Supplements feel like an easy win for

better sleep, more energy, or just

living longer, but many don't actually

work, and some can even be risky for

your health. So, let's break down which

supplements I think you should skip,

try, or buy. Whenever I'm deciding

whether to take a supplement at all, I'm

always asking myself three simple

questions that you can ask yourself,

too. Number one, why do I need it? Am I

trying to help with a symptom or am I

trying to prevent something down the

line? Number two, how will I even know

whether it's working? Can I track my

symptom or is there a simple blood test

that I can do to measure its impact? And

number three, if I'm going to take it,

what is the best quality supplement I

can get? With this in mind, let's move

to our first supplement. Multivitamins.

These are the classic just in case

supplement like a nutritional insurance

policy to cover your bases, but for most

people, they don't seem to do much. Big

studies haven't shown any benefit for

living longer or protecting against

major diseases like heart disease. And

my big issue with multivitamins is the

false sense of reassurance you get. I

took my multivitamin today, so I don't

really need to worry about my diet. And

this is not the way we should be

thinking. And in some people like

smokers or those with precancerous

conditions, high doses of certain

vitamins that you find in multivitz like

vitamin B6 have actually been linked to

a slightly higher risk of cancer. So

these aren't harmless across the board,

especially in large amounts. There are a

few cases where they might be

beneficial, like if you're recovering

from surgery, you have a very limited

diet or you're older at risk of

deficiencies, but even then, I would say

you're usually better off with targeted

supplements and adding more

nutrient-dense foods to your overall

meals. My verdict, I would say skip

unless you've been advised to take one

and focus on real nutrients which are in

whole foods first. Creatine monohydrate.

Most people know creatine for sports

performance because it helps your body

produce quick energy when you're doing

short intense bursts of activity like

lifting weights or sprinting. There are

also some endurance benefits as well.

And there's also exciting research on

brain health too, especially in older

adults who tend to have lower levels.

It's really wellstudied. It's got a good

safety profile with minimal side

effects. And the usual dose is anywhere

between 3 to 5 grams of creatine

monohydrate daily. Again, you don't need

it to be healthy. Your body naturally

makes creatine. And you can also get

some extra sources from meat and fish.

My verdict is this is a try,

particularly if you exercise regularly.

There is emerging evidence that vegans

and vegetarians could also benefit from

having this because you don't get it

from your diet and older adults to

protect their brains. NMN, NAD+, and

other brain boosters. On the topic of

brain health, I've seen a lot of

supplements with big price tags and bold

claims. NMN is one of those supplements

that sounds exciting on paper, and it's

a type of vitamin B3 that helps your

body make NAD+, which drops as we age.

But all these claims you see on labels

are based on theoretical mechanisms or

studies in mice. There is no solid

evidence behind them in human trials and

we have no idea what it does long term.

My verdict, it's a big skip. Magnesium

is another one I see everywhere, often

cited as a sleep fix. And look, it is

essential. It's involved in everything

from muscle and nerve function to blood

pressure regulation. But the research on

supplements, it's kind of weak. There

are some small benefits in older adults

and in people who train super hard, but

not enough to make a strong

recommendation across the board. It's

safe in general, but high doses can

cause diarrhea, gastric upset, cramps,

and it can also interact with

medications like antibiotics,

osteoporosis drugs. So, please check

with your physician if you are taking

any medications long term. For most

people, the best way to start is getting

more magnesium richch foods in your

diet. And adults need generally around

300 to 400 milligrams per day, which is

really achievable from four to five

portions of foods like a handful of nuts

and seeds, particularly pumpkin and

almonds. Cooked greens, particularly

things like kale and spinach, wonderful

sources. Edomame beans, even black beans

have got magnesium in. and whole grains.

I know grains get a bit of a hard time

because they're carbohydrate dense, but

they also contain nutrients,

particularly things like quinoa, which

is a pseudo grain. My verdict is try if

you're training really hard, if you're

older, or if you struggle to get these

kind of foods in your diet, but I would

optimize your meals first. A lot of

people think about iron when they're

feeling a bit tired, getting heavy

periods, or eating mostly plant-based.

And again, iron is essential. We need it

to make healthy red blood cells that

carry oxygen around the body. But if you

don't have an actual deficiency, taking

iron supplements has no proven benefit.

