What Supplements Should You Take?
Someone in the gym recently asked me a question I hear all the time: "Bryan, just tell me what supplements I actually need. I've read things, I've heard things, I just want a straight answer."
Fair enough. So on this episode of Busy People Getting Fit, Coach Clancie and I broke it down simply. Here's the short version.
Why most supplement research doesn't apply to you
A lot of what you see on social media, or scrolling through a headline that promises a "great new supplement," is based on research done on Olympic level 23 year olds, usually men, who already have their training and nutrition completely dialed in. If that's not you, that research doesn't really apply to you. It's not that the research is wrong. It just wasn't designed with the average busy person in mind.
With that in mind, here are the four supplements tp consider.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the few supplements backed by real evidence, and its main benefit comes down to one thing: it tops up the phosphocreatine "battery" in your muscles, letting you squeeze out a rep or two more per set when combined with resistance training. That small edge adds up over time into meaningfully more strength and muscle than training alone produces, which is why the International Society of Sports Nutrition calls it the most effective ergogenic supplement available.
The benefit matters most as you age, since a meta analysis of 22 studies in older adults found that people who paired creatine with strength training gained about 3 pounds more muscle and got significantly stronger than those who trained without it, making it a genuine tool for fighting the muscle loss that drives frailty and falls later in life.
The catch is that creatine only works as an amplifier. It will not build muscle on its own without the training behind it, and while claims about memory and brain function are appealing, that research is not solid yet. For anyone already lifting or willing to start, though, creatine remains one of the most reliable, low cost ways to make that training pay off.
2. Protein Powder
Most of us are not getting enough protein in a day, and protein powder is one of the easiest ways to fix that. Toss a scoop in water, milk, or your favorite beverage and you're done. Bryan mixes different flavors together and blends hers with frozen fruit from the freezer section (blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, whatever her family has on hand). One scoop yields 25 g of protein for only 120 calories, which is a great return for very few calories. Another option is a scoop of chocolate protein powder in steel cut oatmeal with blackberries every morning.
3. Caffeine
Caffeine is the most studied supplement in history. Militaries have spent decades researching it because they need soldiers awake and alert on demand. The takeaway for the rest of us is simple: you don't need more than about 150 milligrams a day, which is roughly three cups of black coffee. Coffee, blak tea, and green tea are the best cources of caffeine. All other sources, especially energy drinks, contain other ingredients that make you think you are getting energy. Instead, these other ingredients are harming you by causing your heart beat to quicken or your skin to tingle.
4. Branched Chain Amino Acids (a maybe)
This one comes with an asterisk. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and BCAAs can be useful when protein powder or whole food protein isn't practical in the moment. Bryan's daughters are good examples. Before swim or water polo practice, they need protein in their systems, but eating chicken, steak, or drinking a protein shake right before jumping in the pool for two hours isn't ideal. BCAAs give them the amino acid support they need without sitting heavy in their stomach.
What about multivitamins and Omega-3s?
Multivitamins: The issue isn't what's on the label, it's bioavailability, meaning whether your body can actually use it. Your body is designed to break down and absorb vitamins and minerals from whole food, not from a pill. When you take a multivitamin, your body uses what it can and excretes the rest. That's usually why your urine turns bright yellow or orange after taking one. You're mostly paying for expensive pee.
That said, if your doctor recommends a specific vitamin because you're genuinely deficient in something, that's a different conversation. I take vitamin D because I have a history of skin cancer, which makes it harder for me to safely get vitamin D from sunlight the way most people do. Talk to your doctor about your specific situation rather than guessing.
Iron: We've had a few people mention they're iron deficient recently. This is especially common in women and in people who don't eat much red meat or beans, which are two of the best natural sources of iron. Again, this is a conversation to have with your doctor.
Omega-3s: These get a lot of hype for supposedly helping with skin, hair, joints, and brain function. The research on that hasn't really panned out. Omega-3s may help reduce some inflammation, but most people aren't going to notice a dramatic difference from taking them.
The bottom line
Save your money. Prioritize whole foods first: fruits, vegetables, and lean protein sources should make up the bulk of your calories and micronutrients. If you're going to supplement, keep it simple: protein powder, creatine, caffeine, and maybe branched chain amino acids. Everything else is largely optional, and for most of us, not worth the money.
Eat real food, work out consistently, and you'll cover most of your bases.