I have gone back and forth on supplements and ended with four I think are absolutely necessary for me: Creatine, Vitamine D, Omega 3 and Magnesium. I think Creatine is a must for everyone and the other three are supplements you should consider after talking with a medical professional.
Creatine
If there was only one supplement I could take to enhance my workout results, there is no question it would be creatine monohydrate. Creatine is “a compound that comes from three amino acids [and] is found mostly in your body's muscles as well as in the brain.”1 It is probably the most studied workout supplement. The studies demonstrate that creatine not only has great muscular benefits, but also improves performance in everything from sprinting and jumping to weight lifting.2
But even those who don’t work out should consider taking it (hopefully everyone reading is working out—see Rule 6). Some studies show that it also helps with brain health including “cognitive processing, brain function, and recovery from trauma.”3 One study even showed that if an elderly person supplemented with creatine for two weeks, it helped with memory and recall.4
And a study from last year found that creatine can help with cognitive functioning after a sleepless night!5
Peter Attia recommends everyone take 5 g of creatine daily, “a dose that is widely supported by scientific literature.”6 If you weigh more than 180 pounds, Andrew Huberman says you may want to take more (he suggests 10 to 15 grams for someone 220 to 230 pounds).7 Overall, taking creatine “is especially beneficial for improving muscle performance, strength, cognitive functions such as memory and executive function, and potentially bone mineral density.“8
To get all the benefits of creatine, remember to stay well hydrated when taking creatine.9 (Remember Rule 2: Drink Clean Water!) “Part of creatine’s job is to pull water into muscle tissue to make muscles bigger and stronger. You need extra water while taking creatine so that your body is hydrated and there’s water available for creatine to power your muscles.”10
Most of the articles I have read say take creatine with at least 8 ounces of water and drink 3 to 4 liters of water a day to stay well hydrated when you work out and take creatine. For those that want to read more about creatine, I like this article in garage gym reviews. And there are some very good podcasts on the benefits of creatine like Andrew Huberman’s below.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is another thing you need to get checked when you get your bloodwork (See Rule 7). It is so important for your overall health, but I venture to guess that most people don’t know their Vitamin D level. Indeed, this study indicates that Vitamin D deficiency is “prevalent” in the United States.
Deficiency in your Vitamin D level is linked to all sorts of problems. Here is a study discussing all the problems with having a vitamin D deficiency. The tweet below captures it as well.
So what can you do? Start by getting your Vitamin D tested. Until I asked, no doctor ever tested mine. And my test results showed that I was deficient. Knowing where you are at is great because it is easy to deal with.
There is some dispute about what is an appropriate level of Vitamin D. You should find a doctor you trust to get an appropriate level.
An article from Yale Medicine’s website suggests that 20 to 50 ng/ml is sufficient. According to Casey and Calley Means, the National Institute for Health agrees that 20 to 50 is the normal range. But the Means then point out that the optimal range associated with the lowest risk of all cause mortality is 40 to 60 ng/ml.11 And Dr. Hyman suggests 45 to 75 ng/ml is the optimal range. If you want to learn more about Vitamin D, listen to this podcast by Dr. Hyman.
I like this article from Levels that lays out a guide that fits all of these. So I use this as my guide. Here it is:
Severely deficient: <12 ng/mL
Deficient: <20 ng/mL
Insufficient: 21- 29 ng/mL
Optimal: >30 ng/mL
Excess: >100 ng/mL
Toxicity: >150 ng/mL
So how did I increase my Vitamin D level from the 20s to the 50s? Three things. I got more sun — remember get out early in the day and get some sun — many benefits including setting your circadian rhythm (Added benefit of helping with your sleep as discussed in Rule 5). There is no supplement or food that can compete with the sun!
That is not to say you can’t get vitamin D through your diet. And you should definitely try. Remember Food is Medicine. Eat things like Trout, Salmon, Sardines, Light Tuna, Mushrooms and Egg Yolks (here is an article on foods you can eat but beware of processed foods—see Rule 1).
And here is a chart from an NIH article12:
Finally, you can take a Vitamin D supplement. Different studies point to the benefits of supplementing with Vitamin D3 and Magnesium13 or with Vitamin K2.14 I do the latter but also take Magnesium (see below). Of course, consult a medical professional before adding any supplements.