And it's actually one that you want to

be really careful with because too much

iron in the body can irritate the gut

and it can potentially increase

oxidative stress over time, which leads

to raised inflammation levels. If you're

concerned about iron deficiency, the

best thing to do is get your iron levels

checked. There are lots of reasons

outside of iron deficiency that lead to

tiredness. And before rushing to the

supplement aisle, I would also encourage

you to eat more iron rich foods. Things

like seafood, particularly mackerel,

sardines, a little bit of red meat if

you eat it. Lentils and beans are also

good sources of iron. Tofu, and here's a

little trick. If you are plant-based in

particular, you want to pair these foods

with something that is high in vitamin

C, something like green leafy vegetables

that also have iron, peppers or lemon

juice, because that also increases the

absorption of iron into the bloodstream.

My verdict, skip unless you've been

diagnosed with low iron or anemia after

a blood test, and it's not something to

top up with for the sake of it.

Probiotics are having a real moment.

They are everywhere promising to fix

your gut, improve your immunity, or just

make you feel better. But most gut

experts that we have talked to agree

that popping a probiotic every day

probably won't do much. We actually

don't know what a healthy gut bacterial

population looks like because it's so

personal and most supplements only offer

a handful of these bacterial species.

whilst your gut naturally has hundreds

of different microbes. In some cases,

however, if you've just taken

antibiotics or you've been diagnosed

with a gut issue like IBS, certain

probiotic strains might help, but it's

best to use them with advice from a

registered nutrition professional or a

physician. If you want to look after

your gut daily, it's actually much more

helpful to think about other things in

your lifestyle. For example, stress. You

can help digestion with belly breathing

before eating meals. Feeding the

microbes that you already have with

specific types of fibers called

prebiotics. These you get from foods

like whole grains, beans, and nuts, plus

fermented foods. Things like natural

yogurts, keir, or sauerkrauts and

kimchi. My verdict on probiotics, try if

recommended for a specific issue, but I

don't think it's worth it for most

people as a daily supplement. focus on

this stuff instead. Green powders. Look,

getting your greens in without having to

chop any vegetables sounds pretty ideal.

It's not a new idea either. Drying fruit

and vegetables has been around forever.

It can help actually preserve nutrients

like vitamin C and folate. But when it

comes to tangible benefits like

improving immunity, digestion, or energy

that a lot of these green powder brands

are promising, the evidence is pretty

weak or I would say non-existent. My

real issue is actually quality. A lot of

these powders don't tell you what's

actually inside or how much. Some add

sweeteners and flavorings that are not

great for your gut at all. Particularly

if you're having one of these powders

every single day. And when you turn

plants into powder, you lose more than

just water. you lose fiber, texture, and

how everything works synergistically

together, which is what makes whole

plants so beneficial themselves in the

first place. That said, a good green

powder can actually come in handy if

you're traveling or you're busy, you're

struggling to get fresh produce in every

single day. Just make sure you do some

research. Look for companies that use

freeze drying or gentle processing and

are really transparent about the

ingredients that they put into their

powder and don't have any additives. It

should also taste like it works. Pretty

disgusting. My preference, however, is

if you have a blender and 30 seconds,

you're honestly better off making a

quick smoothie with some nutrient-dense

frozen ingredients. Frozen spinach,

frozen berries, probiotic Greek yogurt,

bit of nut butter, some raw honey,

splash of water.

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This is far cheaper. It gives you fiber

and the whole orchestra of nutrients,

not just a faded tune. It's good. My

verdict for green powders, try, but only

a good one as a backup. A lot of people,

even in sunny countries, are low on

vitamin D. We spend most of our time

indoors, missing out on sunlight, which

is our main source of vitamin D. And

it's pretty hard to get enough from food

alone. And vitamin D acts more like a

hormone than a true vitamin. It helps

regulate hundreds of processes in your

body. So, if your levels are low, a

supplement can definitely help. It's

been linked to stronger bones, fewer

fractures, and possibly fewer infections

as well. But it's not magic. The

benefits mainly show up when you correct

a deficiency, which is why I think a

blood test is the only real way to know

whether you'll benefit from

supplementation. It's also worth

mentioning that if you have darker skin,

melanin blocks UV, so you make less

vitamin D. So, if you're older and you

don't get outside much, or you have

darker complexion like myself, it's

definitely something to get tested. If

your levels are low, I recommend taking

anywhere between 400 IU to 2,000 IU per

day, and that's vitamin D3 with vitamin

K2. Be wary of higher doses without

testing your level because more isn't

necessarily better and it can actually

be harmful. It is still worth adding

some food sources of vitamin D to your

diet like sardines, eggs, mushrooms that

have been exposed to sunlight and things

like salmon as well. Every little adds

up. My verdict for vitamin D, buy and

test your vitamin D levels if you can.

