healthy ageing. It may help preserve muscle mass as mitochondrial efficiency declines with age.

For healthy adults, creatine is safe and does not damage kidneys or liver function. However, stop two weeks before blood tests, as it can slightly elevate creatinine and falsely suggest kidney impairment. Those with existing kidney disease should consult a clinician. You don’t need a loading phase. Take 3–5g daily. Timing matters far less than consistency.

Creatine is particularly useful for regular lifters, those over 40, people who eat little red meat, and vegetarians or vegans (who often respond especially well). Expect steady progress rather than an overnight transformation.

Magnesium

I take 375mg magnesium daily (Healthspan). Many adults are mildly deficient in magnesium, particularly those who exercise regularly. It should be possible to get enough magnesium from your diet, but in practice this is quite hard to achieve, even if you eat well, because magnesium in soil has been depleted. Food sources include nuts and seeds, whole grains, leafy greens, and legumes. The benefits of magnesium are that it supports muscle relaxation and reduces cramping, it improves sleep quality (especially helpful at bedtime), it aids digestion and gut motility and it plays a role in energy production and nerve function

If you struggle with sleep, muscle tightness, or restless legs, magnesium is often worth trying.

Marine Collagen

I take 500mg marine collagen daily (Healthspan). I started this several years ago when I had persistent joint niggles. Whether placebo or not, my joint niggles have improved, so I’ve continued taking it.

The potential benefits of collagen include support for joint, tendon, and ligament health. Reduction in joint pain associated with training. Improvement in skin elasticity and connective tissue, as well as providing glycine and proline, important amino acids for tissue repair. Collagen is not a complete protein and does not replace dietary protein. Think of it as joint support rather than muscle fuel.

Collagen’s a funny one because you don’t really “eat collagen and it turns into collagen”. You eat amino acids that your body then uses to make collagen. That said, some foods are much better than others at supplying the right building blocks.

Vitamin D

I take Vitamin D3 (50μg) daily (Healthspan). I originally started supplementing many years ago after being deficient on a blood test. I was very surprised as the test was performed in late summer, when I’d been training outdoors for a half marathon (wearing shorts and t-shirt). I’ve supplemented consistently since then.

Food alone rarely gets you to optimal Vitamin D levels, especially in the UK where the amount of sunlight is limited. Vitamin D supports muscle strength, bone density, immune function and reduced injury risk.

Omega-3 (Fish Oil)

I take 1200mg “super strength” omega-3 daily (Healthspan). I do also eat salmon or mackerel a couple of times a week, but most people don’t consume enough oily fish to meet recommended intake. The benefits of omega-3s include; reducing inflammation, supporting heart and cardiovascular health, improvement of joint stiffness and soreness, support brain health and cognition and aiding recovery from training. If you eat oily fish 3 times per week, supplementation may be less necessary. Otherwise, it’s a sensible addition.

Urolithin A (Mitochondrial Support)

This is a newer addition to my stack, and I buy from Amazon. Urolithin A is a compound produced by gut bacteria when certain polyphenols are consumed, but many people don’t produce enough naturally.

The potential benefits of urolithin A include supporting mitochondrial function (cellular energy production). It may improve muscle endurance and recovery. Urolithin A is being studied for healthy ageing and muscle preservation. It also has potential benefits for metabolic and cellular health.

The evidence is emerging rather than definitive, but the mechanism is interesting, particularly in midlife and beyond.

Final Thoughts on Supplements

Supplements should fill genuine gaps, support training and recovery and be boring, consistent, and evidence-based. Supplements should not replace real food, or be taken in excessive doses. Supplements should not be expected to deliver dramatic results on their own. If you’re lifting weights regularly, sleeping reasonably well, and eating enough protein, and mostly wholefoods, supplements are the final 5–10%, not the foundation.

Next Week

In the next post, I’ll move from what happens inside the gym to what happens outside it, the small, almost invisible decisions that compound over time. Because strength isn’t just built during structured sessions. It’s often built in the five spare minutes at home, or at work, when you decide to “just do a set” rather than scroll.