Omega 3
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Omega-3 fatty acids have many potential benefits for your cardiovascular health. One key benefit is that they help lower your triglyceride levels. . . . In addition, omega-3s may help you by raising your HDL (good) cholesterol and lowering your blood pressure.”15 Last week I discussed the importance of both lowering your triglycerides and raising your HDL.
But the benefits of Omega 3 don’t stop with just heart health. Studies have shown that it can reduce anxiety, depression, promote eye health, and reduce ADHD in children.16
And a research paper published in 2021 found that “Omega-3 Index is just as powerful in predicting early death as smoking.”17 As the lead researcher Michael McBurney put it, “It is interesting to note that in Japan, where the mean Omega-3 Index is greater than 8%, the expected life span is around five years longer than it is in the United States, where the mean Omega-3 Index is about 5%. Hence, in practice, dietary choices that change the Omega-3 Index may prolong life.”18
I pay to have this measurement taken so I know what I need to take as a supplement.
I also try to eat foods that are high in Omega 3. These include the SMASH fish, which I discussed in Rule 3. They are Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines and Herring. Other foods include Cod Liver Oil, Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds, Walnuts, and Soybeans.19 Some of these foods are also high in Vitamin D as discussed above so you get both.
Magnesium
According to the NIH, many Americans consume less than the daily recommended dose of magnesium.20 An article from Dartmouth Health recently pointed out that “is an essential nutrient and mineral in our body.”21 Indeed, “Among the 300-plus reactions involving magnesium are those associated with energy production, muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation, and heart rhythm. Magnesium also plays a role in bone structure.”22
There are several foods that are high in Magnesium. The Cleveland Clinic has an entire list that can be found here. Those include: nuts and seeds, legumes, fiber-rich whole grains, low fat dairy products, greens, fruits, and vegetables. And NIH provided a table of foods in their fact sheet.
I have reproduced it here:
And as I noted in Sleep is your Superpower, Magnesium can help you sleep. I have definitely felt the benefits of taking magnesium with my sleep. Of course, any supplement can have side effects so consult your doctor before taking on—especially if you are on any medication.
In the end, as I said in Rule 7, “test don’t guess.” Figure out your numbers and then figure out what you should supplement with. In the meantime, there is no harm in making some of the above-mentioned foods a staple in your diet. I finish with a post from Rhonda Patrick that sums up why I focus on trying to make sure I get these three nutrients:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-creatine/art-20347591#:~:text=Creatine%20is%20a%20compound%20that,in%20synthetically%20made%20creatine%20supplements.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8228369/#:~:text=Creatine%20is%20one%20of%20the%20most%20studied,in%20addition%20to%20potentiating%20exercise%20training%20adaptations.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7916590/#:~:text=Abstract,in%20the%20area%20is%20warranted.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17828627/
Gordji-Nejad, A., Matusch, A., Kleedörfer, S. et al. Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in cerebral high energy phosphates during sleep deprivation. Sci Rep 14, 4937 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54249-9
https://www.nmn.com/news/dr-peter-attia-reveals-his-top-5-supplements-in-2024#
https://ai.hubermanlab.com/s/jaEObK3t
Id.
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https://www.garagegymreviews.com/how-much-water-should-you-drink-with-creatine
Good Energy at 95.
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#h3
https://www.levels.com/blog/do-you-get-enough-vitamin-d-heres-how-it-benefits-metabolic-health
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29138634/#:~:text=Vitamins%20D%20and%20K%20are,for%20bone%20and%20cardiovascular%20health.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17290-omega-3-fatty-acids
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-health-benefits-of-omega-3#autoimmune-diseases
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210625/Study-Low-Omega-3-Index-is-just-as-powerful-in-predicting-early-death-as-smoking.aspx
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https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods#10-Chia-seeds-5-050-mg-per-serving
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Dietary%20surveys%20of%20people%20in,have%20low%20intakes%20%5B22%5D.
https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/stories/article/are-magnesium-supplements-good-you#:~:text=Magnesium%20is%20an%20essential%20nutrient%20and%20mineral%20in%20our%20body&text=Among%20the%20300%2Dplus%20reactions,a%20role%20in%20bone%20structure.
https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/stories/article/are-magnesium-supplements-good-you#:~:text=Magnesium%20is%20an%20essential%20nutrient%20and%20mineral%20in%20our%20body&text=Among%20the%20300%2Dplus%20reactions,a%20role%20in%20bone%20structure.