Omega3. Now, the best evidence we have

is for heart health, but there may be

some extra benefits for brain, mood, and

even inflammatory conditions. Now, if

you're eating oily fish two to three

times a week, like salmon, sardines,

mackerel, anchovies, you're probably

okay. But if not, I would say a

supplement is probably worth it.

However, there's debate around how much

omega-3 is beneficial. Most people aim

for around 250 to 500 mg of EPA and DHA

every day. But if you're after specific

benefits, closer to 1 to two grams is

probably better. If you can test your

levels with an omega-3 index blood test,

ideally you want it over 8% for heart

and brain health benefits. And one other

thing to watch out for is not all fish

oils are good quality. Some can be

oxidized, rancid, and not contain what

they say. So, look for third-party

testing on the brand's website. If

you're vegan or vegetarian, I actually

highly recommend you take an omega-3

supplement, and you can get them sourced

from algae sources as well, but you do

need to consume enough to get a high

level of EPA and DHA. My verdict is, oh,

it's a buy as it's hard to get over a

gram of EPA and DHA from food alone.

Protein powders. Now, the more I've

looked into the research on protein, the

more I'm convinced that many of us could

do with a little bit more, especially as

we get older. Protein powders can be a

handy topup, especially if you're busy,

training a lot, or just not eating

enough to meet your needs. There's good

evidence that they can help build muscle

and maintain it, especially alongside

strength training. That said, a lot of

protein powders are ultrarocessed. They

contain artificial sweeteners, gums,

emulsifies, and the quality can be all

over the place. Certainly not something

that I would recommend you consume every

single day. So, if you do use them, flip

the pack or tub over and read the label.

Always look for third-p partyy testing

that's on the brand's website. That is

your best bet for avoiding contaminants

like heavy metals that plague lots of

protein powders. But really, the

healthiest way I believe is to get

protein through whole foods. It could be

protein snacks like Greek yogurt with

berries, nuts and seeds, particularly

peanuts, pistachios, and things like

shelled hemp seeds, which are really

high in protein. You could also try

snacks like boiled eggs and hummus as a

way to just bump up that protein number.

And some of my favorite plant-based

sources of protein are edomame, tempeh,

and of course, tofu. Poultry, fish, and

lean red meat are obviously good sources

as well. So, my verdict is try protein

powders when you can't get enough from

food. Use them as a top up, not as your

main protein source. We've covered a lot

of supplements. The list could go on,

but what I'm really excited about are

the potential for whole food

supplements. Instead of isolated

nutrients, you're getting a full

spectrum of things like fiber, healthy

fats, proteins, and polyphenols all

working together for your gut, your

heart, and your brain. It's sort of like

using the full tool kit instead of just

one screwdriver. So, for example, for

energy and focus, you've got cacao. It's

my go-to. It's full of flavonol that

help with blood flow to the brain. It

tastes delicious. It also has a

prebiotic effect, which is great for

your gut health, and it's a source of

protein as well. I use this in lots of

different recipes. Specifically for gut

health, I'm always looking for flax seed

and psyllium husk. They give you tons of

fiber and there's evidence that it can

improve digestion, feed your gut

microbiome, and even reduce cholesterol

as well. For inflammation and joint

health, turmeric, as well as other

spices, work gently but powerfully,

especially when you pair it with black

pepper. for immunity and antioxidant

support. Frozen or freeze-dried berries

like bilbury, black currants are packed

with these plant chemicals called

polyphenols and vitamin C. And these are

fantastic at not just reducing

inflammation but also supporting your

gut microbes as well. For sleep,

something that I get asked about a lot,

instead of relying on supplements or

even food, I think habits matter the

most. Stick to a regular bedtime. Keep

your room cool and dark. Cut off

caffeine before 11:00 a.m. Eat an

earlier dinner and remove digital

devices at least a couple of hours

before bed. If you do that consistently,

it will be better than any sleep

supplement and even some medications as

well. If you think we've missed out on

any supplements, let us know in the

comments. And the best thing about whole

foods, in my opinion, is that they slip

into your day without you even noticing.

Like these three high protein breakfast

recipes that I swear by. They're

absolutely delicious and they're so easy

to make whilst packing in over 30 g of

protein per serve.