Most supplements are useless, but a few earn their place, and using them correctly matters just as much as taking them at all.
This list is short.
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most studied substances on the planet. Not just in lifting, but in human performance overall. Strength, power output, muscle fullness, and even cognitive function are all well documented.
I didn’t just read the research. I tested it.
I intentionally stopped taking creatine for about four months. No loading phase. No taper. Just stopped. Over time, I noticed two things:
- A subtle but real brain fog
- My muscles looked flatter and felt less “charged”
When I added creatine back in, both reversed. Within weeks, my muscles looked and felt noticeably fuller again, and mentally I felt sharper. Nothing dramatic. Just better. That’s usually how the real stuff works.
I take creatine monohydrate. Five grams per day. No cycling. No gimmicks.
If you lift heavy and don’t take creatine, you are leaving performance on the table.
Whey Protein
Protein is not optional if you want to be strong. Recovery, muscle growth, connective tissue, all of it depends on adequate intake.
I aim for roughly 260 to 300 grams of protein per day. That number is intentional.
I drink three protein shakes per day. This is not a backup plan or a convenience play. It is part of how I reliably hit my protein targets every single day. Most of the time I mix them with water. Sometimes almond milk if I want it to taste better.
I buy one thing only: Gold Standard whey from Optimum Nutrition. It’s consistent, mixes well, digests easily, and has been around forever. No surprises. No sketchy ingredient lists. It does exactly what it’s supposed to do.
I don’t treat protein shakes like a dessert or a reward. They’re infrastructure. If you train hard and train consistently, liquid protein removes friction and makes consistency possible.
I’ve also written a separate post on the proper way to mix a protein shake, because yes, there is a better way, and it directly affects digestion and how well whey actually sits.
Omega-3 Fish Oil
I do not eat fatty fish with any regularity. That matters.
Omega-3s play a role in inflammation management, joint health, cardiovascular health, and overall recovery. Could you get them from food alone? Absolutely, if you’re eating salmon, sardines, or similar fish several times per week.
I am not.
So I take two fish oil capsules per day. Simple insurance. No heroic dosing. Just enough to cover a gap in my diet.
Everything Else
Everything else is arguably garbage.
That doesn’t mean every supplement outside this list is useless. It means the return on investment drops off fast. Most supplements offer marginal benefits at best, usually buried under poor dosing, marketing hype, or weak evidence.
If a supplement promises fat loss, hormone optimization, muscle growth, recovery, focus, and longevity all in one scoop, it’s lying to you.
Sleep, food quality, total calories, protein intake, training structure, and recovery drive results. Supplements should support those fundamentals, not distract from them.
Get the basics right, and creatine, whey, and omega-3s earn their keep.
Everything else is optional. Or noise. Or both.