The Top 5 Supplements I Actually Use (And Why)

Let's get one thing out of the way first: you don't need supplements. No pill, powder or capsule is going to out-work a poor diet, inconsistent training, or bad sleep. If the basics aren't in place, save your money.

But once the basics are sorted, the right supplements can genuinely help. Not as a shortcut, as a top-up for the gaps that a normal diet, even a good one, often doesn't fully close. These are the five I actually use myself and recommend to clients, plus one bonus I take on every training day.

1. Creatine

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements that exists, and the evidence behind it isn't close. It improves strength, power output, and how much work you can do in the gym, which over months and years adds up to more muscle and more progress than training without it.

It also has benefits outside the gym: research links it to improved cognitive function and mental fatigue resistance, particularly under stress or sleep deprivation.

The old advice was 5g a day, but more recent research shows you can actually take more than that and see additional benefit. If you do go higher, spread it out across the day rather than taking it all in one go, it doesn't digest particularly well in a big single dose, and you'll get more out of it split into two smaller ones.

I've used it consistently for years, and the difference shows up quietly, better session-to-session strength, and noticeably less mental fog on low-sleep days. My son actually takes it too, it's one of the few supplements on this list I'd genuinely put in front of a young athlete without a second thought, the research on safety is that solid.

One thing worth mentioning, I find a lot of females clients are hesitant to take creatine, worried it'll make them ‘bulky’ or cause weight gain because it "holds water". It doesn't work like that. Any water retention is stored inside the muscle cell itself, not under the skin, it's not the same as looking or feeling bloated, and it certainly won't make you bulky. If anything, it's one of the most under-used supplements among women who train, given how safe and well researched it actually is so don’t let that myth hold you back from taking your creatine.

I would recommend you to take the powder or tablet form over the 'Gummies' that are now popular also as there tends to be not as much creatine per serving as what is being sold and also your adding additional calories to your plan without realising also.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of processes in your body, muscle function, nervous system regulation, and sleep quality among them. It's also one of the most common deficiencies going, largely because modern soil and processed food supply less of it than it used to.

For training specifically, magnesium supports muscle relaxation and recovery, and low levels are linked to cramping and poor sleep, both of which quietly wreck a training week.

I'll be honest, this is the one that's made the biggest difference to me personally. My sleep has improved dramatically since I started taking it, not gradually, noticeably. If sleep is your weak point, this is the one supplement on this list I'd try before any of the others. I personally take 2 captules before bed of TBJP. Also I find that magnesium supplements are fairly affordable considering the health benefits you get from taking them.

3. Vitamin D3 (with K2)

Vitamin D affects bone health, immune function, mood, and testosterone regulation. Your body makes it from direct sunlight on your skin, which sounds simple until you actually live somewhere like Northern Ireland, or honestly most of the UK.

I'm writing this in the middle of June, and it's overcast outside right now. If we're not getting reliable sun in the middle of summer, think about what winter looks like. Most people reading this are in the UK or somewhere similar, and the honest truth is you're probably deficient for a large chunk of the year without realising it.

I pair it with K2 because K2 helps direct the calcium that vitamin D helps you absorb toward your bones rather than your arteries, the two work better together than either does alone. This is one I'd consider close to essential for anyone training seriously through a UK autumn and winter, and honestly, based on our summers, probably worth taking year-round.

4. Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids support heart health, joint health, and have a genuine anti-inflammatory effect, useful for anyone training regularly and putting their joints under repeated load.

Here's my honest situation, I don't like fish. At all. I wish I did but unfortunately my taste buds won't tolerate any kind at all. So getting omega-3 from oily fish, salmon, mackerel, sardines, was never realistically going to happen for me, which makes this one a genuine non-negotiable rather than a nice to have.

But even if you do like fish, the chances are you're still not getting enough. Unless it's a near daily part of your diet, most people fall well short of a meaningful dose. I've noticed the difference most in joint comfort during higher volume training blocks, less stiffness, less nagging discomfort in the knees and shoulders specifically.

5. Vitamin C

Vitamin C supports immune function and is directly involved in collagen production, relevant for joint, tendon and skin health, particularly if you're training hard and putting real load through your body.

It's also an antioxidant, helping manage the oxidative stress that comes with intense training. Most people can get a baseline amount through fruit and veg, but during heavier training periods, or over autumn and winter when immune systems take more of a hit, I've found a consistent daily dose worth having rather than relying on diet alone to cover it.

Bonus: Pre-Workout (MVPre)

This isn't on the main list because it's not something everyone needs, it's purely a training-day performance tool, not a health top-up like the five above.

I'm not a coffee drinker, never have been, so pre-workout is genuinely my only source of caffeine before training (Although I do love a tin of monster now and again I just wouldn't recommend that pre training)  I work long days, and even though I train early in the morning, I still take it every session. I've been taking it for years now, and honestly, it might well be placebo at this stage, but I feel like I couldn't train properly without it.

The one I use is MVPre. It does what a good pre workout should, improves focus, energy and output during a session, without the crash or the jitters some cheaper pre workouts give you. I only use it on training days, never daily, since it's a performance tool for the session in front of you, not something your body needs constantly. 

The Brands I Actually Use

For anyone asking, I use TBJP and Dean St Marts for the supplements above. I'm not sponsored to say that, it's genuinely what's in my own cupboard, and what I've recommended to clients for years.

Should You Take All Five?

Not necessarily, and not all at once if you're new to this. Start with the one or two that address the biggest gap in your own diet and lifestyle, creatine and vitamin D are usually the first two I'd point most people toward, then build from there.

Supplements are exactly that: supplementary. Get your training, your calories, your protein and your sleep right first. If you want help figuring out where you actually stand on any of that, my free calorie calculator is the easiest place to start, or get in touch directly if you want a proper look at your whole setup.